Elitism Theory Analysis

Elitism Theory Analysis Elitism is a political theory that rejects Marxs views of equality and suggests that there will always be a minority elite ruling the majority. The theory in principle suggests that the people are ruled by the most able and those who are capable of doing the best job and this sounds like a good theory as the country will fare better under people who are most capable of leading. However the issue with this is that the elite in control can use the state to control power and thus maintain power and not providing a true democracy. Elitism can be split into three forms; classical, democratic and modern elitism all of which have a slightly different take on the way the state works and how the minority can use the state to dominate the majority. Elitism is not believed by all and is challenged by two other theories, Marxism and Pluralism. Marxists believe that class position is derived from the persons relationship to the means of production, owners and workers, and not as elitists believe from a mix of economic political or ideological resources. Furthermore Pluralists believe that the state such a complex institution that it cannot be dominated by one group and hence power is shared between many government departments and institutions. The British state with the queen as the head of state, although this is a powerless position, is dominated by parliament who has the ability to create or dismantle laws without having to answer to the people until a general election. I believe that the contemporary British State is still quite elitist with the members of parliament and the cabinet being largely made up of those who have been public schooled and gone to the elite universities of Oxford or Cambridge. This view can even be shown by the recent MPs expenses scandal as the MPs cheated money out of the taxpayer showing how the elite minority thought they were above the majority. Therefore this essay seeks to show how the different elite theories relate to the contemporary Br itish state and how relevant they are today. Classical Elitism was defined by key political scientist Gaetano Mosca as In all societies two classes of people appear a class that rules and a class that is ruled the first class always the numerous performs all political functions, monopolises power and enjoys the advantages that power brings, whereas the second more numerous class is directed and controlled by the first[i]. This quote represents the belief that elite rule is inevitable due to the human race being blessed with different talents and those who are more talented will always rise to the top. The classical elitist theory is underpinned by the fact that the ruling elite is closed off from the ruled and its members are selected by virtue of the economic, political or ideological resources[ii]. This shows the reason why elitists reject Marxism, that eventually there will be a classless state, as elitists believe that there will always be the dominant and the dominated and that class will occur through all societies. Plura lism is also rejected by elitists as pluralists argue that there is a diffusion of power between many government institutions and departments whereas the elitists believe that power is dominated by the minority in control. Classical elitism in some ways does refer to the contemporary British state in so far as parliament is made up of the upper class and that many were public schooled and further educated in the elitist institutions of Oxford and Cambridge. Figure 1 shows the Educational Background of MPs and the cabinet from 1918 to 1955, this shows the large numbers especially on the conservative side who attended elite institutions compared to the Labour party who have a large number MPs and cabinet members from Elementary Schools. This shows that in the conservative party there is a sense of the elite are protected as they have the money to afford public schools which gives them an advantage and as such they are protected in their powerful positions in the state. This is further backed up as in the Thatcher government there were only two members of her cabinet not to have attended a fee paying school[iv]. Therefore it can be argued that the contemporary British state can be seen to be slightly elitist as those in power are protected due to their wealth and their education. Democratic elitism which is the form of elitism created by thinkers such as Max Weber and Joseph Schumpeter and is associated with critiques of Democracy, they still agree with classical elitism however, as Weber put it All ideas aiming at abolishing the dominance of men over men are illusory[v]. This quote gives clear indication that democratic elitist think that elitism is inevitable as long as there is Voluntary compliance, acceptance of commands as valid norms and a belief in the legitimacy of the form of domination[vi]. Similarly to classical elitists democratic elitists fundamentally disagree with Marxism as they reject the idea of equality and say that Government has become so large that it will need specialists to run and control it in order to work efficiently, thus elitism is inevitable. Therefore the argument is that power and decision making should be those most qualified and who have the relevant expertise to make the right choices. As far as this relates to the contempo rary British state it could be argued that Britain is relatively elitist as 37 out 51 prime ministers went to either Oxford or Cambridge suggesting that they are the most intelligent and thus the right people to be taking decisions on behalf of the country. However these institutions are very elitist and select on background and status thus meaning that elites are protected as they will always be the most educated hence why the population cannot decide on the elite but can only legitimise their decisions. However in the future under new plans laid out by Lord Mandleson students from a disadvantaged background would be given a reduced offer to university in Labours attempt to increase social mobility. The scheme would work in such a way that The plan could replicate the scheme at St Georges medical school, London, where the standard requirement for a place to study medicine is three As at A-level. Candidates can be given an offer of two Bs and a C if they outperform their school aver age by 60 per cent. This favours the brightest pupils in bad schools, which are often in the most deprived areas[vii]. This is an attempt by the Labour government to try and make the state