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Drug Categories
Drug Categories
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Drug Categories
The terms “downers,” “upper,” and all arounder mostly describe how drug substances behave on the nervous system. Depressants are generally known as downers, while stimulants are considered as uppers. All-arounder substances distort the perception of the user concerning reality through brain manipulation in senses interpretation. The sensory messages that the user’s brain experiences are intensified, not to mention mixed up sensory messages that lead to impaired judgment. Sedatives and tranquilizers are the commonly known downers. Drugs such as cocaine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine are categorized as uppers. Some other substances carry the depressant effects apart from sedatives, for example, muscle relaxers, opioids, not to mention alcohol. Based on different personal accounts, the vast majority of individuals use downers to remove stimulants’ undesirable effects. Individuals also reduce sedation by using uppers. Seemingly, the approach is seen as a viable option of mitigating the adverse effects associated with those substances. Regrettably, it leads to the risk of severe health issues, without mentioning overdose.
Substances categorized as downers depress the central nervous system (CNS) by reducing the heart rate, thus lowering the blood pressure, and it significantly leads to sedation and impairs cognition. Some prescription downers incorporate sedatives and benzodiazepines. Examples of sedatives include Lunesta and Ambien, while benzodiazepines encompass Valium, Ativan, and Xanax, to mention a few (Porterfield, 2007). Downer substances often lead to fatigue, dizziness, sedation, impaired memory, drowsiness, reduced inhibitions, trembling, among others. Different body processes are triggered differently based on the type of downer that a person uses.
Consequently, downers are classified as either alcohol, opioids, or sedatives. Typically, sedatives or tranquilizers are downers that are used as a remedy for sleep problems, anxiety, or panic. Technically, opioids are considered as painkillers, although they might contain powerful depressant effects, thus coming as either a prescription or illegal forms, like in the oxycodone and heroin cases, respectively (Guina, & Merrill, 2018). For alcohol, it is readily available and legal in many places across the globe, and specifically in the United States, persons of 21 years and above are allowed. An overdose of downers has the potential to cause a profound, life-threatening central nervous system depression in the cases where individuals take too many drugs or alcohol. Slurred speech, death, coma, respiratory arrest, impaired vision, among others, are linked to depressant overdose. In instances where multiple substances are combined with downers can as well lead to a profound central nervous system depression.
Upper substances affect the central nervous system by increasing the heart rate, raising the pressure of the blood, and it leads to boosted energy levels. Additionally, uppers or stimulants trigger the feel-good chemicals in the body (dopamine and adrenaline). Both dopamine and adrenaline are responsible for triggering the well-being feelings and those of reward. Also, upper substances boost the appetite of a person, enhances concentration and alertness, not to mention extended wakefulness. Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta are examples of prescription stimulants that are often misused. Cocaine and meth are examples of upper substances found in the illicit form. Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta are prescriptions for Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and in some cases, they also treat narcolepsy (Satel, & Nelson,1989). Uppers also contain Ecstasy in their classification, ecstasy potential to induce hallucination and sensory perceptions alteration makes it to put in its single category. Side effects linked to the consumption of upper substances include severe headache, chest pains, insomnia, tremors, dizziness, among others. A mixture of two or more upper substances can be risky as they amplify the fictionality of a person’s system. An overdose of stimulants often leads to seizures, aggression, hypertension, heart failure, to mention a few.
In the All Arounders category, there exist a set of drugs with varied chemical compositions and effects. Some of these substances include steroids, hallucinogens, inhalants, and marijuana. Hallucinogen drugs have been used for a long time, and the individuals using them experience hallucinations, distorted perception, and induced delusions. Peyote and psilocybin mushrooms are examples of known hallucinogens that exist naturally, and they have been even for religious rituals. All arounder drugs cause nausea, dizziness, sleep disorders, overstimulation, and vomiting. Consumption of all arounder substances may have profound health problems such as memory problems, abstract thinking, attention span, and accidents.
References
Guina, J., & Merrill, B. (2018). Benzodiazepines I: upping the care on downers: the evidence of risks, benefits and alternatives. Journal of clinical medicine, 7(2), 17.
Porterfield, J. (2007). Downers: Depressant abuse. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
Satel, S. L., & Nelson, J. C. (1989). Stimulants in the treatment of depression: a critical overview. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 50(7), 241-249.
Family and Identity
Family and Identity
A family is the smallest unit of any community usually having the closest and most comprehensive ties. There is therefore a belief that the values in a family will be represented in future generations to come, commonly referred to as upholding of a family name. The outcome of many children especially adolescents depends on how they relate to their parents/guardians and the cultures of the families. Families that have well defined cultures tend to have more cultured members compared to where freedom is without much supervision. Bonds formed and the trust that the family members have among each other often reflects in the societal relations as well, both formal and informal. This paper therefore focuses on the discussion that family traditions and cultural legacies contribute to and inhibit an individual self identity (James, and Merickel, 2005).
