Formalist Critism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Formalist Critism - Essay Example Tension refers to the fundamental cohesiveness of the work, and frequently involves irony and paradox. Intentional fallacy refers to the perception that the meaning of a work may be determined by the intent of the writer. Affective fallacy is the belief that the meaning or value of a work may be deduced from the manner in which it affects the reader. External form is the overlaying trappings of a work, such as rhyme, scheme, and meter, amongst others. Objective correlative refers to the collection of circumstances, objects and /or activities that evoke certain emotion immediately. This thesis does not limit and focus what the writer had intended to say regarding the object. This thesis is very unclear as it as the words fail to produce any cohesive meaning. The three key words are so unrelated within the context of the thesis to the extent that they fail provide any focus on object and subject of the short sentence. Secondly, the sentence does not seem to mirror the theme of the story. Perhaps the main theme is the story is love; however, while adjoining the journey to the key character obviously builds the theme, though it is unclear. The story is a narrative told as flashback by Jacob, and it begins to describe his life in the nursing home and the dilemma he runs into when someone claims that they gave water to the elephants, and so the book converts into a total flash back where Jacob narrates his life in the circus. In the book, the author applies varying language techniques such as broken English and everyday slang. For instance, the author paints a scene where Camel pleads with Blackie to free Jacob, â€Å"†¦ I’m tellin ya! †¦need no trouble, let I’m go! (Gruen, 193) This category of syntax provides a deep insight into the setting of the novel, although the storyline is set in first person, and the writer converses in a different

College as a Student-Athlete Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

College as a Student-Athlete - Essay Example This paper would further discuss the life and activities of student-athletes and the areas which are affected by their involvement in sports. Research suggests that athletic involvement negatively influences the academic performance of a student (Kissinger & Miller 2009, p. 202). The time requirements of sports may be a factor that ends up in the underperformance by students in academic field. A non-athlete student may be more focused and able to manage the time commitments of education as compared to a student-athlete who requires to distribute time between both areas i.e. academics and sports. The reason behind this negative impact on academic results may be translated as poor time management skills, low motivation, high levels of stress and more time and energy utilization on one field over other. Students’ preferences and personal interest also play a vital role in affecting the performance in different fields. If the student prioritizes activities as sports being superior to academic results and participation then his interest and priorities might affect the academic performance. Studies reveal a declining graduation rate among student-athletes which further illuminates the influence of sports participation on students’ academic performance and results. ... They lose hopes to manage the two difficult tasks together. Negative comments and criticism from the coaches, leaders, teachers and fellows may further influence their self-esteem. Lower self-esteem is linked to poor performance in each aspect of life including social, academic, work, sports and daily life. Student-athletes are more likely to make wrong decisions due to increasing stress (Fertman 2009, pp. 30-34). Stress alone is responsible for negative effects on respiratory system. It weakens the immune system and increase the vulnerability of a person to asthma, bronchitis, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The highly stressful situations in student-athletes’ life may, hence, also affect their health (Fertman 2009, p. 30). Moreover, the high stress is often related to the insufficient time for their personal needs like sleeping, relaxing, socializing and spending time with family. This fact causes a negative impact on their mental development. Time management is one of the biggest and common issues that student-athletes face. They have more work to be done than non-athlete students, in the same time period available to all other students. Student-athletes are required to manage time between the most important factors of their life i.e. studies and sports. The time limitations do not allow them to participate and involve in both areas as passionately and energetically as non-athlete students do. This does not only restricts their performance excellence but also affects their enthusiasm to achieve high in both areas. A factor which needs to be discussed here is the financial needs of students who are living on their own. Diversity and globalization

(Technology Supporting Business Processes 2 ) Assignment

