15. March 2010 by student.

Freedom cannot be separated from responsibility. With freedom comes responsibility. Yet, many people seek freedom while trying to avoid responsibility.  When an individual is free, that individual is automatically responsible for his or her own actions and future. Knowing the concepts of freedom and responsibility, and the balance between the two are imperative to a pleasant life. Freedom proves to be a very extensive concept. There are many different types of freedom: personal freedom, political freedom, religious freedom, and economic freedom. There is freedom from; and there is freedom to. For example, struggle for freedom begins at infancy. The urge behind a child striving to walk is an urge for freedom of movement.  But all freedom has limitations. We as free citizens know that there are countless federal, state, and local laws with regulations, which limit our conduct. Just because people can curse in public, its still irresponsible; a balance of freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. Individuals are free to make their own choices, but it is the concept of responsibility that triumphs that choice. Being responsible refers to one who can be expected to act without supervision or control and still be expected to do what is right. Such a person would have good character and would consistently strive to do what is right and expected. Being responsible is an attitude expected from everyone in all spheres of activity. For instance, being responsible as parents means setting limits for your children while still exuding love and security. Being responsible vaguely includes: taking the blame for whatever situation the individual is in, recognizing consequences for all actions and acknowledging that one is in control of his or her future. Responsible drivers do not drive when drinking, and obey the rules of the road while maintaining their vehicles. As you can see, the list could go on and on if we tried to name all areas of responsibility. Without accepting responsibility for ones actions, society would not be as it is today.  Being responsible comes with rewards. It leads to greater responsibility, improved reputation, trust and increased self-esteem. Responsibility often brings greater tasks, promotions and a greater recognition of ones self. If one chooses to be free without being responsible, there is a predictable chance the consequences are not going to be pleasing. Freedom without responsibility can be dangerous as well as unpredictable. The balance between the two is one of major importance. If one is exercising their rights to be free without maintaining a level of responsibility, the outcome more than likely will not be very pleasing. For example, students can miss a class, but it is their responsibility to contact the teacher beforehand to find out how to get the work. When freedom presents us with the possibility to do right or wrong, responsible character will ensure that the right decision will prevail. Students in college have the freedom to choose whatever classes they want to take, but it is each student’s responsibility to make sure they are getting the required credits for graduation. This is only one of the various reasons why a balance between freedom and responsibility is necessary. The concepts of freedom and responsibility are extensive, but a balance between the two is obviously considered necessary. The more freedom we enjoy, the greater the responsibility we bear. Without balance among the two, unrestricted freedom is as precarious as lacking responsibility. Either extreme is undesirable. There is a definite need for a balance between freedom and responsibility.

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15. March 2010 by student.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a specific type of anxiety disorder that one may get after witnessing or being the victim of an exceedingly frightening situation which is often life-threatening or fatal. PTSD victims range in age, gender, culture and race. They often times re-experience the traumatic event in specific ways, such as through nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks.  Symptoms can interfere with daily routines and sufferers may experience feelings of guilt, helplessness, tenseness, worry and loss of control.

            Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder got its name in 1980 from studies that researched stress in Vietnam War veterans. Many people familiarize PTSD with the term “shell shock” because countless soldiers coming back from wars as early as the Civil War had symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress and it is believed to have stemmed from all of the gunshots fired while in combat. To this day, many people still believe that only soldiers get PTSD. However, other traumatizing circumstances that can set off PTSD include: an abduction, rape, violent assault, murder, car accident, plane crash, war, natural disaster, or unpleasant medical procedure.

            There are several basic signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that include re-experiencing the traumatic event, intentional avoidance of certain people or places, feeling emotionally numb, feelings of increased arousal, and general feelings of anxiety and/or depression. When a PTSD victim re-experiences an event, they often have vivid upsetting memories, sudden flashbacks, feelings as if the event is repeating itself, or nightmares about the event. Additionally, the person is overcome with agonizing feelings that are often times physical. Moreover, when reminded of the event, it may give one nausea, hurried breathing, heart palpitations, muscle apprehension, or cold sweats. Sufferers also tend to avoid places, activities, and thoughts that remind them of the trauma. While small quantities of victims remember an incredible amount of details from the occurrence, countless others are incapable of remembering any significant characteristics. As mentioned earlier, other symptoms PTSD sufferers endure are vast experiences of arousal, including trouble sleeping, abrupt outbursts of anger, trouble focusing and an exaggerated startled response. Furthermore, PTSD can cause basic feelings of depression and anxiety, such as loss of interest, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, loneliness, mistrust, guilt, self-blame, anger, and so on. Again, there are physical symptoms too, for example, headaches, stomach issues and upper body pain.

            To be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a psychologist or psychiatrist examines all of the symptoms a patient has been experiencing for at least the past month. If the patient has shown at least one indication of re-experience, three signs of avoidance, two hyper arousal symptoms, and symptoms that make it hard for them to live life the same way they had before the traumatic event occurred, the patient is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

            As stated by the National Institute of Mental Health, “It is important to remember that not everyone who lives through a dangerous event gets PTSD. In fact, most will not get the disorder.” There are a couple of risk factors that increase the chance of a person getting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, including having a history of mental illness, having a minimal amount of support after the traumatic event, dealing with additional stress after the event, getting seriously injured, or losing a loved one, a job, or a home. Also, substance abusers are 1.5 times more likely to experience traumatic events than non-drug users, giving them a higher risk of developing PTSD. Resilience factors, on the other hand, can reduce the risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. These can include forming a support group made up of friends and family, feeling confident about one’s own decision making while in serious situations, and/or having a positive approach or way of learning from the traumatic event.

