Is Ritalin Over Prescribed (Argumentative Essay) Essays

Is ritalin over prescribed? (Argumentative essay) Matchmaker.com: Sign up now for a free trial. Date Smarter! Is ritalin over prescribed? (Argumentative essay) Is Ritalin the Answer to AD (H) D? The tousled brown hair that weaves so mischievously around his head may hint at the way he feels inside. He is seven-years-old and has already had to repeat a grade. He has an imagination that puts others to shame, but nothing seems to hold his attention for more than five minutes. He was recently diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or what we call AD (H) D. This scene is all too familiar for individuals who discover that they, too, have this learning disorder as they progress from elementary school to college. And in today's society we want a "quick fix" to remedy our problems. Therefore doctors are prescribing the drug, Ritalin, to control AD (H) D. Although Ritalin is a widely used drug to control AD (H) D, there are other safer alternatives to combat this worldwide disorder. Ritalin, like many other drugs, has several side effects-some of which are severe. Ritalin is in a class of drugs called Methylphetamines. These types of drugs (also called Central Nervous System or CNS stimulants) affect our central nervous system that controls everything from thought process to everyday breathing. Ritalin's major side effects influences the cardiovascular system (palpitation, tachycardia, and increased blood pressure), the central nervous system (psychosis, dizziness, headache, insomnia, tic syndromes, attacks of Gilles de la Tourette), gastrointestinal (anorexia, nausea), endocrine/metabolic system (weight loss, growth suppression). Also, Ritalin is a fairly new drug (introduced in the early eighties). It hasn't been around long enough to study the long-term effects. Since Ritalin is a Methylphetamine (closely related to the amphetamine family, such as cocaine), it has a high rate of abuse. In light of methylphenidate's abuse liability, it is important to note the tremendous increase in availability of this substance and the expanded population (adolescents and adults) receiving prescriptions for the treatment of AD (H) D. For example, the production quota for methylphenidate has increased from 1,361 kg in 1985 to 10,410 kg in 1995 with the primary increases occurring in the last five years. This drug is abused in two ways. One way is for recreational purposes. The abusers use the drug as a form of "speed" to pick themselves up. They feel that they need this in order to be "alive" and full of life. The other way this drug is abused is very different. Students are using Ritalin as a study aid. They take a pill (either orally, or by crushing it and snorting-much like cocaine, or they emulsify it in water and inject it like heroine) and cram for an exam. College today has become more competitive. Students feel a need to have an "edge" over the others. They feel that Ritalin gives them this"edge." Another danger is that since Ritalin is related to amphetamines, it has almost the same physiological effects. A users body will build a tolerance to the stimulant, therefore requiring more drugs to sustain the same level of abuse. This is very dangerous since the side effects on a normal dose are already dangerous; it has the potential for addiction and overdose. Although there are many harmful side effects and social problems related to Ritalin, many advocates claim that Ritalin is a vital part of controlling AD (H) D. And in most cases Ritalin has shown proven results. It does exactly what it was designed to do. The treatment of the disorder in adolescents and adults both show positive results. But before being put on such a harmful drug, parents and students should try using other alternatives before using Ritalin. Most doctors can't accurately diagnose AD (H) D in a 20-30 minute visit. There are usually other factors that have to be considered but are often overlooked. There are ways a patient diagnosed with AD (H) D can overcome this disorder. Rather than taking Ritalin, a change in diet can have a big impact on ones attention. Stress levels, like diet, can cause loss of attention, making it hard to concentrate. A change in study habits can also be very beneficial to someone having a difficult time concentrating. So by eating healthy, eliminating certain"stressors," and finding a study habit that works for a person, he/she can overcome the disorder. Ritalin only treats the symptoms of AD (H) D, not the disorder itself. And the symptoms will always be there, unless something is done about it. So unless he/she plans on taking this harmful drug for the rest of their life, changes will

