Saturday, December 28, 2019
The Devastation of American Drug Addiction - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2634 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/03/22 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: Drug Abuse Essay Did you like this example? Abstract The drug and opioid epidemic is one of our countryââ¬â¢s most burdensome challenges being faced in the present. It is something that the United States is struggling to resolve efficiently. In 2016, 42,000 Americans died from abuse of opioids, such as fentanyl, heroin, and prescription drugs (Ingraham). Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Devastation of American Drug Addiction" essay for you Create order Each of these individuals were a mother or father, a son or daughter, or a friend (Pathos). Yet, even as the primary killer of people under the age of 50, drug addiction is still considered a ââ¬Å"tabooâ⬠topic. The truth is, addiction affects every aspect of the drug-userââ¬â¢s life: their brain functions, their relationships, their personality (Pattern 3). Addiction in America compromises the well-being of the individual, relationship dynamics, and society, and does not have a clear solution. Those who have not experienced addiction could not possibly understand the frustration, heartache, and worry that comes to everyone involved. There are certain criteria someone must meet in order to be clinically diagnosed as an addict, not just a drug user. One definition characterizes addiction as ââ¬Å"a disease that affects a persons brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of adrug â⬠(Mayo Clinic). Statistically, every American will encounter a person with a drug addiction at some point, and with addiction becoming more prevalent, society should obtain a basic understanding of how addiction affects a drug-user. To understand addiction, one must consider the changes the brain goes through as a result of drug use. The sought-after ââ¬Å"highâ⬠, a sensation achieved through drug consumption, is caused by the brainââ¬â¢s generation of large amounts of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that causes us to feel happiness. Heroin, for example, has the ability to trick the brain into using the compound as a neurotransmitter. Cocaine, on the other hand, forces the brain to stop recycling dopamine after its release, therefore producing the high while also enforcing the repetition of the drug use (Addiction Education Society). The release of the dopamine allows the ââ¬Å"reward effectâ⬠to occur in the cerebral cortex, the emotion center of the brain ââ¬â the same feeling as ââ¬Å"a monetary rewardor a satisfying mealâ⬠, but on a larger scale (Harvard Health Publishing). The speed of the dopamine release correlates to how quickly one develops the addiction (Harvard Health Publishing). At a certain stage in the addiction, the drugs start to feel less euphoric, as the brain begins to produce less dopamine. Drugs chemically alter the brain from the first use, and the first high is almost always considered to be the best. Therefore, the brain continues to chase the feeling of those first few highs, causing the person to continually feed the addiction as his or her tolerance builds, taking increasing amounts of the drug each time. This dangerous chase often leads to death through overdose, where the body cannot process and remove the drug from the body efficiently enough, causing the organs to shut down. In addition to the brain, other physical parts of the body begin to function differently after taking drugs. When the body becomes completely dependant on a substance, the organs lose efficiency and function. On top of brain damage, lethargy, and attention/memory problems, the immune system becomes extremely weak when exposed to drugs, depending on how the nervous system reacts. The heart and liver are also put into significant danger, where heart and liver disease or failure can ensue. Recurring bouts of dehydration, muscle breakdown, and increased body temperature due to drug use contribute to an increased chance of kidney failure, especially among heroin users (Brande). Nausea and stomach pain can occur, causing weight loss and appetite changes (Gateway Foundation). This is why a stereotypical addict is portrayed as frail and gaunt. Opioids that are injected, such as heroin, are especially dangerous because they contribute to the spread of HIV. Addiction become so intense that people with drug addictions tend to ignore the physical deterioration of their health because the ââ¬Å"highâ⬠is so euphoric. A external change that shows itself immediately is a change in personality. Since the brain is being fundamentally altered, a change of personality is inescapable. The brain makes drugs the center of focus. Therefore, this contributes to a blurred line between right and wrong. The addiction becomes so strong that many addicts, in their most desperate moments, can resort to stealing and lying in order to obtain their substance. Drugs become the priority over everything else that would have been the most important ââ¬â such as work, school, family, and finances (Pattern 6). Oftentimes, drugs can appear to make a person happier, more social, or more spontaneous; but, these effects are temporary (Pattern 1a). When an addict goes through withdrawal, he or she can become aggressive, paranoid, and depressed. Substance abuse also can make users more erratic, which means they are willing to take risks or make dangerous choices, especially when it comes to obtaining more drugs. Although some drugs are stimulating, other drugs, like prescription