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Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Result
3. Discussion
4. Conclusion

Introduction

Herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 are one of the most common and most contagious pathogens. the virus is transmitted through Mouth, respiratory system, Direct person-to-person contact, saliva, sexual contact. Primery infection usually apears in the form of labialis on skin or Mucous membrane. These viruses can cause damage in liver, adrenal glands, eyes of infants and people with immunodeficiency disorders. It can also causes encephalitis, meningitis, and death with an attack on central nervous system and brain. In most cases, the virus tends to in latent form in sensory ganglions. An antiviral treatment for HSV infection is Acyclovir that still the most commonly used chemotherapy. In recent years, due to long-term treatments with acyclovir, there have been reports of the emergence of drug-resistant mutants. Drug resistant Mutants of virus without Thymidine kinase are isolated from immunocompromised patients that can be a major problem in future years. Due to these issues finding new drugs with low side effects is felt. Medicinal plant extracts and essential oils are increasingly of interest as antimicrobial and antiviral agents and have been widely used in traditional medicine. Medicinal plants produce a variety of chemical components with the potential to inhibit viral replication with low side effects. these plants represent a massive source of new bioactive component for discovering new drugs with low side effects.

Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) is a member of the Lamiaceae family and plants of this family are well known in antiviral phytotherapy. Melissa officinalis is a perennial herbaceous plant in the mint family Lamiaceae and native to south-central Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, Iran, and Central Asia. The main components of lemon balm essential oil are citral (citronellol, linalool) and geraniol and trepenes. antioxidant and antibacterial effects of Extracts and essential oils of Lamiaceae family are reported in many studies. An antiviral activity of lemon balm aqueous extracts and essential oils has been described previously but details about main effective component of extract and essential oil are not available.

In this study we compared antiviral activity of melissa officinalis essential oils and two component of that and the mode of antiviral action is analysed at different steps in the viral infection cycle.

Melissa officinalis essential oil was purchased from Primavera Life, Sulzberg, Germany that previously analysed with gas chromatography by Dr. Schnitzler and we used their analaysis for our study. Melissa officinalis oil was dissolved in ethanol and added to the cell culture medium at a maximum final concentration of 1% ethanol.

In this study we used A549 cell line to evaluate cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of our compunds. Monolayer of A549 cells (human lung carcinoma) were grown with Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM) supplemented with 5% fetal calf serum (FCS), 100 U/ml penicillin and 100 mg/ml streptomycin. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) were used for experiments and viruses were cultivated on A549 cells. Acyclovir was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) and dissolved in Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) a maximum final concentration of 1% DMSO. at first cytotoxisity of compunds on A549 cell were evaluated. for this porpuse, A549 cells were seeded in 96-well tissue culture plate and medium containing serial dilutions of the essential oil and compounds and were added onto A549 cells in eight replicates for each concentration of the drugs. Wells containing a medium with 1% ethanol but no compounds were also included on each plate as controls. After 72 h of incubation, the cytotoxicity of the essential oil and other compounds were determined by MTT assay. The cytotoxic concentration of the drug which reduced the viable cell number by 50% (CC50) was determined from dose-response curves.

Inhibition of HSV replication was examined by plaque reduction assays in 12-well culture plates. 25×104 cells was seeded in each well and incubated until reaching at least 90% confluency, then virus was added in multiplicity of infection (MOI) 0. 0002 to each well in 4 different phases, cells were pretreated with essential oil before viral infection, viruses were incubated with essential oil before cell infection, essential oils and compounds was added after penetration of the virus into the cells or during penetration of virus into cells, cell pre-treatment, cells and viruses were incubated together during adsorption, cells were pretreated with Serial dilutions of essential oil before viral infection, viruses were incubated with essential oil before cell infection or after penetration of the virus into the host cells. For virus pre treatment, cell pretreatment and treatment during penetration. After adsorption, the remaining inoculum was removed and the infected cells were overlayed with medium containing 1% methylcellulose and for post infction phase overlayed with medium containing 1% methylcellulose and serial dilution of essential oil and compunds was added. for each plate there were 2 positive control that infected with virus and treated with acyclovir, 2 mock control wells that no virus and compound were added and 2 untreated control wells that was not treated with essential oils and compunds were used as untreated control to determain plaque reduction of serial dilutions of essential oil and compounds. positive control, untreated control and mock control always contained 1% ethanol to evacuate effect of ethanol on cells or virus. After 3 days of incubation, cells were fixed by 10 % formalin and stained with 1% crystal violet and then plaque were counted. concentration of the test compound which inhibited the plaque number by 50% (IC50) was determined from dose-response curves. The selectivity index (SI) was determined as the ratio of CC 50 /IC 50.