Essay on Solution and AdvantagesEssay Writing Service

Essay on Solution and AdvantagesEssay Writing Service Essay on Solution and Advantages Essay on Solution and AdvantagesThe solution to existing economic, social and political problems of children relying on the welfare programs may be found in the changing of priorities of welfare programs and their focus on helping children to change their life on their own with the help of the government aide and the enhancement of the public control over welfare program and political representation of children by a non-government organization.In such a way, the proposed solution contains three major elements. First, the government should maintain welfare programs but shift them from the mere financial aid provided for children toward the funding of programs that help children to change their life for better, for instance educational programs. Second, the proposed solution should include the close cooperation between key stakeholders that can help children in terms of welfare programs, including educators, psychologists, and community members (Lyons-Ruth Jacobvitz, 1999). Finally, the proposed solution offers an opportunity for children in need to enhance their political representation through the creation of the non-government organization that can operate nationwide and protect interests of children relying on welfare programs.The solution is advantageous because it offers the solution of economic problems of children relying on welfare programs which should include the development of welfare programs that help not only children but also their parents to resolve their economic problems. In this regard, the solution of the economic problem associated with the welfare programs is twofold. On the one hand, welfare programs should facilitate education of children and provide them with larger opportunities to obtain higher education, for instance, through a system of government-sponsored grants for needy children. On the other hand, parents of children relying on welfare programs should receive additional government support, in case of the successful learning of their children. For instance, parents of children relying on welare programs may receive additional government financial support, if their children enter college. As a result, parents will be interested in the education of their children and they can support their children in their learning efforts, while children will have better educational opportunities because they can count on government grants that will help them to tackle financial issues, if they decide to obtain the higher education. Hence, children will just need to learn successfully to be able to obtain the higher education. Today, the higher education is still a better opportunity for children to improve their quality of life, when they grow up and start their professional career because graduates can count on about 20% higher wages compared to low- or semi-qualified employees.The proposed solution can help to resolve social problems of children relying on welfare programs. The social problem of children relying on wel fare programs should be resolved through the close interaction between educators, psychologists and community members. They should unite their efforts to prevent children relying on welfare programs from joining gangs. Psychologists can help children to resolve their psychological problems, instead of shifting from their families, where they cannot always find support, to gang members, where they often just try to find a new family and support through the feeling of belongingness to the gang (Gauthier, et al., 1996). Community members should offer children relying on welfare programs social activities within the community, such as sports. For instance, local communities can create teams and sponsor local tournaments that will develop positive behavioral patterns in children because they will focus on sports rather than on the gang life.As for the resolution of the problem of the political under-representation of children relying on welfare programs, the proposed solution is also ben eficial because this problem may be resolved through the closer interaction between parents of children relying on welfare programs and local authorities. For instance, social workers can attend families receiving the government aide and report on problems those families, especially children, have. Once a month, the local authorities should conduct the meeting where the major issues related to the life of families relying on welfare programs can be discussed and resolved, if possible. In addition, the creation of a public non-government and non-profit organization that operates nationwide can also enhance the political participation of children relying on welfare programs (Wolf, 2002). This non-profit organization should focus on problems of children specifically. In such a way, the government will have to deal with the public organization which operates nationwide and protects interest of children relying on welfare programs rather than with parents of those children or small commu nities. Moreover, this organization will be able to provide legal assistance to children in need and help them to receive the government aide to the full extent. More important, this organization can also help them to change their lifestyle offering them educational programs for free. At the same time, as a public body, the organization can monitor the use of public funds spend on welfare programs. In such a way, the organization can become a significant political power, which politicians will have to take into consideration.Thus, the proposed solution contains a complex of measures that help children to change their life for better. In economic terms, children can obtain better career opportunities due to the better education. In social terms, children will turn from gang life and crimes toward active involvement in the life of their community based on the support of educators, psychologists and community members. Finally, in political terms, the non-government organization can enh ance their political representation and protect their interests.

Evaluate how far the provisions of the Landlord and Tenants Essay

Evaluate how far the provisions of the Landlord and Tenants (Covenants) Act 1995 can be said to benefit tenants to the detriment of landlords - Essay Example In this case the landlord couldn’t insist his legal right to charge a full rent strictly due to the war situation and its negative effect on occupancy in his flats. In United Kingdom, several landlord and tenants acts have been enacted to provide right direction and legal instrument for solving the problems related to landlord and tenant matters1. The need for reforming landlord and tenant act was also felt in countries like Ireland and accordingly law reform commission was established in the year 1975 (The law reform commission, 2003). In July 2001, this law reform commission established landlord and tenant project aiming at reforming the landlord and tenant law. landlord and tenant acts. For example, landlord and tenant acts were introduced in 1709, 1730, 1851, 1927, 1954, 1985, 1987 and 1988. The objective of all these acts is to ensure the genuine interests of both the landlords and tenants according to the agreement made between them. However, the specific aim of these acts is to reduce the exploitation of tenants by landlords. Over a period of time, the necessity for reforming the laws related to landlord and tenants is felt and accordingly the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995 was enacted. The contribution of Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995 is highly significant in reducing the problems faced by the tenants from the landlords (Office of Public Service Information, 1995). With the inclusion of several provisions under the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995, the government of United Kingdom ensured the interests and rights of the tenants and it legally protects their rights in sharing the lease of the property and landlords cannot force them to vacate whenever they wish to do so. The critical analysis of the provisions of the said act is essential so that the benefits accrued upon by the tenants can be assessed. Let us discuss one by one. The Landlord and Tenant (Covenants)