(Technology Supporting Business Processes 2 ) - Assignment Example This has been through a number of aspects. First, the use of information system in businesses has largely shaped the decisions. Reason being; it can deliver all information needed. Consequently, with the availability of updated information business can make informed decisions. For example, in the event that the business owners are to choose between two factors, the system derives key indicators (costs, income, etc) for both. Therefore, this will result into making a choice that will be more efficient and competitive (How Information System Impact Organizations and Businesses, 2013). Second, the use of information system in business setting has influenced increased productivity. This is because automation of the process in a business increases the production speed. Moreover, this shifts employees’ attention to other duties that require critical thinking. Consequently, this makes the business more competitive. Furthermore, information system reduces the number of workers. As a result, the business will minimize expenses and increase profitability (Goessl, 2010). Third, information systems provide an efficient and effective way to store data. This enables quick accessibility. As a result, costs associated with setting up storage units are minimized (Doom, 2010). In conclusion, it is evident that through the incorporation of information business system, businesses are positively affected. This is because it minimizes costs associated with the production. Consequently, this ensures that businesses are competitive. Goessl, L. (2010, February). Advantages of Using Information System in Business. Retrieved July Thursday, 2014, from Inside Business: http://www.insidebusiness360.com/index.php/advantages-of-using-information-systems-in-business-14410/ How Information System Impact Organizations and Businesses. (2013). Retrieved July Thursday, 2014, from Slide

Guadalcanal Battle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Guadalcanal Battle - Essay Example After the victory at ‘Battle of Midway’ American forces started planning for recapturing of Pacific Islands from Japanese. The first event in this direction was the Guadalcanal battle. The use of islands, like Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Florida in Southern Solomon by Japanese forces was proving a major threat to supply routes between USA, Australia and New Zealand. The battle began for the sole purpose of ensuring safety for these routes.There was difference of opinion in Japan over the importance of this island. While many army officers thought it better to manage the existing and over-stretched empire, the other faction wanted further territorial expansion. This could be a reason for the Japanese lacking the will to counter allied attacks at Guadalcanal. Leading the attack on August 07, 1942, allied forces expected stiff resistance from Japanese army, but the tactical combined approach by allied forces took the other side by complete surprise and they did not find any res istance from Japanese. This boosted the will of allied forces to head for all-out victory. Although the rough climate and weather caused communication and operational problems for Americans, there was no fighting on the island for almost 24 hours, after the attack. However, the following days   witnessed severe fighting as Japanese cruiser force attack eventually threw the Allied forces out of the reach of the crucial Guadalcanal airfield.Such disarray within Japanese forces was the major element for American victory.... The rough terrain faced by Japanese was another factor for the American victory, as Japanese forces were down with fatigue and could not prove their mettle in counter-offensive attacks. Such disarray within Japanese forces was the major element for American victory. (The Battle of Guadalcanal) Lessons learnt The lessons from this battle have relevance to current defense preparations by the US. Various defense studies have reinforced the fact that America cannot afford to neglect events in the Pacific region, if the country has to safeguard its economic and security interests. With China increasing its military might and economic hold on world trade, the importance of Pacific region is still high on the American defense agenda. The challenges posed by many nations towards ‘anti-access’ or ‘area –denial’ strategies for Americans still pose threats to the country’s security. These causes lead to the battle of Guadalcanal, forcing Americans to reca pture strategic Pacific islands from Japan, during world war. They are important even today. (Holzer) Logistics of the area remains a challenge, irrespective of the development of modern weaponry with latest technology. Supply routes are vulnerable even today. The time and distance involved with any military operations in the area has relevance even today, as the forces need to access the rough vast terrain of the region. The lessons learnt by marines and sailors during Guadalcanal battle have been relevant for all the following campaigns in Pacific region. The policy changes for Asia-pacific, including military strategies have been influenced by such lessons, being relevant for Marine and Naval Corps in 2012, as well. (Holzer) Examples of intelligence failures Command and control