Result

Melissa Officinalis oil and some selected terpenic compounds and mixture of them were serially diluted in ethanol and added to the cell culture medium to examine the effect on the growth and viability of tissue culture cells, always resulting in an ethanol concentration below 1% which had no effect on cells and viruses. Cell monolayers were grown in medium containing different concentrations of these drugs. After 3 days of incubation, the cell viability of A549 cells was determined with the MTT assay. The maximum noncytotoxic concentrations of these drugs were determined 40 ?g/mL for citral and 50 ?g/mL for beta-Caryophyllene, 0. 004 % for Melissa oil and 0. 006 % for mixture of Citral and Beta-Caryophyllene. The potential antiviral effect of different essential oils and some selected components was determined against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro. HSV-1 was incubated for 1 h at room temperature with various concentrations of Melissa oil, citral and beta-caryophyllene mixture, Beta-Caryophyllene and citral. In all assays untreated virus-infected cells were used as a control. Subsequently, aliquots of each dilution were added on the cells for 1 h, afterwards the cells were washed and overlaid with drug-free medium and incubated for 3 days at 37 ºC. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) for HSV-1 were determined in a wide range below the maximun no cytotoxic concentration.

The results are presented as virus reduction and represent the average of three independent experiments. In plaque reduction assays, all essential oils and terpenes exhibited a concentration-dependent antiviral effect, Beta-Caryophyllene was the most effective drug. Selectivity indices for oils and different terpenes were calculated as the TC50/IC50 ratio, the highest selectivity index of 30 was determined for Beta-Caryophyllene.

Herpesvirus replication is characterized by a complex sequence of different steps at which antiviral agents might interfere. In order to investigate the inhibitory effects on herpes simplex virus in detail, all drugs were added at different stages during viral infection For comparison, all untreated controls contained the same concentration of ethanol as the drug-treated viruses, in order to exclude any infl uence of ethanol. When the host cells were pretreated with drugs prior to infection, some of the tested drugs showed minor effects on viral infection. On the other hand, pretreatment of HSV-1 with the oils or terpenic compounds for 1 h prior to infection caused a significant reduction in plaque formation. Acyclovir showed the highest antiviral activity when added during the replication period with inhibition of the viral replication of 98. 6%. This drug inhibits specifically the viral DNA polymerase during the replication cycle when new viral DNA is synthesized. However, only minor effects on viral infection were detected when cells or viruses were pretreated with acyclovir (data not shown). In contrast, when the oils or compounds were added to the overlay medium after penetration of the viruses into the host cells, plaque formation was not significantly reduced.

Drugs were applied to HSV-1 infected cells after penetration of the viruses into cells for 3 days. Number of virus plaques was determined 3 days after infection and compared with untreated control. Results are expressed as percentage of plaque reduction. These experiments were repeated independently and data presented are the mean of three experiments. HSV was incubated for 1 h at room temperature with maximum noncytotoxic concentrations of drugs. The number of virus plaques was determined 3 days after infection and compared with untreated control. Results are expressed as percentage of plaque reduction. These experiments were repeated independently and data presented are the mean of three experiments.