Money is the Root of Divorce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Money is the Root of Divorce - Essay Example Rampal even utilizes graphic imagery to illustrate how money disputes occurring regularly in the marriage are almost completely congruent to the frequency of divorce. When partners in a marriage turn toward money to justify their identities, it illustrates that money has significant psychological influence, making concepts such as love, devotion, and mutual gain become superseded by thoughts about money as an imperative. Because of this, money creates evil within marriage and serves as the primary motive for seeking marriage dissolution. Money is often referred to as being a source of power in society. Scientific researchers have identified in numerous studies that individuals who believe they have power are more assertive, self-assured, and respond on impulse (Anderson & Berdahl, 2002; Lammers, Stokel & Stapel, 2010). When one partner in a marriage has a better career or has managed to procure more money than their spouse, they begin developing egocentric behaviors and are less willing to work out minor conflicts. Why is this? Because when one partner is financially stable, they begin to believe that they can simply exit the marriage when minor dissatisfaction arises and not have to be concerned about their well-being. Therefore, only one partner in the marriage tries to work out conflict while the other acts aggressively or tries to avoid reaching conflict resolution. Whether money is actually a power source is not important. What is important is recognizing that money has the ability to change psychological programming and personal value systems, creating a person who performs evil against the spouse with less financial resources. There are some in society, however, that would argue that money does not create evil, arguing that a person would have to be inherently evil in order to demand marriage dissolution.  

Application of Theory Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Application of Theory Paper - Essay Example The theory makes use of the fourteen components which are solely based on the wants of human beings. The theory works on two major assumptions which are â€Å"Care givers also known as nurses have a responsibility of looking after the client until they are in a position where they can adequately look after themselves’ and â€Å"Nurses are always on the look and selfless in ensuring that the patients recover for their ailments† and lastly â€Å"Nurses will be more effective when they obtain an undergraduate certificate in both arts and sciences†. This paper will examine the problem in nursing leadership by providing scholarly evidence to support the issue. In addition, it will present one strategy and the concepts and principles where the nursing theory are applicable, provide a rationale for the chosen strategy and one ethical strategy for the theory. Nursing leadership has been an emerging issue over the years because of the numerous challenges which various sectors of nursing encounter. Globalization in today’s society has really changed the shape of nursing and nurses across the globe require effective leadership to maintain to the required standards and generate a new generation of nurses. Quality in many health cares is determined by the efficacy of the leadership available. On the other hand leadership is extremely essential in all institutions or organizations. It can be defined as the process through which goals are identified by providing accurate support and motivation(McEwen & Wills, 2007). Nursing practice requires accurate evidence that is only obtained through extensive research. Putting together the evidence collected into nursing practice is necessary for quality to be achieved in the nursing filed. Therefore the behaviors of most health care providers have been wanting as they have not been able to accurately determine the kinds of involvement needed to