pills, numb the emotions instead. Johnny, a teenage boy interviewed after his problems with Xanax addiction, told The Guardian that when he attempted to detox from the drug, he felt ââ¬Å"depressed and physically sickâ⬠(Marsh). Some of these effects can be reversed and unlearned, but many are permanent or continue to affect the addict for the rest of his or her life, therefore altering personality. Addiction is all around us. Hundreds of celebrities and public figures have shared their experiences with addiction. Demi Lovato, a well-renowned singer and actress, has struggled with drug addiction for years (Apposition). This past summer, she overdosed on oxycontin (which some believe was laced with fentanyl) in her Los Angeles home. Luckily, paramedics were able to save her through the use of naloxone, better known as Narcan, a medicine that reverses the effects of narcotics (People). Although Lovato was apparently sober for years before this, relapse is common when it comes to substance abuse; 40 to 60 percent of addicts relapse while in attempt to obtain complete sobriety (Ashwood Recovery) (Pattern 1b). This shows that addiction is indifferent towards who it victimizes. Other notable celebrities that have overdosed on drugs include Prince, Whitney Houston, and Heath Ledger. Unfortunately, many of the reputations and legacies of famous addicts are tarnished by their addiction struggles. Even so, it seems that drug use is normalized in many movies and songs. In almost every genre, allusions to the euphoria that drugs bring can be found. This doesnââ¬â¢t make these songs and movies bad or inappropriate, per se, but we do need to consider the truthfulness behind it. Our media has become so immersed in addiction that we donââ¬â¢t even think anything of it anymore. We are almost infatuated with it, as Americans crave shows like Breaking Bad or Narcos, and idolize movies like Trainspotting or Scarfaceââ¬âall of which depict addiction through a cinematic lens, simultaneously undermining the horrible cycle of addiction. When the media makes projects including drug use, a more honest description should be utilized. For instance, Matty Healy, the lead singer of a band called The 1975, revealed in 2018 that he had recently spent time in a rehabilitation center for his heroin addiction. Although a few of the bandââ¬â¢s earlier songs were obviously about drug usage, many of their ââ¬Å"loveâ⬠songs are actually about his poisonous relationship with heroin. For example, their song ââ¬ËItââ¬â¢s Not Living (If Itââ¬â¢s Not With You)ââ¬â¢ includes the lyrics ââ¬Å"All I do is sit and think about you / If I knew what youââ¬â¢d do / Collapse my veins wearing beautiful shoes / Itââ¬â¢s not living if itââ¬â¢s not with youâ⬠. This suggests that addiction becomes engraved into our subconscious as we sing along to the lyrics without realizing the subliminal meaning behind them. It also portrays the way in which addiction takes control of the brain, to the point where it becomes personified in the mind of the user as a friend. Although this idea can prove to be entertaining and even artistic in the media, it is not so glamorous in reality. One of the least glamorous aspects of addiction is the devastation on a family or relationship dynamic. It is crucial that the people around an addict encourage him or her to seek professional help in addition to providing emotional support. Significant sums of family savings can be depleted from the expense of purchasing drugs. Because of the aggression and irritability caused by drugs, relationships often go south. This can result in domestic abuse or violence and mistrust. Children living in a household where drug addiction is normalized may also be more subject to addiction down the road. However, the harm that drugs have towards relationships is not always crystal clear. This is portrayed in a co-dependent or an enabling relationship. The family member or partner who is willing to do anything for the drug user will enable their addiction by providing money or by acting as a constant caretaker (Holloway). Because the codependent person feels responsible for their loved oneââ¬â¢s substance issues, they do not set boundaries and put their own needs last. This is, obviously, difficult to admit and resolve. It is a draining position to be in, as the caregiver wants to help the drug user without hurting their feelings or by forcing the user to get help they do not want. Although the codependent person has the best intentions, enabling an addict is possibly the worst thing one could do for the addictââ¬â¢s health. On the largest scale, addiction is something that harms nationwide society. It hurts companies and other types of workplaces. ââ¬Å"70 percent of the estimated 14.8 million Americans who use illegal drugs are employedâ⬠(NCADD). This causes problems such as loss of productivity and therefore a decrease in monetary income for the business. It also endangers other coworkers. ââ¬Å"One-third of all employees are aware of illegal drug sale in the workplaceâ⬠(Patterson). Many companies have taken steps to attempt to prevent this, but it is difficult to completely eliminate, as drug-users almost always desperately keep their substance abuse secret. Within the past three years, workplace overdoses have increased by 32 percent (Tucker). In a country like America that has a significant focus on work, we need our workers to be healthy and safe. Addiction can also make it harder for reformed addicts to find a job, since many companies are weary to hire people who have been involved with drugs, in fear of relapses or endangerment to the company. Addicts