            When patients receive treatment for the disease, PTSD symptoms generally go away within thirty-six months. Those who don’t receive treatment generally have PTSD symptoms for about sixty-four months. In a study done with auto accident victims that did not go to therapy, 60% of sufferers got over their stress within six months. However, more than 20% of victims in the auto accidents went into a chronic course of Post Traumatic Stress. Nonetheless, a high percentage of chronic sufferers never receive any treatment. That being said, treatment is extremely important when it comes to recovering from PTSD. There are countless ways to get help with Post Traumatic Stress. First, one can go to a psychotherapist who can help to talk through the painful experience. Through psychotherapy, there are subdivisions such as cognitive behavioral therapy, a classic form of therapy in which the patient and therapist talk through problems, exposure therapy, which helps in confronting the trauma by reliving it in therapy, cognitive processing therapy, which helps in processing emotions, psychodynamic psychotherapy, which helps control current issues that set off PTSD. Other subdivisions of therapy include eye movement desensitization and processing, which helps the brain process traumatic memories as a psychotherapist waves a baton on front of one’s eyes, and couples counseling or family therapy which helps loved ones understand each other more clearly. About 14% of patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder withdraw from psychotherapy. Up to 50% of patients doing exposure therapy drop out, due to the fact that they have emotional trouble with re-experiencing the trauma. 

            An additional option for PTSD sufferers is taking medicine. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be used to lower anxiety and depression problems. As well as medicine, people can attend support groups run by a professional psychologist to talk with a small set of people who have suffered through similar events. Also, sedatives can be used for sleep problems.

            Self-care can also assist in relieving Post Traumatic Stress for some, but not all people. First and foremost, one can reach out to family and friends for support, which studies show, can be beneficial to one’s health and healing. A second method of self-care is simple relaxation. Doing yoga, meditating, deep breathing, reading a book, taking a walk or listening to calming music can be very stress relieving for some. A third way to alleviate PTSD is by exercising. Due to the fact that exercising triggers the release of endorphins, it picks up one’s mood and sleep schedule, along with enhancing one’s energy. Sleep habits are extremely important when it comes to any stress disorder because it lowers one’s chance of illness and relieves everyday stress. Keeping a journal, limiting caffeine intake, and refraining from use of drugs or alcohol are more simple ways to relax and reduce stress.

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15. March 2010 by student.

Gay and lesbian couples having the rite to adopt is a very mixed controversy. The public has many different opinions and outlooks on this topic. There are close to 500,000 children in foster care, and many of them are waiting to be adopted. To help reduce these large numbers, should gay and lesbian couples be allowed to adopt these children?

An article that I pulled up from my high school class last year, “Traditional Mother and Father: Still the Best Choice for Children”, written by Tom Adkins, argues that gay and lesbian couples should not have the rite to adopt children. Adkins says that there is just too much that could go wrong with gay adoption and that it is not fair to the children. Adkins states that “children who are raised by gay couples are far more likely to suffer from psychiatric problems and even being pressured into becoming homosexuals problems later in life” (Adkins 597) then a child who is brought up by heterosexual parents. Sociologist Patricia Morgan backs Adkins beliefs in one of her most recent books. Children as Trophies consists of over 144 pages of  “academic papers” that result in the conclusion that homosexual parenting leads to gender confusion and other emotional problems (Adkins 597). American College of Pediatricians (ACPEDS) claims that there are several risks to children who are raised by homosexual parents. ACPEDS clearly states that “Adolescents and young adults who adopt the homosexual lifestyle, like their adult counterparts, are at increased risk of mental health problems, including major depression, anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, substance dependence, and especially suicidal ideation and suicide attempts” (ACPEDS).

On the other hand, in another article from my highs school class, “Laws Should Support Loving Households, Straight or Not”, author Becky Birtha argues that gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to adopt children. Whether it is by heterosexual or homosexual couples, Birtha believes something needs to be done about the high number of children in foster care. Birtha argues that there are no negative psychological affects that come along with gay or lesbian couples adopting children. Birtha believes that there are actually advantages to gay parenting. Birtha claims that “one study” shows that “children of heterosexual parents are presented as more aggressive, bossy, negative, and domineering than other children” (Birtha 602). Birtha is claiming that children who are brought up by homosexual parents are generally nicer and more passive than children who are brought up by heterosexual parents. It is still not proven whether gay or lesbian parenting has a negative

physiological affect on children, but there is still a possibility that it could.

As of now, it seems as if not enough research has been done to conclude whether it is right or wrong. No matter what, children deserve the most stable and best household as possible.

Adkins, Tom. “Traditional Mother and Father: Still the Best Choice for Children.” Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen Mandell. Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford, 2004. 597-98.

Birtha, Becky. “Laws Should Support Loving Households, Straight or Not.” Ed. Laurie G. Kiszner and Stephen Mandell. Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford, 2004. 601-03.

“Homosexual Parenting: Is It Time For Change?” Parenting Issues. 22 Jan. 2004. American College of Pediatricians. 10 Mar. 2010 <http://www.acpeds.org/?context=art&cat=22&art=50>. 

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