Singapore tourism vulnerable to climate change

Singapore tourism vulnerable to climate change Conclusion The overall aim of this research is to understand the ways in which tourism in Singapore is vulnerable to climate change. Predicting climate change is complex but even more complex is predicting how people will respond to that change (Perry, 2005, 94). Therefore, tourists, who are major players in this tourism business, are exceptionally crucial. This study employs tourists perceptions and opinions as well as statistical data from government sources in understanding how tourism in Singapore may be affected under predicted climate change scenarios in the coming decades. Three research objectives were developed for addressing this aim as mentioned in the introduction. In this concluding chapter, summary of the results for each of these objectives would be highlighted. Objective one: To document the nature climate as a resource for tourism in Singapore Atmospheric weather conditions may impact tourist demand, participation, experiences and satisfaction (de Freitas, 2003; Yu et al, 2009). Singapores â€Å"hot and sunny† weather condition and all-year-round sunshine acts as a huge impetus attracting tourists. The significance of climate among other factors was revealed in the survey and confirmed the findings by Hamilton, et al (2005) that weather and climate can act as both push and pull factors. Despite acknowledging that climate is an important resource for tourism in Singapore, this study made an interesting finding that weather did not prove to be the ultimate choice affecting tourists decision to Sentosa. Attractions in the destination was consistently ranked first when respondents were asked the importance of factors relevant to their visit to a country for tourism as well as the most important factor affecting their decision in visiting Sentosa. With attractions being the most important factor affecting tourists choice to Sentosa, there is high possibility that Sentosa may be chosen in spite of the likely bad weather. Tourists indicate that they would likely substitute beach tourism for other activities such as indoor sightseeing attractions within Sentosa which are not weather dependent. Hence visitation to Sentosa is unlikely to be affected because of the diverse types of attractions Sentosa provides. This indirectly points to a bigger picture that for destinations attracting mostly day visitors, climate change may have smaller implications, since potential visitors are more likely to change plans or adapt to the on-site weather conditions (Aylen et al., 2005). Objective two: To estimate future effects and risks on the tourism sector under direct predicted climate change scenarios The tourism sector in Singapore generates more than S$12 billion in tourism receipts yearly and employs about 60% of the workforce in Singapore (MOM, 2009; MTI, 2009). Given the increasing importance of the tourism industry to the economy, it is critical to understand the implications of climate change for the industry. Climate change has the potential modify tourist demand and travel patterns (Scott et al., 2004). Although climate change may bring about new opportunities for some countries, Singapore would most likely be faced with more challenges. Firstly, with global warming, Singapore may become too hot and humid for comfort. Secondly, with the climate of other regions and countries changing for the better, the need for a winter escape to warm climate countries diminishes. In addition, the study investigated the reactions of tourists behaviour to the possible direct impact of climate change that might most probably impact Singapore in the coming years. Increasing rainfall days would most likely result in a decrease in days of stay with tourists indicating that they would still choose to come to Singapore but avoiding that heavy rainfall periods. On the other hand, in the case of an increase in temperature or rainfall events which are highly unpredictable, it seems that tourists would more likely accept and plan their activities to suit these random weather conditions. These fairly negative results demonstrate the need for the sector to look into ways that can improve the attractiveness and competitiveness of Singapore as a tourist destination. Studies have shown that tourists are capable of adapting and changing their travel behaviours when facing uncertainties and unexpected factors. Stewart Vogt (1999) suggest that tourism plans often were changed, especially regarding on-site activities. Therefore, what is most important is the initial motivation of attracting tourists to Singapore. Singapore must prove herself as a worthy destination with many alternative activities that is available for visitors facing extreme hot weather or sudden rainfall due to the changing climate. With Singapores tourism industry being highly diversified without favouring any particular type of tourism, there is a balance of both indoor and outdoor attractions to provide visitors satisfactory tourism experiences even under uncertain weather conditions. In addition, statistics show that shopping, is one of the main motives of tourists coming to Singapore as well as a high revenue earning sector, with Orchard Road being the most visited site in Singapore. Thus, if shopping which is non-weather dependent, is one of the main attractions motivating tourists to Singapore, it seem possible that climate change may have little impact in changing tourists minds about visiting Singapore. Objective three: To discuss mitigation policies employed or suggested by the UNWTO access the consequences of employing these strategies in Singapore Two mitigation strategies are reviewed: encouraging short-haul destinations and market climate policy instruments which includes taxation. Singapore is a small island state with only the Southeast Asian region being within its short-haul destination. Thus, promoting short-haul destination as a mitigation strategy may lead to detrimental economic consequences for Singapore as a result of vast lost of a significant potential share of tourists. Between the two strategies reviewed, the latter seems to be a more desirable. This is reflected in 75% of respondents expressing willingness to increase their spending on green facilities which includes fuel efficient aeroplane. They believe that it is their social and environmental responsibility to spend a little more for the sake of the environment. Although mitigation strategies for the tourism industry may not be welcomed by both tourism operators and tourists as they are likely to result in an increase in cost of travel or inconvenience, thus reducing competitiveness, they are deemed essential. Unlike natural disasters or terrorist attacks, climate change is not just a short-term effect that could then be quickly forgotten. As King concludes aptly â€Å"In my view, climate change is the most severe problem we are facing today, more serious even than the threat of terrorism† (2004: 176). Therefore, the need for mitigation strategies in Singapore to reduce the trend of future climate change impacts is a pressing necessity.

The Thematic Significance Of The Floral Images In Wide Sargasso Sea. :: essays research papers

Wide Sargasso Sea is the story of Antoinette Cosway, a Creole heiress who grew up in the West Indies on a decaying plantation. When she comes of age she is married off to an Englishman, and he takes her away from the only place she has known--a house with a garden where "the paths were overgrown and a smell of dead flowers mixed with the fresh living smell. Underneath the tree ferns, tall as forest tree ferns, the light was green. Orchids flourished out of reach or for some reason not to be touched."(p.16). Floral Images are central to the theme in the novel Wide Sargasso Sea. They are present throughout the entire novel and also have an effect on the atmosphere. There are several examples. The first and most prominent floral image in the novel is of the garden at Coulibri, "But it had gone wild. The paths were overgrown and a smell of dead flowers mixed with the fresh living smell." (p.16). Antoinette describes the garden as being full of life but now everything is dead, this symbolizes something that is beautiful but gone back or is not going to last long. The garden is also compared to the garden of Eden, "Our garden was large and beautiful as that garden in the Bible-the tree of life grew there"(p.16). When she refers to the "tree of life growing there" it is as though she is looking back and relating to the former slave owners. She also says "The scent was very sweet and strong. I never went near it."(p.16). This excerpt is symbolizing her constant fear to ever be close to giving love. Another floral image is that of pink roses, "There where two pink roses†¦touched it the petals dropped."(p.72), "have all beautiful things sad destinies."(p.72). These quotes are referring that Antoinette is beautiful like her mother but look at their destinies. Another image is that of a falling flower, "One morning a small flower fell†¦looked like snow.