often experience this social rejection, especially if he or she has a prior criminal record for drug involvement. The disease derails his or her entire life, and many sacrifices must be made in to get back on track. Drug addiction also affects society through the War on Drugs, a movement created by President Nixon to decrease the potential of more addiction by cracking down on drug use. America is attempting to find an effective way to lower the rates of addiction and drugs coming into the country, but this is time-consuming and expensive. Some ideas that have been proposed and explored include more severe punishments for drug dealers, increased military surveillance to stop drugs from entering the country, or even supervised injection centers for addicts to get their fix within a sanitary, controlled area. Altogether, since the beginning of the movement in 1971, the country has spent an estimate of one trillion dollars to combat drug abuse, especially through enforcement, even for possession of a small amount of a drug. This has also created tensions between the United States and South American countries like Mexico and Colombia, where a large portion of the drugs are smuggled from. Frankly, the precautions America have taken seem to be going to waste, as someone dies from opioid addiction every 16 minutes in the United States (Pearl). Fighting drug use and dealing is not preventing addiction from occurring. Most Americans, regardless of political party, seem to agree that the War on Drugs is failing. With so much drug addiction, the criminal justice system has heavily enforced drug laws. In 2016, 456,000 people were incarcerated for a drug law violation. More men and women are in jail for drug violations more than any other crime. A majority of these violations were for possession. Yet, according to statistics, only 11 percent of these inmates are receiving treatment sufficient to help their addiction (The Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights). This has led to controversy over the justice systemââ¬â¢s conduct towards prisoners. Should illegal drug addiction be treated more as a disease or illness rather than a crime (Rhetorical question)? No matter where one falls on the spectrum of answers to that question, it is only right that prison treatment programs should be more widely offered in order to assist inmates in getting back in the right direction. ââ¬Å"Criminalization tends to drive people who use drugs underground, making it less likely that they will get careâ⬠(Human Rights Watch). This indirectly causes even more violence and crime. Prevention of arrest should also be prompted so that addicts can avoid incarceration altogether, since many times addiction is not efficiently resolved in prison. A positive outcome that has arrived in response to the drug epidemic is resources for sobriety. This includes treatment centers, support groups, therapy, and medications. There are thousands of rehabilitation centers in America, and right now we need them more than ever. Many of these facilities are created through the contributions of former addicts themselves, which provides a more intimate and calming environment for those seeking help, in knowing that sobriety is attainable. While some centers can be expensive, there are countless financial aid opportunities to make the care more accessible for everyone. Alcoholics Anonymous seems to be the most well-known of these resources, because it is free. During Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, the group often follows a twelve step process, consisting of actions such as admitting oneââ¬â¢s problem, creating a relationship with a higher power (such as God or the universe), and conscientiously making a plan to recover (Parenthesis). However, many people struggling with dependence and addiction do not want to admit they have a problem and refuse to seek treatment. According to studies, only 10.9% of those who need specialized treatment actually go to receive it (American Addiction Center). Addicts should be encouraged to seek help in order to salvage their life, happiness, and health. Weââ¬â¢ve all been told countless times throughout childhood and adolescence to ââ¬Å"just say noâ⬠to drugs. Although this is a beneficial ideal in theory, realistically, this logic is flawed. What starts for many Americans as a simple ill-made choice morphs into a fragile balance between life and death. It is no longer is a choice. Addiction does not discriminate and may not look identical for many different people (Litote). Forecasts say that 500,000 Americans will die from opioid overdose within the next decade, and we are getting nearer and nearer to this number each day (Blau) (Logos). Conclusion That is why it is vital for each of us to know how addiction affects American life. Addiction is a bully, a villain, and a gruesome disease that destroys lives (Personification). It harms physical health, relationships, society and the economyto name just a few (Ellipsis). Despite the warnings and education we receive about the dangers of drugs and the resultant drug addiction, in this day and age our society both normalizes and glorifies the use of substances to enhance life. Therefore, repeated exposure and desensitization to the horrors of addiction contribute to younger individuals believing it is ââ¬Å"coolâ⬠to succumb to that lifestyle. Based on these conclusions, it is impossible to completely eradicate drug addiction because of our exposure through the media or through our families that makes it seem like opening the window through drug use is normal. It will be a never ending cycle.