Prior to viral infection, the cells were incubated with maximum noncytotoxic concentrations of drugs for 1 h at 37 °C. The number of virus plaques was determined 3 days after infection and compared with the untreated control. The results are expressed as percentage of plaque reduction. These experiments were repeated independently and data presented are the mean of three experiments.

Discussion

The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly targeting medicinal plants with the aim of identifying lead compounds, focusing particularly on suitable alternative antiviral agents. Several drugs are currently available for the management of HSV infections such as acyclovir. Topical treatment of herpes labialis infection is standard, for the most part carried out with acyclovir creams, but also with phytotherapeutic preparations containing sage oil and lemon balm oil. Both plant essential oils were shown to be signifi - cantly superior to placebo and equivalent to acyclovir. In the present study, the inhibitory effects Melissa Officinalis essential oil against herpes simplex virus infection were compared with the antiviral potential of their major terpenic compounds. essential oil and terpenes exhibited high levels of antiviral activity against HSV-1 in viral suspension tests. High antiviral activity was observed for essential oil and isolated terpenes when herpesvirus was incubated with these drugs prior to host cell infection.

These results suggest that the investigated drugs directly inactivate herpes virus and might interfere with virion envelope structures or mask viral structures which are necessary for adsorption or entry into host cells. Thus different mechanisms of antiviral activity of different essential oils seem to be present. The inhibition of HSV by the tested essential oils and terpenes appears to occur before adsorption but not after penetration of the virus into the cell. It remains to be determined whether the inhibitory effect of essential oils is due to binding of the essential oil to viral proteins involved in host cell adsorption and penetration. Acyclovir inhibits virus replication by interference with the DNA polymerase inside the cell, whereas essential oils and terpenes probably inactivate HSV before it enters the cell. Viral resistance to acyclovir represents a particular problem, the prevalence of resistance in acyclovir-treated immunocompromised individuals is approximately 4% to 7%. The most important predictive value for future application of these drugs is their selectivity index, Amoros et al. (1992) recommended a selectivity index of at least 4 as appropriate. According to this suggestion, essential oil and terpenes and mixture of terpenes might be suitable agents.

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Conclusion

The result showed that essential oil of melissa officinalis and other drugs have higher antiviral activity when virus were incubated by drugs than drug were added during virus attachment or adding them to HSV-1 infected cell. it means Essential oil and their compounds have high virusidal activity against hsv-1. the result of antiviral activity of essential oil of thymus vulgaris and their related compounds showed that essential oil of thymus vulgaris have higher antiviral activity when they added to HSV-1 infected cell than when drug were added during vurus attachment or incubated by virus before infect cells. the results indicated that probably beta-Caryophyllene was the main factor of antiviral activity.

Unlike most other pests, ants can be easily discovered. They do not hide from people and will come out during the day, which makes it easy to spot a live insects. A one off specimen may not be an indication of an infestation but regular appearance of more than one ant might indicate a problem. Some species, like the Pharaoh ant, leaves a pheromones transparent trail on their way. Those trails smell unusually and shine under bright light. Ant nests are harder to spot. They can look as innocent as piles of dirt, waste or debris on the ground.

While ants are not known to carry any diseases, they still spread waste, unhygienic matter and allergens in your property.They can also cause huge damage to electricity, phone and computer networks in your premises.At least one mass blackout in the UK has been originated by out-of-control ant nests near electrical wires. Such incidents could easily start a fire.Though they are very small, their mandibles are strong enough to cut wires and damage your appliances. Ant bites are often painful, especially for young babies and children.

Unlike cockroaches, a few people are allergic to ants. However, ants could be much easily ingested than cockroaches. Their tiny size allows them to remain unnoticed in your food. some people are allergic to the pheromone trail they leave behind. Ant bites can result in inflammation and swelling. They usually do not need special treatment.