Communications Character Conflict Essay Essay

â€Å"I can’t believe you, all your gifts, all your powers, and you.. you squander them for your own personal gain. (Hal Stewart) ‘Yes! (Megamind) ‘No! I’m the villain! † this is the main conflict between characters’ Megamind and Hal Stewart in the hit motion picture Megamind. Megamind defeats the cities beloved super hero â€Å"Metro Man†, they had been enemies since grade school and Megamind has always been the bad guy causing trouble and Metro Man was always saving the day and the people from the evils of Megeminds treachery. But soon after this deafeat Megamind realizes he misses the way things used to be, there was no more excitement and rush of being the villain in an epic good vs. evil battle. So, Megamind has devised a way that he can give any normal human being all the gifts and powers that Metro Man himself possessed. He settles on a young man named Hal Stewart, a cameraman for a news station, which he filmed the news girl who he claimed to be in love with, but everyone thought she was with Metro Man because he was always saving her. So Megamind gives Hal all the super powers, and gives him a new identity of â€Å"Titan†. However, to Megminds Dismay, Hal starts abusing his powers and begins stealing from banks, and using his powers to get equipment, video games etc.. This is a great example of unproductive conflict. Instead of creating a new evil versus good scenario with Hal or â€Å"Titan†, Hal just commandeers the whole city and puts them all at his mercy. It has many negative impacts the two characters, their relationship, and the situation. The aggression between them and the situation in general becomes increases greatly and turns even hostile because of the flaws in their communication. Megamind has certain qualities about the way he communicates that it often gets him into trouble. In fact pretty much every idea he comes up with in the process, he always seems to get either seriously injured, or suffers in some other way, all because of his communicational handicap. Some of the functions of communication Megamind uses, is he begins a relationship with a character named Hal Stewart to achieve a specific goal premeditated so he could accomplish what he wished to have done. What he wanted done was to turn Hal into a super hero and give him all the powers that the late Metro Man possessed, so that he could resume his role as the villain once again, since he defeated the last super hero he longed for the epic battle of â€Å"Good vs. Evil. † First of all, Hal isn’t the brightest pick to turn someone into a super hero, but Megamind is determined he is the perfect pick after a misunderstood first impression of Hal. Megaminds best friend even shows in many ways, he does not approve of Hal as being the one who has the traits of being a good super hero, most of the ways non verbal. Megamind even changes his own identity as Hal’s â€Å"Space Dad†, for the purpose of guiding Hal into fulfilling his destiny as the city’s new found super hero â€Å"Titan†. So Megamind actually is affecting the situation and their relationship as two different important character’s in Hal’s life and will play play big parts in his decisions. Hal Stewart, aka â€Å"Titan† aka â€Å"Cameraman†, is a very interesting character because of how he expresses his own communicational traits, it is entertaining. His perception of what a â€Å"super hero† means, and what sort of privileges or advantages he believes comes with being â€Å"Titan† are affected by the culture he lives in. Some of his expectations, the most important towards the story and the one that makes the most dramatic influence is; the super hero always gets the girl. This thinking of Hal’s is a mindlessness perception and also selective perception of how he sees a super hero. Obviously he does not get the girl he claims he’s in love with, because the thing he is mindlessness about is that just because you can fly and have huge muscles doesn’t mean you will always get girl, its about what’s underneath, not on the surface, which I believe is the lesson â€Å"Life† is trying to teach him. Another misperception he has is what should be accomplished with the incredible new â€Å"gifts† that he has recently required. Instead of catching bad guys, and making sure justice stands within the city and her people, Hal actually robs banks, and other equipment, video games etc.. nd is determined that the powers mean â€Å"get rich, and get rich quick†. These are all things that Megamind does not anticipate before hand and turns into being the exact opposite of what he wanted, all because Hal’s misunderstanding, and the communicational barriers of Megamind. Although, there isn’t a whole lot of competent communicati on going on with Megamind and Hal, in the end he still gets an incredibly large amount accomplished. The things that were bigger then even his beloved epic good vs. evil battles. He grew in more important ways, he grew as a specimen, and became a happier person, which ultimately should be eternal goal of communication and the functions and steps that are not only necessary and basically impossible to accomplish anything without them, competent or incompetent, things still move forward and things get done. In the end Megamind finds his true purpose and a higher purpose, along the way falling in love and discovering a more meaningful life all thanks to communication, and the culture which helps him perceive and judge.