Friday, December 20, 2019
Financial - 2508 Words
Brazilââ¬â¢s Real Surges as Central Bank Says Inflation Rate Is High By Blake Schmidt amp; Marisa Castellani - Feb 7, 2013 3:33 PM ET Brazilââ¬â¢s real rallied the most among emerging-market currencies as the central bank said high inflation requires attention, spurring speculation that policy makers will let the currency strengthen to contain prices. Swap rates climbed after the government reported that consumer prices increased in January at the fastest pace in almost eight years, adding to bets on a boost in borrowing costs. The exchange rate and tax cuts will help slow inflation, a central bank board member said in a phone interview, asking not to be identified because of internal policy. ââ¬Å"Higher inflation shoots the real up,â⬠Joaoâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦According to World Bank, net portfolio equity inflow was $38 bln in 2010, inflow of direct investments totalled $48 bln. Nowadays there is a 1% tax on short dollar positions in the futures market. It was introduced in 2011 in order to limit foreign exchange speculation. In 2012 the Brazilian real proved to be the worst-performing currency among the currencies of developing countries. It had lost about 12% of its price for two quarters 2012. The USD/BRL rate was 1:2.07 by the end of 2012. According to statistical data of Central bank of Brazil, the rate rose by 0.7% in December 2012. In terms of easing cycle Brazilââ¬â¢s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate for nine times during 2012. As a result it decreased by 5%. In January 2013 it was cut to a record low 7.25%. Easing credit climate offering favourable conditions boosted retail sales and competitiveness among local producers. Several f actors have impact on the Brazilian real. Firstly, amounts of attracted foreign investments; the Brazilian industry cannot develop further without it. Secondly, USD trends, as Brazil is a major importer and exporter and the currency of the United States is used as a major currency for international payments. Brazil has a very heterogeneous population as well as financial structure. The country has lack of infrastructure development. It is characterized by low labour productivity. All these factors have negative impact onShow MoreRelatedFinancial Statement Of Financial Statements822 Words à |à 4 PagesFinancial Statements The business world requires exacting standards to ensure all costs are correctly accounted for and considered. To this end the financial statements have become the centerpiece for business evaluation. The income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flow and ratios for analysis of financial statements play a critical role in business evaluation. Income Statement The income statement is a mainstay of business operations and expenses. 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Services are now available in 85% of the countries where the vast majority of the population lacks access to formal financial institutions, and in six out of seven markets whereRead MoreRegulation Of Financial Institutes : Financial Institutions1344 Words à |à 6 Pages REGULATION OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTES Financial institutions provide different kind of services. Depository institutions like banks, savings, loans and credit unions transform liquid liabilities like checking accounts, current accounts, and certificates of deposit that can be cashed in prior to maturity into relatively illiquid assets, such as home mortgages, house loans, loans to finance business inventories and accounts receivable, and credit card balances. These institutions also operate the payments
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
A Lesson Before Dying Literary Analysis Essay Example For Students
A Lesson Before Dying Literary Analysis Essay A Lesson Before DyingI thought that the book A Lesson Before Dying was all right overall. I think Ernest Gaines did a good job with the plot but the idea of the book was not to interesting to me. A book about a black man becoming a man on his way to the electric chair is a very dull plot to me. I give Gaines credit for making the book semi-interesting even though the plot was terrible. Personally after reading Things Fall Apart and Song of Solomon I was looking for a little more action in this book. Those two books were ten times better than A Lesson Before Dying so I can say that I was probably expecting too much. A Lesson Before Dying has a superb depiction of the theme quot;you cant judge a book by its cover;quot;. Grant went to help Jefferson with a notion that Jefferson was sewer trash and he would not learn anything from this situation. In the end Grant was wrong because he learned a lot from his short relationship with Jefferson. Grant had certain feelings for Jefferson he never had for a man before. They became real close friends and talked about a lot of things. I really like how they portrayed this theme throughout the book.;#9;In the book each character had their own characteristics and personality. There was something special about each character in the book. Each of them had their strong points and weak points for example Grant was always running away from his problems. There were a lot of things in his life that he could not handle and he just wanted to run away. He didnt know what to do about Jefferson at first and wondered why he had to teach him. He didnt really know how to handle his job as teacher in the Quarter. He couldnt make his mind up about God so he just decided to leave it alone. Aunt Emma was a very strong character in the book. She would do almost anything to help Jefferson before he died. She begged to the Guidrys on several occasion to help Jefferson feel more comfortable