in the future less elitist as people from all over the country with different backgrounds will be qualified and will be able to perform an active role in Government and in society in order to promote a more equal state. The final form of Elitism, which was put forward by Political Scientists such as Skocpol, C.Wright Mills and Walter Burnham is modern elitism. Modern Elitists still believe that democracy is limited and that elitism is inevitable, apart from modern elitists look at elitism at an international level through organisations such as the IMF and the United Nations which suggests a tie between politics and economics as shown by Mills whose work suggested a close relationship between economic elites and governmental elites: the corporate rich and the political directorate[viii]. This can show how elitism has become more globalised as national elites became dominated by international elites, thus following the recent economic pattern of globalisation and global shift and how the world has become more integrated creating another elite on the world stage. On a smaller scale the recent creation of the President of the EU is another international elitist position which is overpowering domestic go vernments. Therefore it can be argued that contemporary Britain does fit a modern elitist position as to locate the elite one must look more to the international level rather than the national level as Britain is a member of the EU and the United Nations. Another example of international elitism is the upcoming Copenhagen Climate Summit which will be dominated by several key players who have the most influence in both political and economic spheres mainly the USA and China. There is one part of Modern elitism however which does not fit with the contemporary British state and that is the belief that the state has power which can rival or even exceed economic power. I think that the pluralist view that big business has a privileged position in society is more fitting as shown by the recent bank bailouts showing that the government could not let large corporations such as Northern Rock go out of business, highlighting the important position large firms hold in the economy. This is espe cially so as often general elections are won depending on the economic performance for example of the economy is performing well the incumbent government is more than likely to stay in power whereas if the economy is suffering people are likely to vote for change. For example currently amid the International financial crisis there has been a large swing in the latest opinion polls regarding a general election towards the conservatives giving them a majority of 40[ix] showing how people vote for change in times of crisis such as the current financial crisis. Thus governments understand the importance of big business and will form legislation and policy in order to benefit large firms in order to lead to electoral success. Therefore although the contemporary British state does slightly fit the modern elitist perspective there are bits which suit a pluralist view more. Overall Elitist theory I think that Elitist relevant on an international scale and in some part on a domestic level. International organisations such as the IMF and the United Nations have a lot of power and often can overpower domestic governments especially in developing countries which shows that the elite class is becoming more global. I also think that elite theory is relevant on a domestic scale due to the large numbers of the elite in the ruling class of Britain. This is put forward by Guttsman who said There exists today in Britain a ruling class, if we mean by it a group which provides the majority of those who occupy positions of power and who in their turn can materially assist their sons to reach similar positions[x]. This fits the criteria of elitism as it suggests the people cannot choose the elite and the elite can protect their position by monopolising top education and the methods of production. This is also backed up by the numbers of Oxford and Cambridge graduates in government and thus in the ruling class, Over  ¾ of Cabinet ministers in 1983 were from Oxford and Cambridge[xi]. The numbers in government from elite institutions suggests that elitism is an inevitable cycle where the elite is replaced by their offspring who attend public schools and other elite educational institutions. Therefore government schemes such as the grade drop for students from deprived backgrounds could eventually stop the cycle of elite rule in the short run but in the long run these people will then become the elite and then the cycle will begin again this elite rule is inevitable. Thus leading to the theory that the people can only choose between groups of elites at elections for example between the only two parties with a realistic chance of winning a general election, Labour or the Conservatives as shown by Andrew Hayward One elite can only be removed by replacing it with another[xii].

Describe and Evaluate Two Approaches to the Treatment of Self-Defeating Behaviour

Word count – 2553 Describe and evaluate two approaches to the treatment of self-defeating behaviour. Module Five Jane Ovington May 2012 Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 1 of 9 Introduction This essay aims to describe and evaluate two approaches to the treatment of self defeating behaviour. To do this I am using the description of Anorexia Nervosa as a self defeating behaviour, one which has far reaching consequences.I will include possible origins, causes and maintenance of Anorexia and describe two of many ways in which a therapist may help with this condition whilst weighing up the strengths and weaknesses of each. Main essay What is self defeating behaviour? Self defeating behaviour could be described as behaviour that when compared to other possible courses of action, it is never the best possible action for that individual. A self defeating behaviour will at some point have been used successfully as a coping strategy to get thro ugh a difficult situation.This course of action is then stored in the subconscious by that individual as something that ‘worked’ and therefore the behaviour will be re-produced again in times of perceived trouble. The self defeating behaviour will by its very nature actually serve to ensure that the fear or consequence that the person is trying to avoid will in fact come to pass. (Chrysalis Year 2 Module5) What is Anorexia? Anorexia is an eating disorder whose main feature is excessive weight loss and obsessive exercise.A very low weight is achieved which is then maintained abnormally low for the patients age and height. The sufferer develops an intense desire to be thinner and an intense fear of becoming fat. Their body image becomes completely distorted and their body weight and shape become the main or even sole measure of self worth as maintaining an extremely low weight becomes equated with beauty, success, self-esteem, and self-control. It is not seen as a problem by the sufferer. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 2 of 9Contrary to popular belief this psychological and physical condition is not usually about food. It is a self defeating behaviour used as a way of taking control and trying to make life better and is accompanied by a variety of changes in behaviour, emotions, thinking, perceptions, and social interactions. The name Anorexia nervosa is somewhat misleading as it literally means â€Å"nervous loss of appetite. † However, for people with this disorder all waking thoughts are dominated by food, weight, and body image and incredible levels of self control are used to fight feelings of intense hunger. http://ehealthmd. com/content/what-anorexia-nervosa) Approximately 95% of those affected by anorexia are female and most often teenage girls. Higher incidence of anorexia is often seen in environments where thinness is deemed to be especially desirable or a professional requirement, such as athletes, models, dancers, and actors. In order to enter the state of Anorexia Nervosa, a person must lose weight. The majority set out to do so deliberately because rightly or wrongly they feel that they are too fat.For most people, dieting to lose weight is a struggle. Most dieters ‘cheat' or give up before they lose all the weight which they had intended to shed and for those who do reach their intended weight there is a measure of satisfaction and re-education of eating habits which allow them to maintain a healthy weight. In contrast, the soon to be anorexic finds slimming easy, rewarding and something they can be good at from the start, something they can control which brings feelings of success, power and triumph.The sense of satisfaction gained from the suppression of hunger and the level of self denial required to be successful is frequently reported by anorexic sufferers to be very empowering and so here we see how effective this behaviour may be viewed by the su fferer as a coping strategy. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 3 of 9 My own experience of this condition was one that arose when my best friend died at the age of 17. I knew for many months prior to her death that death would almost certainly be the outcome of her condition. I felt ‘out of control’ there was nothing I could do to change the course of events.The one thing I could control however was what went into my mouth. This gave me a comforting sense of taking control of something. Something I turned out to be good at, something I could focus on to make all the other uncontrollable feelings subside. Once these feelings arise, a fear of losing control prevents the sufferer from resuming normal eating habits. Their experience is dominated by these ‘feel good feelings' of control and power but it is perceived by the sufferer to be precarious and vulnerable and therefore threatened by any behaviour that may cause unwante d weight gain.The sufferers preoccupation with maintaining this new postition begins to distort all other interests, concerns and relationships. In some cases the current position is never enough and weight loss progresses until it becomes life threatening. In most cases it seems that the anorexic starts out with similar behaviour and similar intention to the ordinary slimmer but something goes wrong and the slimming behaviour is inappropriately prolonged (My own experience). Ironically, while Anorexia starts out as a feeling of taking control, it rapidly descends into a fear of losing the control the sufferer perceives themselves to have taken.All the while the condition is actually controlling the sufferer. While the media definitely plays a role in how we view ourselves, anorexia is a way of coping with what’s going on in a teen’s life. Stress, pain, anger, acceptance, confusion and fear can all become triggers for this debilitating eating disorder. The goal is one of trying to make their whole life better. Families can play a huge role. Some families are over protective and smothering which can create a need or rather a demand for independence. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 4 of 9Some families are critical of weight gain, academic or sporting accomplishments or are rigid and even abusive. Some younger people do not feel safe in their own homes, they don’t know where to turn or what to do and the need to find a way to deal with what’s going on in their lives. Life transitions such as a break up, a divorce, death of a loved one, failure at school or at work are all stressful incidents that need to be dealt with. Genetic factors can also play its part in contributing – anorexia in teenage girls occurs eight times more often in people who have relatives with the disorder. Anorexia – a guide to sufferers and their families R. L Palmer 1980). My own Mother was grossly overwe ight at the time of my condition and I viewed her as someone who was completely out of control with no respect for herself. This was a very negative view, one which I could not see in myself at the other end of the spectrum! Effects on families and friends For parents and others who are close to a person who is trapped inside the condition of anorexia, there can seem like there is no escape. It is difficult for them to understand and empathise with self destructive behaviours.It becomes extrememly distressing to see a loved one wasting away whilst refusing offers of food which seem such a tantalisingly simple solution to the problem. Feelings of helplesness and guilt set in, along with frustration, anger and despair. (Quote from my Mum from 1991). My Mother set about criticising my ‘ridiculous behaviour’ in a bid to scare me into eating this only served to make me more determined to empower myself with what had turned from self defeating behaviour into self destructive behaviour and ultimately formed a self defeating behaviour in my Mother. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 5 of 9Treatment The idea of being ‘cured’ of Anorexia by the sufferer is usually completely undesirable because what that ‘cure’ implies is that they will eat more food, put on more weight and become fat, the very thing they are trying to avoid! Therefore, Anorexia has to be acknowledged as a problem by the sufferer before effective treatment can take place. Traditionaly the disorder is treated with a combination of individual psychotherapy and family therapy to look beyond the basic issue of food intake and address the emotional issues that underpin the disorder using a psychodynamic approach. Important ethical considerationsIt is important for therapists to consider that Anorexia Nervosa, although starts out as a self defeating behaviour, it’s consequences lead to many serious medical conditions which can range from malnutrition, loss of concentration and loss of periods to total organ failure and death. Therefore a therapist should never aim to treat the condition alone, but any psychological intervention to treat the underlying causes should take place alongside appropriate medical care. Any therapists working with an anorexic client would always need written medical consent and specialist supervision and should be experienced in this field of work.However, members of the sufferers family and close friends may also benefit from therapy to address any stress, anxiety and guilt surrounding the issue and in the absence of any other contraindications, medical consent for this group would not be necessary. The psychodynamic approach The psychodynamic approach will view the clients behaviour as being derived from some internal conflict, motive or unconscious force. Once it is discovered where this conflict began the therapist can set about working through those issues to a resolutio n. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 6 of 9Generally, it is believed that if behaviours are discontinued without addressing the underlying motives that are driving them, then a relapse will occur. During my battle with Anorexia, I was hospitalised and fed to increase my body weight. I ate willingly and was quickly considered cured and discharged from the hospital. However, I had deliberately manipulated the situation with the view that the sooner I could ‘escape’ the quicker I could get back on with the job. Taking control, to bring back the feel good feelings and the sense of empowerment that meant even more to me after having been ‘overpowered’ in the hospital.Clearly this treatment was very ineffective. Later I sought help through a therapist who, using a psychodynamic approach, was able to take me back through the death of my friend and deal with the grief in an appropriate way. This eventually helped me to let go of controlling my food intake as a way of dealing with these suppressed emotions. Behavioural symptoms in the psychodynamic approach are viewed as expressions of the patient's underlying needs. Often issues can disappear or lie dormant with the completion of working through these issues.However, a psychodynamic approach to anorexia is not all encompassing. During the recovery process, anorexics will frequently suffer from feelings of panic as they learn to lessen their control. As weight is gained, they will feel anxious much of the time and suffer from low self esteem or perhaps even feel that they are a ‘bad' person and have to become a ‘people pleaser' to make up for it. Anorexics are very often perfectionists and can be very harsh on themselves. All these things combined can make the process of recovery a very stressful, anxious and self deprecating experience (My own experience).A cognitive behavioural therapy approach may best meet the needs of a client feeling this way. Anorexics are often not fully aware of the initial cause of the condition and therapy may be a way to Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 7 of 9 lift the lid off of buried emotions to enable sufferers to deal with their underlying emotions. During the grip of the disorder the over-riding emotion felt is fear and this fear over rides the body's natural wisdom around food and eating, the sufferer distrusts themselves and fears that their ‘secret greedy self' may emerge and they will lose control completely.The sufferer will hate their ‘secret greedy self' and cognitive behavioural therapy would be a valuable tool in rebuilding self trust, improving self esteem, and overcoming fear and anxiety that arises through the process of recovery. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a time-limited and focused approach that helps a person understand how their thinking and negative self-talk and self-image can directly impact their eating and negative behaviours. CBT usually focuses on identifying and altering dysfunctional thought patterns, attitudes and beliefs that may perpetuate the sufferers restrictive eating.A researcher in the early 1980’s by the name of Chris Fairburn developed a specific model of CBT to help in the treatment of Anorexia, using the traditional foundations of CBT therapy – helping a person understand, identify and change their irrational thoughts (the ‘cognitive’ part) and helping a person make the changes real through specific behavioural interventions such as promoting healthy eating behaviours through rewards. (http://psychcentral. com/lib/2006/treatment-for-anorexia/all/1/) Strengths and weaknessesIt is clear to see that both approaches are somewhat lacking and a multi-model approach should be taken to ensure success. The psychodynamic model will uncover the initial cause of the behaviour and addressing these issues will go a long way toward a successful outcome. However, it does not address the subsequent negative thought processes that keep the sufferer a prisoner within the condition. This is something that a CBT approach can successfully address but a CBT approach could fail to prevent a relapse if the underlying reasons for the negative self talk are not uncovered.Both treatments together will hold more strength in long term success, but neither seeks to address nutritional issues, food related symptoms or deep seated behavioural rituals of the eating disorder. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 8 of 9 Summary Anorexia although initially can be viewed as a self defeating behaviour, is a complicated and mulit-faceted field and I would expect a consistent and long course of therapy that may focus on a psychodynamic approach alongside person centred counselling, alongside cognitive behavioural therapy, alongside appropriate medical intervention.Hypnotherapy may also be used to improve sel f esteem, reduce stress and anxiety, coping with panic and confidence building to help the sufferer relax levels of control and resume a more healthy relationship with themselves. As the anorexic begins to regain trust in themselves and their body, they can begin to feel back in control of their emotions and thoughts, thus lessening their levels of anxiety and helping toward a successful recovery. Ultimately, the pace of therapy has to be set by the client and the client has to admit to the problem in the first place before any type of therapy can begin.References: I personally suffered from this disorder from the ages of 17-21 and some of the information used has been based on my own experiences and that of my Parents. (Chrysalis Year 2 Module 5) R. L Palmer – Anorexia Nervosa. A guide for sufferers and their families. Penguin Books 1980 (http://ehealthmd. com/content/what-anorexia-nervosa http://psychcentral. com/lib/2006/treatment-for-anorexia/all/1/) Jane Ovington  œ Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 9 of 9 any type of therapy can begin. has to be set by the client and the client has to admit to the problem in the first place before Describe and Evaluate Two Approaches to the Treatment of Self-Defeating Behaviour Word count – 2553 Describe and evaluate two approaches to the treatment of self-defeating behaviour. Module Five Jane Ovington May 2012 Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 1 of 9 Introduction This essay aims to describe and evaluate two approaches to the treatment of self defeating behaviour. To do this I am using the description of Anorexia Nervosa as a self defeating behaviour, one which has far reaching consequences.I will include possible origins, causes and maintenance of Anorexia and describe two of many ways in which a therapist may help with this condition whilst weighing up the strengths and weaknesses of each. Main essay What is self defeating behaviour? Self defeating behaviour could be described as behaviour that when compared to other possible courses of action, it is never the best possible action for that individual. A self defeating behaviour will at some point have been used successfully as a coping strategy to get thro ugh a difficult situation.This course of action is then stored in the subconscious by that individual as something that ‘worked’ and therefore the behaviour will be re-produced again in times of perceived trouble. The self defeating behaviour will by its very nature actually serve to ensure that the fear or consequence that the person is trying to avoid will in fact come to pass. (Chrysalis Year 2 Module5) What is Anorexia? Anorexia is an eating disorder whose main feature is excessive weight loss and obsessive exercise.A very low weight is achieved which is then maintained abnormally low for the patients age and height. The sufferer develops an intense desire to be thinner and an intense fear of becoming fat. Their body image becomes completely distorted and their body weight and shape become the main or even sole measure of self worth as maintaining an extremely low weight becomes equated with beauty, success, self-esteem, and self-control. It is not seen as a problem by the sufferer. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 2 of 9Contrary to popular belief this psychological and physical condition is not usually about food. It is a self defeating behaviour used as a way of taking control and trying to make life better and is accompanied by a variety of changes in behaviour, emotions, thinking, perceptions, and social interactions. The name Anorexia nervosa is somewhat misleading as it literally means â€Å"nervous loss of appetite. † However, for people with this disorder all waking thoughts are dominated by food, weight, and body image and incredible levels of self control are used to fight feelings of intense hunger. http://ehealthmd. com/content/what-anorexia-nervosa) Approximately 95% of those affected by anorexia are female and most often teenage girls. Higher incidence of anorexia is often seen in environments where thinness is deemed to be especially desirable or a professional requirement, such as athletes, models, dancers, and actors. In order to enter the state of Anorexia Nervosa, a person must lose weight. The majority set out to do so deliberately because rightly or wrongly they feel that they are too fat.For most people, dieting to lose weight is a struggle. Most dieters ‘cheat' or give up before they lose all the weight which they had intended to shed and for those who do reach their intended weight there is a measure of satisfaction and re-education of eating habits which allow them to maintain a healthy weight. In contrast, the soon to be anorexic finds slimming easy, rewarding and something they can be good at from the start, something they can control which brings feelings of success, power and triumph.The sense of satisfaction gained from the suppression of hunger and the level of self denial required to be successful is frequently reported by anorexic sufferers to be very empowering and so here we see how effective this behaviour may be viewed by the su fferer as a coping strategy. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 3 of 9 My own experience of this condition was one that arose when my best friend died at the age of 17. I knew for many months prior to her death that death would almost certainly be the outcome of her condition. I felt ‘out of control’ there was nothing I could do to change the course of events.The one thing I could control however was what went into my mouth. This gave me a comforting sense of taking control of something. Something I turned out to be good at, something I could focus on to make all the other uncontrollable feelings subside. Once these feelings arise, a fear of losing control prevents the sufferer from resuming normal eating habits. Their experience is dominated by these ‘feel good feelings' of control and power but it is perceived by the sufferer to be precarious and vulnerable and therefore threatened by any behaviour that may cause unwante d weight gain.The sufferers preoccupation with maintaining this new postition begins to distort all other interests, concerns and relationships. In some cases the current position is never enough and weight loss progresses until it becomes life threatening. In most cases it seems that the anorexic starts out with similar behaviour and similar intention to the ordinary slimmer but something goes wrong and the slimming behaviour is inappropriately prolonged (My own experience). Ironically, while Anorexia starts out as a feeling of taking control, it rapidly descends into a fear of losing the control the sufferer perceives themselves to have taken.All the while the condition is actually controlling the sufferer. While the media definitely plays a role in how we view ourselves, anorexia is a way of coping with what’s going on in a teen’s life. Stress, pain, anger, acceptance, confusion and fear can all become triggers for this debilitating eating disorder. The goal is one of trying to make their whole life better. Families can play a huge role. Some families are over protective and smothering which can create a need or rather a demand for independence. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 4 of 9Some families are critical of weight gain, academic or sporting accomplishments or are rigid and even abusive. Some younger people do not feel safe in their own homes, they don’t know where to turn or what to do and the need to find a way to deal with what’s going on in their lives. Life transitions such as a break up, a divorce, death of a loved one, failure at school or at work are all stressful incidents that need to be dealt with. Genetic factors can also play its part in contributing – anorexia in teenage girls occurs eight times more often in people who have relatives with the disorder. Anorexia – a guide to sufferers and their families R. L Palmer 1980). My own Mother was grossly overwe ight at the time of my condition and I viewed her as someone who was completely out of control with no respect for herself. This was a very negative view, one which I could not see in myself at the other end of the spectrum! Effects on families and friends For parents and others who are close to a person who is trapped inside the condition of anorexia, there can seem like there is no escape. It is difficult for them to understand and empathise with self destructive behaviours.It becomes extrememly distressing to see a loved one wasting away whilst refusing offers of food which seem such a tantalisingly simple solution to the problem. Feelings of helplesness and guilt set in, along with frustration, anger and despair. (Quote from my Mum from 1991). My Mother set about criticising my ‘ridiculous behaviour’ in a bid to scare me into eating this only served to make me more determined to empower myself with what had turned from self defeating behaviour into self destructive behaviour and ultimately formed a self defeating behaviour in my Mother. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 5 of 9Treatment The idea of being ‘cured’ of Anorexia by the sufferer is usually completely undesirable because what that ‘cure’ implies is that they will eat more food, put on more weight and become fat, the very thing they are trying to avoid! Therefore, Anorexia has to be acknowledged as a problem by the sufferer before effective treatment can take place. Traditionaly the disorder is treated with a combination of individual psychotherapy and family therapy to look beyond the basic issue of food intake and address the emotional issues that underpin the disorder using a psychodynamic approach. Important ethical considerationsIt is important for therapists to consider that Anorexia Nervosa, although starts out as a self defeating behaviour, it’s consequences lead to many serious medical conditions which can range from malnutrition, loss of concentration and loss of periods to total organ failure and death. Therefore a therapist should never aim to treat the condition alone, but any psychological intervention to treat the underlying causes should take place alongside appropriate medical care. Any therapists working with an anorexic client would always need written medical consent and specialist supervision and should be experienced in this field of work.However, members of the sufferers family and close friends may also benefit from therapy to address any stress, anxiety and guilt surrounding the issue and in the absence of any other contraindications, medical consent for this group would not be necessary. The psychodynamic approach The psychodynamic approach will view the clients behaviour as being derived from some internal conflict, motive or unconscious force. Once it is discovered where this conflict began the therapist can set about working through those issues to a resolutio n. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 6 of 9Generally, it is believed that if behaviours are discontinued without addressing the underlying motives that are driving them, then a relapse will occur. During my battle with Anorexia, I was hospitalised and fed to increase my body weight. I ate willingly and was quickly considered cured and discharged from the hospital. However, I had deliberately manipulated the situation with the view that the sooner I could ‘escape’ the quicker I could get back on with the job. Taking control, to bring back the feel good feelings and the sense of empowerment that meant even more to me after having been ‘overpowered’ in the hospital.Clearly this treatment was very ineffective. Later I sought help through a therapist who, using a psychodynamic approach, was able to take me back through the death of my friend and deal with the grief in an appropriate way. This eventually helped me to let go of controlling my food intake as a way of dealing with these suppressed emotions. Behavioural symptoms in the psychodynamic approach are viewed as expressions of the patient's underlying needs. Often issues can disappear or lie dormant with the completion of working through these issues.However, a psychodynamic approach to anorexia is not all encompassing. During the recovery process, anorexics will frequently suffer from feelings of panic as they learn to lessen their control. As weight is gained, they will feel anxious much of the time and suffer from low self esteem or perhaps even feel that they are a ‘bad' person and have to become a ‘people pleaser' to make up for it. Anorexics are very often perfectionists and can be very harsh on themselves. All these things combined can make the process of recovery a very stressful, anxious and self deprecating experience (My own experience).A cognitive behavioural therapy approach may best meet the needs of a client feeling this way. Anorexics are often not fully aware of the initial cause of the condition and therapy may be a way to Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 7 of 9 lift the lid off of buried emotions to enable sufferers to deal with their underlying emotions. During the grip of the disorder the over-riding emotion felt is fear and this fear over rides the body's natural wisdom around food and eating, the sufferer distrusts themselves and fears that their ‘secret greedy self' may emerge and they will lose control completely.The sufferer will hate their ‘secret greedy self' and cognitive behavioural therapy would be a valuable tool in rebuilding self trust, improving self esteem, and overcoming fear and anxiety that arises through the process of recovery. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a time-limited and focused approach that helps a person understand how their thinking and negative self-talk and self-image can directly impact their eating and negative behaviours. CBT usually focuses on identifying and altering dysfunctional thought patterns, attitudes and beliefs that may perpetuate the sufferers restrictive eating.A researcher in the early 1980’s by the name of Chris Fairburn developed a specific model of CBT to help in the treatment of Anorexia, using the traditional foundations of CBT therapy – helping a person understand, identify and change their irrational thoughts (the ‘cognitive’ part) and helping a person make the changes real through specific behavioural interventions such as promoting healthy eating behaviours through rewards. (http://psychcentral. com/lib/2006/treatment-for-anorexia/all/1/) Strengths and weaknessesIt is clear to see that both approaches are somewhat lacking and a multi-model approach should be taken to ensure success. The psychodynamic model will uncover the initial cause of the behaviour and addressing these issues will go a long way toward a successful outcome. However, it does not address the subsequent negative thought processes that keep the sufferer a prisoner within the condition. This is something that a CBT approach can successfully address but a CBT approach could fail to prevent a relapse if the underlying reasons for the negative self talk are not uncovered.Both treatments together will hold more strength in long term success, but neither seeks to address nutritional issues, food related symptoms or deep seated behavioural rituals of the eating disorder. Jane Ovington – Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 8 of 9 Summary Anorexia although initially can be viewed as a self defeating behaviour, is a complicated and mulit-faceted field and I would expect a consistent and long course of therapy that may focus on a psychodynamic approach alongside person centred counselling, alongside cognitive behavioural therapy, alongside appropriate medical intervention.Hypnotherapy may also be used to improve sel f esteem, reduce stress and anxiety, coping with panic and confidence building to help the sufferer relax levels of control and resume a more healthy relationship with themselves. As the anorexic begins to regain trust in themselves and their body, they can begin to feel back in control of their emotions and thoughts, thus lessening their levels of anxiety and helping toward a successful recovery. Ultimately, the pace of therapy has to be set by the client and the client has to admit to the problem in the first place before any type of therapy can begin.References: I personally suffered from this disorder from the ages of 17-21 and some of the information used has been based on my own experiences and that of my Parents. (Chrysalis Year 2 Module 5) R. L Palmer – Anorexia Nervosa. A guide for sufferers and their families. Penguin Books 1980 (http://ehealthmd. com/content/what-anorexia-nervosa http://psychcentral. com/lib/2006/treatment-for-anorexia/all/1/) Jane Ovington  œ Chrysalis North2A – Tutor , Steven Lucas, page 9 of 9 any type of therapy can begin. has to be set by the client and the client has to admit to the problem in the first place before

Definitions and treatment of Psychological Abnormality Free Essay Example, 1750 words

The same applies to psychology. Any person who displays attributes that are outside the two standard deviation limits is psychologically abnormal. This definition is probably the simplest because it basically involves gathering data, computing means and standard deviations, and then using the standard deviations to classify anybody who contradicts their limits as abnormal (Rosenhan, 1973:254). Consider psychological trait like intelligence, which has a normal distribution whose average figure is 100. Individuals whose IQ scores are two standard deviations below 100 are, therefore, abnormal (intellectually disabled). Strengths and Weaknesses The benefit of this definition is that it is purely statistical and, as is often the case with numbers, it is easy to decipher patterns. In fact, numbers often lead to a positive/negative inference. In addition, anybody can interpret numbers; one does not need professional qualifications to elucidate simple figures. The problem with this definition is that despite the existence of patterns, people can still interpret numbers differently (Comer, 2013:34). For example, an individual with superior intelligence might be considered normal despite falling beyond other averages like social behaviour. Finally, the progressive nature of research means that new data is regularly generated, meaning today’s averages might not be the same tomorrow. We will write a custom essay sample on Definitions and treatment of Psychological Abnormality or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now This can create confusion when seeking a common benchmark for classifying abnormal psychology. Social Norm Deviation Every society has written and unwritten rules that define acceptable behaviour. In fact, most human behaviour is determined by norms – societal standards of right and wrong conduct. Some examples of norms include eating habits and dietary composition, eye contact, proper dressing, etiquette and courtesy, gender roles, etc (Davies, 2013:71). Any individual who regularly contradicts these informal laws is viewed as abnormal. This definition is simple, compelling, and powerful. It is based on common sense, and norms are usually so firmly embedded that they appear absolute. Strengths and Weaknesses The benefit of this definition is that social norms are so powerful that they are virtually impossible to ignore. As a result, they can be relied on to develop conclusive classifications of individuals. The methodology is simple: any person who â€Å"betrays† the norm is abnormal. This definition has two major weaknesses. The first is that it is impossible for society to be perfect (Ray, 2014:17).