Nabopolassar Babylonian King

Nabopolassar Babylonian King Definition: Nabopolassar was the first king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ruling from November 626 - August 605 B.C. He had been general in a revolt against Assyria after the Assyrian king Assurbanipal died in 631. Nabopolassar was made king on November 23, 626*. In 614, the Medes, led by Cyaxares ([Uvakhshatra] king of the Umman Manda), conquered Assur, and the Babylonians under Nabopolassar joined forces with them. In 612, in the Battle of Ninevah, Nabopolassar of Babylonia, with the assistance of the Medes, destroyed Assyria. The new Babylonian empire incorporated Babylonians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans, and was an ally of the Medes. Nabopolasars empire extended from the Persian Gulf to Egypt. Nabopolassar restored the temple of the sun god Shamash st Sippar, according to Civilizations of Ancient Iraq. Nabopolassar was the father of Nebuchadnezzar. For information on the Babylonian Chronicles which has source material on the Babylonian king, see Livius: Mesopotamian Chronicles. * The Babylonian Chronicle, by David Noel Freedman The Biblical Archaeologist  © 1956 The American Schools of Oriental Research Also,  see  A.T. Olmsteads History of the Persian Empire. Examples: The Nabopolassar Chronicle, which was published by C. J. Gadd in 1923, covers the events around the time of the fall of Ninevah. It is based on a cuneiform text in the British Museum (B.M. 21901) that is known as the Babylonian Chronicle.