while he was in jail. She begged Grant for his help even though Grant did not want to help Jefferson. She got Mose Ambrose and Grant to finally work together to help Jefferson instead of always arguing. There were many strong characters in the book but there were also weak ones. This individuality of each character made the book very interesting because you could watch how each characters personality would clash with the others. ;#9;There were also some parts of A Lesson Before Dying that I did not like. They should have had more background on each of the characters. I never figured out where Tante Lou knew Aunt Emma from or where Grant met Vivian. These things are not necessary but they add to the story. I also think they could have gone into more detail about Grant and Lous relationship. I wanted to know what happened to Grants parents and just how close were they. There is a lot of background information in the book that remains a mystery to me. ;#9;Overall I thought A Lesson Before Dying was an all right book. It reminded me how my people were treated in America during the late 1940s. It was a realistic story that might have happened to anyone caught in that situation at that time period. The book made me think about how hard my people fought for me to get where I am now. Jefferson had to stand like a man for the whole town not just himself. He had to rebuke the notion that black people were hogs by becoming a man again and showing that to the community. .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f , .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f .postImageUrl , .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f , .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f:hover , .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f:visited , .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f:active { border:0!important; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f:active , .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u139a478fc68f322cbd619853276b065f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Contemporary China Essay He died with dignity and pride like a man should. For these reasons I have stated here and above I believe A Lesson Before Dying was an above average book.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Effects of Music on the Mind and Body free essay sample
Many students may have the intentions to study or knish their homework but they are even more concerned about what Is on television or that hot new song that is on the radio. Most students know that it is distracting but they Just lose their motivation and procrastinate about schoolwork. Students are constantly exposed to music and television, so they may feel uncomfortable when they are not exposed to some sort of distraction. So is music harmful to the brain, or does It merely enhance the minds cognitive process?According to Blaze , committing information to memory is important in the early stages of learning meeting new, therefore, it is essential for students to be able to work in an environment conducive to learning. Can students effectively remember what they have learned when they study while listening to music? If students Insist upon listening to music while studying, can any type of music actually enhance learning, and is any type of music particularly harmful to learning and memory?Binary, Mackey, Trembler, and Jones reviewed the body of literature relating to audio distraction and short-term memory (STEM)_ Irrelevant sounds were especially disruptive when a sequence of changing sounds was played. The most important inclusion of the review seems to be that the effect of irrelevant noise depended on whether or not remembering items In a particular order in the memory task was Important. Irrelevant sounds tended to greatly disrupt ongoing recall but had a minimal effect on free recall.Salaam and Biddable also looked at the effects of noise, particularly music, on STEM. They compared the effects of vocal and Instrumental music on STEM. Participants were asked to remember number sequences while either vocal or Instrumental music played In the background. They were asked to focus on the numbers rather than on the music. Recall was better for artisans who listened to the instrumental music that for participants who listened to vocal music. The words to the music distracted the participants, but Instrumental music was not distracting.In an experiment that took place In a more academic setting by Tucker and Bushman , It was correctly hypothesized that rock and roll music has a detrimental effect on mathematical, verbal and reading comprehension. They administered portions of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Test (ACT) to students In two groups; one group listened to rock and roll music, while another took the test In silence. It was found that rock and roll music worsened mathematical and verbal abilities, but had no impact on reading comprehension. Not only can music serve as a distraction, but it can also produce music on test performance. They used the Digits Backward test, (participants read numbers in order and then backwards then try to say/write them in order), to assess performance in participants who were exposed to stimulating music, sedative music, or no music. Music was played as participants acquainted themselves with the numbers in the test. It was found that listening to stimulating music increased nationality and performance concern among participants who were exposed to stimulating music compared with participants who were exposed to sedative music.Participants in the stimulating music condition performed the worst. Participants who listened to stimulating music predicted that they would perform poorly on the test. The highest levels of