Digital Technology and Cinema Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Digital Technology and Cinema Culture - Essay Example Let the paper analyze some of the specific examples that had some direct positive impact over the cinema culture and its horizon. The simplest example is that of video editing that comprised extensive efforts and demanded a huge amount of money before the technology entered the market. However, with the digital revolution, the visual effects tools made it easier for the filmmakers to manipulate the video in any form they wanted with desired animation and other editing. In 1984, computers such as Macintosh came in the market that were specially designed to have a graphical user interface, these were first ever of its kind that penetrated into the world of cinema giving it even more fame and multiplicity (Willis, pp.7, 2005). More tools such as Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, Macromedia Director, Macromedia Flash and all the other kinds gave more horizon to the cinema culture and gave the filmmakers access to perform multiple tasks with perfection and novelty. The seque nces of images, special effects, distinctive colouring, imaginative animations and much more merely became possible with digital technology revolution (Willis, pp.7-8, 2005). It helped the cinema culture attract and gain more audience as compared to the earlier decades. Subsequently, when producing a film became comparatively hassle-free, more people started investing in this business and thus, the number cinemas grew with an increasing film being produced every year with the use of digital technology. Apart from the latest technological tools used by the cinema industry, the inventions such as newly-designed cameras and video-capturing tools that had modernized elements with specially designed features and functions made the videos look a lot more fascinating and compelling. On the contrary, cinema might have assumed new venues of popularity and fame due to digital technology and its implications on the cinema culture but, on the other hand, digital technology penetrated in the mar ket in such a fast pace that people became more interested in buying those technologies and making them a part of their aesthetically designed house. People started enjoying their micro cinemas at home rather than taking out time and going to the proper cinemas outside their comfortable houses (Lister, pp.22-23, 2001). The preference of buying techno products such as plasma screens, advanced audio speakers and other appliances became more preferable and a status quo than being interested in going to the cinemas to watch movies and other shows. It is possible that many of us must have heard about Marshall McLuhan’s popular phrase Medium is the Message. McLuhan, quite reasonably and with valid points, suggests that the medium that is used to convey any type of message or information holds a significant importance in the pace of that information being carried to the receivers (Yamamoto, pp. 500-501, 1998). It depends on the medium that is used to convey a message, that how long would it take for the message to reach to its targeted audience and how far would the message go. Thus, the influence of the message is not the message itself but, the way used to send it. This means that the receivers or the intended message focus more upon and take more interest over the kind of medium utilized. Their preference depends upon how effective is the medium and how much do they like it. The acceptability of the message is thus a later factor. In the same way, it is said that cinema comprises those elements that lure and attract the young generation more than any

Give an account of how the monoamines Essay Example for Free

Give an account of how the monoamines Essay Before any detailed explanations of how monoamines act as transmitters and their prime functions in the brain, I feel it is appropriate to describe what transmitters are and outline their functions in the nervous system as well as the criteria needed for a transmitter. The definition of a neurotransmitter is chemicals that are used to relay, amplify and modulate electrical signals between neurons. (wikipedia, 2006) Moreover, for these substances to be classified as a neurotransmitter, certain criteria must be met as follows. Firstly, it is synthesized when required endogenously at the pre-synaptic side of the cell and stored in vesicles. Secondly, an adequate amount can be released to cause a response on the post-synaptic neuron. Finally, an inactivation mechanism is required to terminate its effect upon cell. Neurotransmitters are agonists and may produce fast or slow sequence of events which could be either excitatory or inhibitory. The effect is largely determined by the receptors that the neurotransmitters bind onto. Neurotransmitters are usually small molecules and are packaged into small vesicles. When a neuron receives an action potential that travels along the axon reaching the synapse, the