buy custom Osteoporosis from the Patient’s Perspective essay

buy custom Osteoporosis from the Patient’s Perspective essay Osteoporosis is a condition widely believed to affect the older members of the society. While both men and women aged over 75 years are at risk of experiencing osteoporosis, it is believed that women are generally more at risk than men to develop the condition due to postmenopausal problems associated with the hormone loss (Riggs Melton, 2005). This paper presents a patients perspective of the osteoporosis condition, as it is important to have an understanding of the personal experience and impact of this condition as told by the patient. The patients perspective will provide a complete picture of osteoporosis and help healthcare providers understand the disease from the viewpoint of the patient. According to what we have been told about the disease including its risk factors, prevention, and treatment; less attention has been provided regarding what the patients undergo on a daily basis as they live with this disease. While the condition is manageable and treatable, some patients c onsider osteoporosis as a terminal illness, which every woman will have to live with for the rest of their lives after menopause. For these patients, having been diagnosed with osteoporosis marks the end of their normal lives as they consider themselves doomed. Perhaps, there is inadequate knowledge and increased lack of awareness among populations, on osteoporosis disease with regards to its causes, risk factors, prevention and treatment methods available to various bone fractures. The Problem From an interview conducted with a 58-year old woman who had just suffered from a wrist fracture, a number of issues have emerged on how patients see the causes of osteoporosis as a disease. According to this patient, all women who have reached post-menopausal stage will develop the problem at some point in their lives. The patient sees osteoporosis more as womens problem than a problem that affects the general well being of the older population in the society. While she acknowledges her lack of physical exercise during her younger years, she nevertheless attributes the problem to post-menopausal stage that every woman has to contend with. She strongly believes that she knew at some point after reaching post-menopausal stage, that she would develop the problem simply because she was a woman. In addition, the patient believes her sedentary lifestyle contributed greatly to her condition and regrets having failed to engage in physical activities early on in her life. Thus, the patient o ffers a word of caution to all women to engage in physical activities in order to reduce chances of developing the disease as she believes that the condition is a terminal one that restricts the life of patients and condemns them to all manner of physical and emotional miseries. The patients perception that osteoporosis is a condition affecting women after post-menopausal stage could have been informed by the fact that the condition is more prevalent in women than in men. According to Riggs Melton (2005), two out of three women will develop osteoporosis after reaching post-menopausal stage. Conversely, only one out of eight men will develop the disease after 70 years of age. Thus, women are considered to be more at risk of developing the condition than men, due to their increased loss of hormone after reaching post-menopausal stage. It is against this backdrop that this patient believes osteoporosis is a problem affecting women and not men. Having developed this disease, the patient believes life will not be normal as before. For her, the condition is terminal, since she would have to depend on drugs for the rest of her life besides being more cautious to avoid developing more complications as a result of the fall. Even as physicians would explain that oste oporosis is not a terminal illness, although it can be lethal, the patients perception is that the disease is life-threatening and will therefore condemn her to a miserable life for the remainder of her life. A Lay Perspective The overriding theme in the patients perspective of osteoporosis as a disease is fear. Having experienced wrist fracture as a result of osteoporosis, the patient fears that she may break her hip. Osteoporosis is a condition that does not present any form of symptoms and signs until when a patient experiences a fracture in the wrist, hip or spine (Riggs Melton, 2005). It is also argued that even when one has developed a minor bone fracture, the onset of pain that would symbolize presence of osteoporosis may take longer, thus a patient may not be able to know whether or not he or she has the osteoporotic problem. However, once the symptoms and signs associated with severe pain as a result of fracture in the bone are identified, the patient would be at high risk of experiencing fractures in other bones of the body (Riggs Melton, 2005). It is against this background that osteoporosis patients are advised to be more cautious with their movement in order to avoid fall that may result int o more severe fractures of the bones. While it is within the physicians professional mandate to offer such advice, it only serves to fuel anxiety and fear in the patient. According to the patient in this study, the fear of experiencing a fall that would result into hip fracture is quite eating into her mentally. In addition, the patient fears that the disease has condemned her to a miserable life by restricting her freedom to move about and perform certain tasks. Further, she fears her condition would be a burden to the entire family should it get serious to the point of not being able to move at all as a result of breaking a hip bone. The patient understands that hip fracture would condemn her to a life in bed for the rest of her life and this would inconvenience her family. She knows that after developing a hip fracture, she would be assisted and cared for by other members of the family. However, she is not happy at all about such an experience and fears that since she would need someone to stay at home and care for he r hence being a bother to the rest of her family. Osteoporosis being a painless disease is ard to detect until when pain is experienced due to fracture of the bone. Due to this, the patient was unaware of her condition until when she experienced a fracture on her wrist bone. According to her, life was normal until she felt a fracture and severe pain on her wrist. A first visit to the doctor did not reveal the actual problem as the X-ray test showed she had a minor facture on her wrist and therefore the wrist was put on a cast which lasted for two week before another test. The patient had no knowledge of her condition and expected the fracture to heal within the two weeks that the wrist was placed in a cast. After expert diagnosis on her bone density, the patient learnt that she had an osteoporosis due to her post-menopausal stage. While the patient claims that post-menopausal osteoporosis can have debilitating effects on the general well being of a patient, she did not understand why the fracture on her wrist did not heal and was up set that the experience would totally change her life. Ideally, the patient had no knowledge of the disease and thus from the opinions and advices of the doctors, she has came to terms with her condition which she believes affects every woman at some particular point during post-menopausal period. The final diagnosis on the bone density was particularly important in informing the patient about her condition which she was not aware about. This is confirmed by her assertion that she was not going to find out about her condition had she not experienced the wrist fracture. However, based on doctors advice, she now understands that the disease can be prevented through regular check ups and appropriate exercise. After discovering her condition, the patient identifies lack of active lifestyle in her past to have contributed to her condition. She concurs with the doctors opinion that her sedentary lifestyle in her early years mainly contributed to her condition and she advices all women to engage in physical activities. While she regrets about her indifference to physical activities in the past, the patient is more concerned about her present condition than any other thing, an experience which is causing her numerous mental problems. She attributes her condition to post-menopausal stage. The patient believes that every woman would develop the condition at some point during post-menopausal period. She therefore contends that while physical exercise during her younger years would have delayed the onset of the condition, she would nevertheless have developed osteoporosis just like any other woman who has reached menopause. However, according to the patient, the main concern now is how to be cauti ous all the time so as to avoid any fall that would cause hip fracture. She asserts that before the fracture on her wrist, life was normal and she felt completely healthy; however, the experience of being diagnosed with osteoporosis has totally changed her life. She feels that she can never have a full range of motion and hence will not be able to do anything anymore. In other words, the patient feels she is no longer healthy