Ants prevention is similar to roach prevention. If you’re wondering why are ants come in the house or business, tightly seal and store away all the food.Ants are even better than cockroaches at accessing hard-to-reach areas. Thus, an open box of oatmeal in the cupboard can result in an infestation. Make sure you sweep all surfaces after cooking, and clear up any debris. Block off any access points, especially those at ground level. If you see ant mounds in your garden, slowly pour boiling hot water over them. This will not cause their complete extermination, but will keep their population at bay.

A typical British breakfast consists of ham, eggs and beans. A typical breakfast in Central Asia can consist of fried ants. They are highly nutritious and different species taste differently. For example, the Lemon ant gets its name from its citrus, bitter flavor, while the Sugar ant tastes like mint. Recently this tradition has seen some acceptance in Europe. Renowned Chief Rene Redzepi has included them in the menu of his two Michelin star restaurant Noma. Noma was subsequently named the Best Restaurant in the World in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.

Ants are not welcome guests to our homes and offices but they are extremely important to the ecosystem. They feed primarily on dead plants, other insects, animals and waste. This recycles the materials and fertilises the soil. A study conducted estimated that ants add 1,5cm of topsoil every 200 years. Ants also serve as the primary food source to a vast number of species . Birds, Spiders, reptiles other insects and even mammals such as the anteater prey on them. Some animals exist in a symbiosis with ants. For example, the Macrocheles rettenmeyeri is a mite that lives on the foot of army ants. It serves as an extension to their claws in exchange for feeding on ant blood. A more general example is the relation between ants and fungi. Many ants cultivate crops of different fungi to serve as a food source Much like human farmers.

If your premises are infested by ants, make sure there is no food source that attracts them.Keep all edibles in sealed containers or inside your fridge.Swipe the floors—not only will this take care of any food particles on the ground but it will destroy the pheromones trails ants leave behind.There is little you can do to exterminate their hives without professional help. Still DYI products such as killer gel are efficient against small garden ants infestations.

There is definitely nothing incorrect in being anxiousThe sentence is not entirely accurate. While it is true that some level of anxiety is normal, excessive anxiety can become a problem and lead to an anxiety disorder. This sentence could be revised to say "While some level of anxiety is normal, excessive anxiety can become problematic and lead to an anxiety disorder.". When confronted with a circumstance or an issue, people experience stress and anxiety. Most people have the propensity to worry when trying to end up a due date that seems difficult to beat like cramming throughout last exams, or when preparing for a task interview. Much like other feelings, such as fear, anger, happiness or unhappiness, anxiety is a regular response that assists an individual deal and cope with the present scenario. It prevails and plays a considerable role in relation to an individual’s capability to endure and adapt. When anxiety gets out of hand and leads to an unreasonable worry or concern of everyday activities that it becomes an anxiety condition, it is.

There are a number of types of anxiety condition: generalized anxiety condition, panic disorder, social anxiety condition, phobias, obsessive-compulsive condition, and trauma. Recent advances in research has done a great deal in developing new ways to deal with stress and anxiety disorderThe sentence should be corrected to "Recent advances in research have done a great deal in developing new ways to deal with stress and anxiety disorders.". Enhanced treatment methods can now help individuals with stress and anxiety conditions to lead complete and efficient lives.

Signing up with support groups help people by encouraging them to share their issues in addition to their accomplishments. Opening up assists a person discharge sensations that are shut in within. Meditation and relaxation, on the other hand, ease stress and anxiety through its calming result that enhances the benefits of the treatment. Two previous research studies comparing meditation to other relaxation techniques had actually been evaluated to expose that both alternative treatments were equality reliable in lowering stress and anxiety. The very first study compared meditation with biofeedback, while the 2nd research study compared mindfulness meditation to yoga.

Transcendental meditation includes focusing the mind on a challenge accomplish stillnessThe sentence should be revised to "Transcendental meditation involves focusing the mind on a mantra or sound to achieve stillness.". EMG (electromyography) biofeedback determines muscle relaxation and teaches people to manage their own level of muscle relaxation. Mindfulness meditation teaches awareness of one’s ideas while keeping detachment. Kundalini yoga consists of a meditative form of breathing called pranayama.