pre-synaptic membrane of the neuron becomes depolarized. This leads to the opening of calcium channels and an influx of calcium ions, which causes the vesicles to be released by exocytosis to the synaptic cleft and the neurotransmitter molecules are then free to bind to receptors that sits on the post-synaptic membrane of the neuron. Neurotransmitter receptors are commonly divided into two types: the ionotropic receptors and the metabotropic receptors. The first group of receptors is ligand-gated ion channels and its opening or closure of channel depends on the binding of neurotransmitters. The rate of transmission for ionotropic receptors is fast. The latter group passes on signals through second messengers such as G-proteins and they have slower neuromodulation. There are three major categories of neurotransmitters: the amino acids, peptides, monoamines and the last group we will be concentrated on. Monoamines include chemicals such as dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NA) and serotonin (5-HT). Dopamine is responsible for emotional arousal; NA causes wakefulness and arousal whereas 5-HT has a role in memory, patterns in sleeping and emotions. Each of the neurotransmitters will now be introduced in more details. Dopamine is naturally synthesized inside the body by rewarding experiences; it is a neurotransmitter that acts on the brain as well as a neurohormone that is released by the hypothalamus. Generally, functions of DA in the brain include movement, cognition, prolactin secretion regulation plus motivation and pleasure. DA have other functions in the brain, however, it centrally plays a role in the pleasure reward system. The presence of an unanticipated reward induces activations to DA neurons and we tend to repeat certain behaviors to gain rewards again due to the feelings of reinforcement and motivations. Thus DA is believed to set up new motor sequences for repeated behaviors and reward system. Often this system has an association with the use of drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines which can increase the concentration of DA in the brain leading to addiction of drugs. On the other hand DA is also released with the occurrence of unpleasant experiences and we learn to keep away or remove the unlikable stimuli. The most common and recognizable symptom of Parkinsons disease is the shaky hands, where patients are less able to control their motor movement. The cause of the disease is principally understood as shortage of DA and death of DA neurons in nigrostriatal pathway. Evidentially DA has an affect on the basal ganglia motor loop which impinges on the brain to control our motor movements. The frontal lobes of the brain are the region responsible for most of the neurocognitive functions, where DA controls the information flow from other sections of the brain. Any disorder in this area can bring about reduced functions in memory and attention. As mentioned before, DA plays a role in regulation of prolactin secretion in which DA act as a neuroendocrine regulator to inhibit prolactin release from anterior lobe of pituitary gland. Receptors for DA include D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5 and D2 receptors are associated with sociability. Anxiety patients are found to have low D2 receptor binding. Other behavior disorders such as depression, schizophrenia and psychosis are related to DA system disruption. Treatment for these disorders often uses the blockade mechanism of the D2 receptors or blocking the reuptake of DA transmitters. Norepinephrine (NA) belongs to the catecholamine family, which are chemicals that are made from the amino acids tyrosine. In the nervous system, NA acts as neurotransmitters and the noradrenergic neurons are responsible for the release of NA. The function of NA in the brain is as a stress hormone, where one is subjected to stressful environment, NA is released. It acts on the adrenoreceptors which are divided into the alpha and beta type and each of these have their own subdivisions. Norepinephrine also implies a role in depression and the chemical serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are used to treat depression. SNRIs are antidepressant and they function by increasing the concentration of NA at the postsynaptic cells as well as the amount of dopamine due to the availability of NA transporters to some dopamine. SNRIs has an inhibitory effect on the NA transporter reuptake mechanism by preventing transporters to recycle NA transmitters, which stop the NA transporter to recycle dopamine as well and prolongs the effect of dopamine transmission. The correlation between the two transmitters is effective on the antidepressant aspect. Serotonin (5-HT) is derived from the essential amino acid tryptophan and it is a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. 