(Seamus, 1939), in the poem clearly showed how family values are passed on to generations. He brought out the difference between physical and mental labor among members of the same family which despite the differences, were ale to show how family ties worked. For instance, the farming profession of the father and grandfather were physical labor as opposed to his mental labor in his writing career. However, he described his pen as what he would dig with, thus showing the relationship of his career and the one that he was brought up with. He had the identity of a farmer having been brought up by a father who was a farmer. In the poem, it is also clear that the strengths and capabilities between the mental and physical labor clarifying that there was less tire in mental labor.
The other issue in family ties is the degree of determination children pick from their parents/guardians. Hard work is an admirable culture which many people tend to adopt from their close family members as is seen with the author. A person can identify with his grandfather’s deeper and repeated digging for good turf (Seamus, 1939), thus showing that a family member’s thoughts can be greatly influenced by his background and culture.
James, and Merickel, (2005) argued that, “… family traditions and cultural legacies contribute to and inhibit an individual self identity.” This supports the above argument. For instance, in most traditional families, the role of a father is very important and gives a sense of belonging to most children especially adolescents. This is by the imitation that they will draw from the behaviors of their parents and the cultural practices. Similarly, the values and legacies are passed through the practices such as naming, religion and production activities that the future generations tend to follow. As discussed earlier, a father figure is important in playing this role. Firstly, the identity in today’s world just like the ancient times was passed on through the father. This is in terms of adopting the common surname that is passed on by the sons in the family. The cliché, ‘keeping the family name alive’ is not yet scrapped off. It can be literal and also deeper in the sense that the surname is used and at the same time traditions of the family and the cultural practices are not ignored. They are respected to the core.
Finally, the self identity as owed to cultural legacies and traditions are influential in the way families relate in different aspects. For instance, a family may have a tradition of doing things together and supporting each other in difficulties. This will enhance development of a generation with more open minded people which is adopted from a family value. There may be a family that has a culture that promotes openness in speaking and evident happiness with cultured members. The values passed will be similar and the self identification of their children will be towards the same direction. It is therefore undoubtedly correct that the culture of a particular family unit, their traditions and legacies are always passed on to their future generations which may later identify their off springs.
Works Cited:
James, Missy, & Merickel Alan. Reading Literature and Writing Argument. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Print.
Seamus, Heaney. Digging. 1939. Reading Literature and Writing Argument. Ed. Missy James, Alan Merickel. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Print.
Shabot, Naomi. Family and Identity. A Linguistic Analysis of Agency. 2005. Web. 17 Aug, 2010.
Family Play Therapy Research Techniques
Family Play Therapy Research Techniques
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Mirroring Activity
This family play technique is found in the Assessment and Treatment Activities for Children, Adolescents and Families Vol One. This publication was edited by Lowenstein, 2008. The person credited with the development of this technique is Evangeline Munns (Lowenstein, 2011)
Treatment Modality
This technique can either target an individual or a family (Munns, 2003).
Goals
The technique is supposed to increase the attunement between individuals, improve self-control and enhance the ability to follow directions from other people (Lowenstein, 2011).
Description
The clients are supposed to stand about two feet in front of the therapist. The clients are the instructor’s mirror (Lowenstein, 2011). Whatever the instructor does the clients are supposed to copy him or her at precisely the same time that he does the activity. The instructor tries to be slow so that the clients can match or predict his moves. The instructor leads first while the clients follow, and later they alternate (Munns, 2003). This technique requires between five to eight sessions for it to be accomplished although it depends with the follower (Munns, 2000).
Discussion
The activity is very effective in bringing the family members into attunement with each other. The participants have to be engaged, fully attentive and sensitive to each other (Munns, 2003). It also helps individuals to be cooperative with each other. The participants should correct the movements of the leader if he is too fast. The correction helps the followers to mirror rather than imitate the leader’s actions (Lowenstein, 2011). If, for instance, the leader starts moving into difficult positions with his hands and body, then the follower may ask him to keep it simple. The practitioner may even suggest the use of hands only at first so that he can mirror the movements. This technique is useful in the attunement of parent and child, between peers and siblings, and it has also been used in marital therapy (Munns, 2000).
References
Lowenstein, L. (Ed.). (2011). Favourite Therapeautic Activities for Children, Adolescents and Families: Practitioners Share Their Most Effective Interventions. Champion Press. Canada.
Munns, E. (2003). Theraplay: Attachment-enhancing play therapy. Foundations of play therapy, 156-174.
Munns, E. (Ed.). (2000). Theraplay: Innovations in attachment-enhancing play therapy. Jason Aronson, Incorporated.