concentration were reported among the no music group. This study also found that music preference was positively correlated to test performance. All of the participants in the experiment preferred the sedative music over the stimulating music. If participants liked the music, it aided their performance; if they did not like the music, it distracted them, therefore hindering performance.It has been found that music does in fact have an influence on mood. Does mood really affect learning? Studies show that it indeed does. It is highly difficult to learn things when you have a million things going on in ones mind. The music most people call classical is different from other kinds of music for it has a more complex musical structure. Researchers think the complexity of classical music is what primes the brain to solve spatial problems more quickly. Listening to classical music may have different effects on the brain than listening to other types of music.Classical music affects the brains organization and abilities, through its melody and rhythm. The rhythm raises the level of serotonin produced in your brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, involved in the transmission of nerve impulses that helps maintaining Joyous feelings. When the brain produces serotonin, tension is eased. In fact depression is a consequence of the scarce production of this hormone. Besides, why waste money on psychotherapy when you can listen to the B Minor Mass? (Michael Torte). Rhythm is also an important aspect of music to study when looking at responses to music.There are two responses to rhythm. These responses are hard to separate because they are related, and one of these responses cannot exist without the other. These responses are (1) the actual hearing of the rhythm and (2) the physical response to the rhythm. Rhythm organizes physical movements and is very much related to the human body. For example, the body contains rhythms in the heartbeat, while walking, during breathing, etc. Another example of how rhythm orders movement is an autistic boy who could not tie his shoes. He learned how on the second try when the task of tying his shoes was put to a song.The rhythm helped organize his physical movements in time. Responses to music are easy to be detected in the human body. Classical music from the baroque period causes the heart beat and pulse rate to relax to the beat of the music. As the body becomes relaxed and alert, the mind is able to concentrate more easily. Also, baroque music is known to decrease blood pressure and enhance the ability to learn. Music affects the amplitude and frequency of brain waves. Music also affects breathing rate and electrical resistance of the skin.It has been observed to cause the pupils to dilate, increase blood pressure, and increase the heart rate. In 1982, researchers from the see if music could help in memorizing vocabulary words. The students were divided into three groups. Each group was given three tests a pretest, a posters, and a test week after the first two tests. All of the tests were identical. Group 1 was read the Norms with Handels Water Music in the background. They were also asked to imagine the words. Group 2 was read the same words also with Handels Water Music in the background. Group 2 was not asked to imagine the words.Group 3 was only read the words, was not given any background music, and was also not asked to imagine the words. The results from the first two tests showed that groups 1 and 2 had much better scores than group 3. The results from the third test, a week later, showed that group 1 performed much better than groups 2 or 3 however, simply using music while learning does not absolutely guarantee recall but can possibly Improve it. Background music in itself is not a part of the learning process, but it does enter into memory along with the information learned. Recall is better when the same music used for learning is used during recall.Also, tempo appears to be a key of musics effect on memory. Many psychologists research has found varying effects that music has on our test taking ability. (e. G. , Blanch, Bowman, Molder, 1992; Corrector et al. , 1997; Burnham ; Strata, 2002). Some research has found that it was beneficial to our test-taking ability (Corrector et al. , 1997) and others have found that music is Just as distracting as noise (Burnham ; Strata, 2002). Rough both of these studies used different types of music, and did not compare their results to the studies that used different types of music.The study in which the researchers found that music was Just as distracting as noise they used grunge rock. In the study in which the researchers found that music was beneficial to an individuals thinking, the music used was solely designed to improve concentration. They used music from the software package Joan Plus, which created music on the spot based on Japanese Buddhist philosophy that encourages meditation for the quest of understanding (Corrector, et. Al. , 1997). So the results found, that music is beneficial to test-taking abilities, was not a big surprise, the overall study had a lot of power.The problem with many of the studies which examine the effects of music on cognition is that they do not include other types of music, and see music as one type of music. Also in both studies the music used was arbitrary to the participants personal preference of music. It is obvious that music is as old as the human race in this world. It is a part of daily life, and it is meaningful regardless of whether it is traditional or international. People were listening to the different sounds and the types of rhythms even when they had not fully developed this modern world of noise and rhythms and music.
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