Revenge in Hamlet - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 869 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/03/27 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Hamlet Essay Revenge Essay William Shakespeare Essay Did you like this example? Hamlet, is a tale of a Danish prince bestowed with the burden of hashing a plan to punish his fathers murderer once his ghost appears before him, he and the public unaware of his true cause of death that he was slain by his very own blood. To Hamlets surprise his uncle, Claudius has killed his brother and proclaimed his thrown by marrying the princes mother, Gertrude. In Hamlets search for answers along with his sanity, he makes the fatal error of stabbing Polonius, the Kings right-hand servant. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Revenge in Hamlet" essay for you Create order Polonius death causes his beautiful Daughter along with Hamlets former lover, to be driven to a mental snap. Polonius son, Laertes, decides to avenge his fathers death, and the Roman Emperor sees a chance to urge eliminate his kinsman. He sets up a fencing match between Hamlet and mythical being, then poisons Hamlets drink and Laertes brand. Through the twist and turns of the tragic tale Shakespeare uncovers a reoccurring idea of revenge and while also displaying the emotional toll it can have during the duration of the act. Hamlet wants verification of his uncles betrayal of the previous king before he will take revenge upon him, he is also worrying of the moral consequences he will inherit when he commits the sin of murder. He is stresses himself because as an Christian man he is completely aware of what happens when a since is committed, the question of will God ever forgive him comes to play in his mind heavily Its Satans delight to tell me that once hes got me, he will keep me. But at that moment I can go back to God. And I know that if I confess my sins, God is faithful and just to forgive me. (Redpath) He looks to be cautious of his fathers ghost and therefore the allegations it makes regarding Claudius die down. The ghost 1st sighting within the play came before Horatio Hamlets friend, and 2 guards of the castle. Hamlet is then told by his fathers ghost to penalize his death once he follows the spirit into the forest. In Elizabethan times, once Hamlet was written and performed, folks were terrib ly irrational. associate Elizabethan audience would have mechanically accepted the existence of the ghost, however Hamlet is skeptical of his mission he not sure if it was created to steal his soul, or the important ghost of his father. Hamlet chooses to see regardless of his thoughts of Claudius, by having an array of players investigate the presumed homicide. This makes the prince attitude change along with his actions the toll of his revenge plot is starting to weight on him. The possibility of Hamlets vengeance is communicated through some of his monologues, strikingly in his second speech once hes rebuking his very own inaction. Hamlet is hesitant to execute his uncle while still having no actual proof of the allegations of his uncle he is still fearful of the moral consequences. As the prince might be a Christian, he lives by the possibility that on the off chance that he slaughters an innocent man, he is sent directly to the underworld. It requires him an extended investment to ask his inner self if this is truly what he wants to do. as the second speech is activated by the enthusiastic discourse of the essential character, who plays the character upheld the integrity of The Mousetrap. The prince feels that hes a disappointment to his father since he cannot find the will within himself will or true purpose to commit the murder of Claudius. Twenty thousand men unavoidable passing without any protestations or fears of what happens after they kill another soul, while Hamlet cannot force himself to slaughter his dads killer because of a paranoid fear of the otherworldly results. It is not the situation which makes the man, but the man who makes the situation (Robertson) he is flabbergasted that such a large number of individuals are set up to pass the unforgivable line of sin that is not even sufficiently made to hold all of them because god expects individuals to follow his commandments This occasion puts Claudius fratricidal demonstration into point of view for Hamlet, and he chooses all that he does starting now and into the foreseeable future will be centered around avenging his dads demise. Shakespeare expanded the valuation for the content as Hamlets goals to slaughter Claudius persuaded that he is at last going to get even and does not experience the eternal repercussions that goes along with the sin of murder. Shakespeare investigates the idea of the accomplishment of Hamlet in the last scene of the play, when the prince at last slaughters Claudius. This happens when Laertes opens Claudiuss weak spot to the poisonous sword, which both the kings and Laertes have been injured by, along with the wine. Hamlet grabs his chance and cuts his uncle with the cutting edge and overpowers him to drink the deadly wine finally fulling his destiny. Hamlet feels the depth of the crime he just committed, but also feels fulfilled in the same instance he avenges his late father along with letting go of the emotional trauma cast upon him through his Godly believes.