5-HT is made in serotonergic neurons of the Raphe nuclei in the brain. The neurotransmission for 5-HT is relatively different compared to DA and NA. Instead of releasing the neurotransmitter from a synaptic bulb, 5-HT is released from serotonergic swellings along the axon. Classically transmitters after the release stage will usually bind to receptors that sit on the post-synaptic membrane. However, in the case of 5-HT, the receptors specifically for it not only present post-synaptically but also at areas such as cell bodies and dendrites. The termination pathway of 5-HT is via the actions of the 5-HT reuptake transporter present at pre-synaptic membrane of the neuron. There is a broad classification of 5-HT receptors, from 5-HT1 to 5-HT7, and there are subdivision of the 5-HT1, 5-HT2 and 5-HT5receptors. Most of the 5-HT receptors uses the G-protein coupled mechanism traduce signals, except the 5-HT3 receptor which is a ligand-gated ion channel. For 5-HT1 receptors, the subdivision includes 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D. Generally with selected agonists binding to the receptors their functions in the central nervous system are inhibition of neuronal effects and behavioral effects for example, sleeping, and anxiety. But for 5-HT1D it has a role in cerebral vasoconstriction. At the 5-HT2A receptors it involves neuronal excitation which is the opposite of the 1A, B subtypes as well as learning. 5-HT2C receptors are responsible for secreting cerebral spinal fluid to the spinal cord for lubrication and other functions. The 5-HT3 receptors with a selection of specific drugs binding, it brings about anxiety plus neuronal excitation. For some of the other receptors of 5-HT, their roles in the nervous system are unclear and some are responsible for the gastrointestinal tract contraction and motility; vascular constriction or dilation. Clinically, 5-HT is used in the treatment of epilepsy and depression. Although histamine is the chemical that has many involvements physiologically in the human body, it also acts as a neurotransmitter. Four histamine receptors have been discovered ranging from H1-H4. However, only the H3 receptors are mainly engaged with the central nervous system. The cell bodies in the posterior hypothalamus release histamine and it plays a part in sleeping pattern modulation. Histamine releasing disorders are associated with inability of attention maintenance. Schizophrenia also has an association with low concentration of histamine in blood level. References: Book resources:Essential psychopharmacology 2nd edition, Stephen M. Stahl Online resources: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Monoamine_neurotransmitter http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Dopamine http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Norepinephrine http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Serotonin http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Histamine.

Treatment For Women Survivors Of Childhood Abuse Psychology Essay

Treatment For Women Survivors Of Childhood Abuse Psychology Essay Many women in the United States are adult survivors of child abuse. As testimony to this to this fact, it was discovered in surveys of 1,931 women that up to 62% had a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and up to 30% reported childhood physical abuse (McCauley et al). Numerous female adult survivors of child abuse will experience psychological and behavioral issues as a result, and may benefit from some form of psychotherapy as treatment. Typical strategies used include cognitive-behavioral, trauma-focused, and emotion [-] focused approaches (qtd. in Hodges). Cognitive-behavioral therapy should be considered by women survivors of childhood abuse who are experiencing depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The impact of childhood abuse on women is profound. Dr. Ileana Arias reports in her article The Legacy of Child Maltreatment: Long-Term Health Consequences for Women that Documented psychological problems in adulthood among women survirors of child maltreatment include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, somatization, substance abuse, eating disorders, personality disorders, and suicidal behavior. According to reported and documented occurrences of abuse, one particular type of abuse that affects females more than males is childhood sexual abuse. The National Center for Victims of Crime (2007) reported that girls are victimized at least three times more often than boys, and one in four adolescent girls will experience CSA before reaching 18 (qtd. in Hodges). Unfortunately, for the disproportionate amount of female survivors, results of childhood sexual abuse are so traumatic that it can actually alter the brain. For example, this information was given in The Publics Health, Newsletter for Medical Professionals in Los Angeles County in an article titled Adult Manifestations of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Controlled studies have shown that adult survivors of child sexual abuse (ASCSA) are more likely to exhibit adverse psychopathologies in adulthood, and neuroimaging studies confirm that exposure to sexual abuse in childhood alters the neurobiology and neurostructures in the brain, leading to scarring, an abnormal neurohormonal response to future stressors, and predisposes the victim to a lifetime of negative consequences. (3) The article states that the affected