and consider her condition as a terminal one that would condemn her to physical and mental torture for the rest of her life. The patient feels that her condition has affected her identity as person. She no longer moves freely for fear of experiencing a more serious fracture especially on her hip which would not only affect her own mobility but also the freedom of other family members. According to the patient, the condition has changed the way she does her daily chores and how she moves. As a result, this has affected her self-esteem due to how she sees herself. She does not consider herself healthy anymore. Nevertheless, she has accepted her condition and understands that she would have to cope with it for the remainder of her life. The patient asserts that every member of her family is busy and thus may be inconvenienced by her condition should it get worse. For her, the disease is a burden to the family members as it would force her to have other family members to provide, when she is unable to move about. However, she thanks her husbands health cover for the success in managing her condition. She argue s that medical costs are extremely high in the country that without proper medical cover, she would have been unable to receive proper treatment for her condition. Solutions/ Activism While biomedical explanations argue that osteoporosis is preventable through physical exercise, studies on the effectiveness of physical exercise on preventing the disease have produced varied outcomes. For instance, the project at the University of Arizona dubbed Bone-Estrogen Strength Training (BEST) identified only six physical exercises that can produce the greatest yield in BMD, these include squat, leg press, seated row, back extension, lat pull-down and military press (Houtkooper, Stanford, Metcalfe, Lohman, Going, 2007).Other studies suggest that a whole year of frequent jumping exercises would improve the BMD of an individual. In general, aerobics, resistance and weight bearing exercises are known to maintain or improve the BMD especially in post-menopausal women (Cheng, Sipil, Taaffe, Puolakka, Suominen, 2002). The lack of a clear recommendation for exercises has produced highest yield in BMD development, hence reduced risk in developing osteoporosis. Consequently, this c ould be the reason for the increased lack of awareness about the condition. According to our patient, had she engaged in physical activities early on in her life, she could have delayed the onset of osteoporosis in her life. It is also worth noting that it was until after the second diagnosis that the patient realized that she had suffered osteoporosis. Before the expert opinion and advice of the doctor, the patient had little or no knowledge in relation to the risk causes and how the disease could be prevented. The patient perceives that her life and her daily activities will be regulated by her condition for the rest of her life. While she is accepting her condition, she can neither understand nor forecast what the future would be like for her. For instance, she believes that medication will be part of her liffe now, but she has to be more careful with what she does and how she moves so as to avoid any fall. The patient has no idea about the treatment available for osteoporosis as she asserts that once she experiences hip fracture, it will be all over for her. While healthcare providers would like every patient to know that osteoporosis is treatable including the hip fracture through surgery, the patient seems to have no idea about this. Despite the availability of treatment for osteoporosis, the patients main concern is how to avoid developing hip fracture. While she understands and advices other women to change their lifestyle and participate in physical activities more often, she does not adopt physical exercise as a preventive measure for developing serious osteoporotic conditions such as hip or vertebrae fracture. For the patient, the most important issue now since she has been diagnosed with osteoporosis is to be more careful in order to avoid any fall. The fear of what life would be with a hip fracture seems to be the issue that is preoccupying the patients mind. The patient also talks about risk factors, appropriate preventive measures, as well as the role of doctors in helping individuals to overcome problems associated with osteoporosis. She identifies lack of exercise and post-menopausal stage as the key factors that have played a key role to the development of the disease in women. As for the remedies, the patient advices other women who have attained menopause to engage in regular physical exercises and to see their doctors more often so as to test for the development of osteoporosis from an early stage. Undoubtedly, the patient was shocked by the discovery of the condition in her. She singled out the change in her lifestyle to her knowledge of the disease after being informed by the doctor. The information from the doctor totally changed how she sees her body and her sense of identity. She no longer sees herself as a healthy person but a person walking around with a disease. The discovery also affected how she relates with others, especially members of her family. The patient feels she should not be tended by other members of the family as such a demand would prevent others from going about their business. With the information of the physician on the risk factors, the patient sees into the future and considers herself a burden to the rest of the family members who would have to forego their affairs in order to care and provide for her. This feeling alone is the most important issue that preoccupies the mind of the patient and saddens her each day. The knowledge of the physician was critical in informing the patient about the risk factors, prevention, and treatment methods of osteoporosis. The patients experience of osteoporosis is informed by the knowledge sought from the doctor. For the patient, a woman cannot escape osteoporosis but can only delay it. In other words, the physicians explanation of women being at high risk of experiencing osteoporosis after reaching menopause was critical in the patients blanket belief that all women must go through the experience. However, the patient understands the importance of the doctors advice and care for her condition. For instance, she advices other women who do not know whether or not they are on the verge of experiencing osteoporosis to have their doctors screen them regularly for low bone density and other risk factors. It is also important to point out that for the patient; osteoporosis is a big social issue that the society must give special attention. She is concerned about the high cost of medication not only for this particular condition but also for all other diseases. She argues that without proper medical cover, she would not have been able to find suitable treatment for her condition and possibly she could have experienced more serious conditions like hip fracture. The patient sees access to better medical services as the preserve of the rich and those who can afford better medical cover. For her, the high cost of treating osteoporosis is a big social issue that may be restraining the number of women seeking for screening and treatment of osteoporosis in the country. In addition to cost, the patient sees osteoporosis as a gender issue. According to the patient, women will develop the disease no matter their lifestyles. She believes that the best that women can do to delay the problem is to engage in physical activities. Thus, to the patient, osteoporosis is more of a woman problem than it is for men. Conclusion Osteoporosis can be a debilitating disease and is found to be common in aged men and women. However, the disease is found to be highly prevalent among women who have attained menopause. From the patients perspective, women should engage more in physical exercises and adopt active lifestyles, if they would have any chance of delaying the onset of osteoporosis. According to the patient, women have no escape route at all when it comes to osteoporosis. The only thing women would do is to delay the time when they would develop osteoporosis. Drawing from her own experience, the patient believes that lack of exercise and regular screening was the main factors behind her experience, which she believes started early than normal. Thus, the patient is passing a strong message that lifestyle and early screening could be vital in preventing the high prevalence of the disease among women and the elderly in general. In addition, the patient is telling us that while the disease is highly prevalent a mong women after menopause, there is a general lack of awareness across the population most at risk. Most women do not know about the risk factors and prevention methods of osteoporosis. To the healthcare providers, the patient is communicating a simple but powerful message that osteoporosis is a debilitating condition that not only burdens the patient but also the entire family. While healthcare providers understand that osteoporosis is a condition that can be prevented, managed, and treated, to the patient, the disease marks the end of life. Buy custom Osteoporosis from the Patient’s Perspective essay

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