areas of the brain are the left hemisphere, the hippocampus and amygdala, and the corpus callosum. If there is neurodevelopmental damage to these parts of the brain, the victim can experience a number of psychological results, including depression, panic disorder, and PTSD (qtd. in DeCarli 3). This is of particular concern to women because PTSD is often a result of experiencing sexual abuse as a child. PTSD is defined in Women Are Diagnosed With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder More than Men, Says Research, as an anxiety disorder precipitated by a traumatic event and characterized by symptoms of re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance and numbing and hyperarousal. (APA). The article notes findings by the American Psychological Association (APA) that women are diagnosed with PTSD more than men. It is common knowledge that men and women are different in a variety of ways, and the way that trauma seems to affect each gender is no exception. The article states that, A reason that men may not fit the current diagnosable criteria of PTSDà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦is that their symptoms may manifest themselves differently. (qtd. in APA). Women would be more likely to report depression or anxiety whereas men would report behavior or drug problems (APA). Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the best methods of treatment available and practiced in the U.S. today. Dr. Helen Kennerly defines CBT as therapy which aims to improve mood and change unhelpful behaviors by tackling the thoughts, memories, images and beliefs which are linked with problems (Kennerly 58). Use of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques would be beneficial to women survivors because it is aimed to supply the victim with a thought process to counter the thoughts that provoke or perpetuate depression, anxiety, or PTSD. The process is explained in The Clients Guide to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: How to Live a Healthy, Happy Lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ No Matter What! by Aldo R. Pucci, President of the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. First, the book teaches the Emotional ABCs. The ABCs are this: one is aware of something, then he or she has a belief about it, and the result of the belief is the consequential emotion that results. The belief is positive, neutral, or negative (23). Those thoughts are propelled by underlying assumptions that would be the core to the beliefs (35). Being aware of this process and core beliefs is empowering, and this awareness gives the victim the power to change it. In example, if a woman was abused as a child, and her underlying assumption is that shes not worthy of respect as a result, then that could influence her beliefs and actions in any number of scenarios. She may act timidly in a situation or be a doormat to others because that is her underlying assumption. The core belief must be found and challenged, and the emotional ABCs lead the way to discovery. Next, Puccis version of the The Common Mental Mistakes, mistakes that could also provoke depression, anxiety, and PTSD in a female adult survivor, is introduced. Pucci lists 26 mental mistakes, and then gives a list of Common Emotional Problems and the Common Mental Mistakes. Of the 26 mental mistakes, he lists some that would cause a feeling of depression, including irrational hopelessness/helplessness and catastrophizing (85). A female adult survivor might feel helplessness or hopelessness as an adult because those feelings were likely in the child who had no control of or escape from the abuse. As an adult, however, the former abuse victim has much more control of their life. Pucci describes catastrophizing as another form of underestimating ones potential to deal with a situation effectively (71). He goes on to say that words and expressions often used when catastrophizing are: awful, terrible, horrible, catastrophic, and end-of-the-world (71). If those words were to be replaced with a more neutral word, such as unfortunate, the impact might be deflated (Pucci). This is not say that a female adult survivor of child abuse should want to minimize the validation of their feelings during childhood, but rather to recognize in adult situations if those overwhelming feelings and words are automatic when met with challenge in adult life. These are some of the stepping stones that would lead women survivors to a rational approach, so that even if happiness isnt always attainable, maybe a neutral, solid ground can be reached instead of being sucked into the quicksand of depression and anxiety (Pucci). Alternatively, a trauma-focused CBT approach may be more beneficial to the women survivors experiencing PTSD as a result from childhood sexual abuse. This therapy requires the client to revisit the traumatic experiences through detailed descriptions of the occurrences to assist in identifying the triggers for PTSD, then developing cognitive processes to counter the behavior that follows, such as avoidance of things that are non-threatening triggers. Hodges states, Counseling interventions like trauma-focused therapy presuppose that the focus of therapy with women survivors of CSA is the trauma experience and that reviewing the experience is necessary for the client to improve psychologically. This type of therapy has been stated as generally beneficial for adults who were sexually abused as children (qtd. in Hodges). Although CBT would prove beneficial to treating adult female survivors, there are, of course, alternative treatments, and some experts would not consider this to be the treatment of choice. For example, Hodges takes a different stance on treatment, suggesting a wellness approach instead. Focusing primarily on the trauma itself neglects the individuals growth potential and the positive effect posttraumatic growth has on psychological distress (qtd. in Hodges), she notes, however, Wellness-focused interventions validate the individual and the fact that the important thing is not why the individual survived but how (Hodges). This type of therapy would pay homage to the clients strong points in having dealt with sexual childhood abuse, such as resiliency. Though this, too, could prove beneficial to the women survivors, the CBT approach helps to excavate the core self-belief that is the origin of the suffering they are experiencing in adult life, and gives them tools to successfully comba t the origins of their suffering. Another approach to treatment would be medication for anxiety or depression, in combination with therapy or as a sole treatment. Not only do antidepressants have the potential to cause side effects ranging from weight gain to insomnia to anxiety, they are of particular concern to women who are or could potentially become pregnant. The Mayo Clinic states that some types of antidepressants have been associated with health problems in babies. For instance, these risks are listed by the Mayo Clinic for the selective serotonin reuptake inihibitor (SSRI) Citalopram, better known as Celexa: Risks: Has been associated with a rare but serious newborn lung problem (persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, or PPHN), when taken during the last half of pregnancy; has been associated with septal heart defects; has been associated with a birth defect that affects the brain and skull (anencephaly), a birth defect that affect sutures on the head (craniosynostosis) and a birth defect that affects the abdominal organs (omphalocele). This is just one example, and nearly all the other popularly prescribed antidepressants have similar or equally serious risks. This possibility of side effects in all users and the risks of use in pregnant women make psychotherapy a more reasonable treatment, and the effects may be longer-lasting, as cognitive behavioral therapy aims to treat the causes of depression, not just the symptoms. Likewise, anti-anxiety medications come with their own risks. Anti-anxiety medications known as benzodiazepines (i.e., Ativan) are effective in treating anxiety disorders, however, side effects include drowsiness, poor concentration, and irritability (WebMD). Perhaps of greater concern, these medications are addictive and are not as desirable for long-term use (WebMD). A female adult survivor of child abuse would most likely find long-term benefits and methods that can be used indefinitely in the tools that are developed in cognitive-behavioral therapy rather than relying on medication for these reasons. Although using cognitive-behavioral techniques with a therapist as a guide is ideal, some seeking help may not have the means to attend therapy. In that case, there are a good number of self-help books that employ the fundamentals of this approach. One book that directly addresses using CBT for the adult survivors of child abuse is Overcoming Childhood Trauma: A self-help guide using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques by Helen Kennerley. Puccis book could be used without a therapist as well. Because childhood sexual abuse affects more women than men, books can more easily be found that are written for women. One book is called The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis. If the woman survivor has the will to treat her anxiety, depression, or PTSD but does not have the financial luxury (or insurance coverage) to use a therapist, any of these books and others available can be of assistance. In conclusion, the primary goals cognitive-behavioral therapy of identifying the mental cues that perpetuate the women survivors suffering and then dealing with the irrationality of some beliefs and behaviors is an ideal treatment. Identifying the underlying assumptions of what has shaped the survivors thoughts and being given those mental tools to fix the problem would be more beneficial than some of the alternatives. Some therapies may not get to the core of what the client is experiencing, and medications can have unfavorable side effects and carry risks for babies carried by mothers using the medications. A therapist can help guide the women survivors in recovery with the cognitive-behavioral techniques, yet if this is not possible, self-help books using those techniques can also help.