Both studies proved that meditation was comparable to other forms of relaxation treatment in reducing anxiety. Nevertheless, while no side effects were related to meditation, about 33% -44% of the participants involved in the research studies dropped out, recommending that individuals with anxiety disorder might have a hard time sticking to a meditation routine. The little number of individuals involved in the studies makes it hard to draw any company conclusions about the effectiveness of meditation and relaxation methods in the treatment of stress and anxiety conditions. Additional research studies are recommended to figure out the functions of alternative therapies in dealing with stress and anxiety conditions.

Other findings are as follows:

• All relaxation and meditation techniques resulted in improved scores on steps of stress and anxiety, existing state of mind, and symptoms of distress, however sleep disruptions did not improve.
• Work, social functioning, and household relations likewise improved amongst all treatment groups, but marital relations and sex life were not impacted.
• Kundalini yoga wasn’t as reliable in treating obsessive-compulsive conditions as mindful meditation, although participants who practiced this kind of yoga had more improvement on scores of perceived stress and purpose in life.

At the first sign of the condition, consult your family practitioner to identify whether the signs that alarm you are due to an anxiety condition, or could be another medical condition, or bothThe sentence should be revised for clarity. It could be revised to say "If you experience symptoms of anxiety, it is important to consult your healthcare provider to determine if the symptoms are due to an anxiety disorder, another medical condition, or a combination of both.".

It is when anxiety gets out of hand and leads to an unreasonable worry or concern of everyday activities that it ends up being an anxiety condition.

There are a number of types of anxiety condition: generalized anxiety condition, panic condition, social stress and anxiety condition, phobias, obsessive-compulsive condition, and post-traumatic stress disorder. While no side results were associated with meditation, about 33% -44% of the participants included in the studies dropped out, recommending that people with stress and anxiety condition might have a tough time sticking to a meditation program. The small number of people included in the research studies makes it tough to draw any firm conclusions about the efficiency of meditation and relaxation methods in the treatment of stress and anxiety disorders. Further studies are recommended to figure out the functions of alternative treatments in dealing with stress and anxiety conditions.

Works Cited

1. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.
2. Bandelow, B., Michaelis, S., & Wedekind, D. (2017). Treatment of anxiety disorders. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 19(2), 93–107.
3. Bystritsky, A., Khalsa, S. S., Cameron, M. E., & Schiffman, J. (2013). Current diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 38(1), 30–57.
4. Hofmann, S. G., Sawyer, A. T., Witt, A. A., & Oh, D. (2010). The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 169–183.
5. Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. Delta.
6. Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(6), 1041–1056.
7. Miller, J. J., Fletcher, K., & Kabat-Zinn, J. (1995). Three-year follow-up and clinical implications of a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction intervention in the treatment of anxiety disorders. General Hospital Psychiatry, 17(3), 192–200.
8. Roemer, L., & Orsillo, S. M. (2009). Mindfulness and acceptance-based behavioral therapies in practice. Guilford Press.
9. Sharma, M., & Rush, S. E. (2014). Mindfulness-based stress reduction as a stress management intervention for healthy individuals: A systematic review. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 19(4), 271–286.
10. Shonin, E., Van Gordon, W., Griffiths, M. D., & Singh, N. N. (2015). Meditation awareness training (MAT) for work-related wellbeing and job performance: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 13(6), 818–835.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Problems of Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety Disorder and Its Treatment Options
3. Conclusion

Introduction

The problem of anxiety in the population has a long history and has been present for ages. The condition originates from perceived increased levels of fear that denies people confidence in their private and social life. Anxiety is commonly identifiable with women especially regarding hysteria condition that arises from womb wandering. The victims show some relative high rate of nervousness, heart palpitations, and profuse sweating. The state denies individuals the opportunity to exploit their potential, and this may limit their productivity in society. Researches show that women are likely to demonstrate high levels of anxiety in comparison to men based on their anatomical characteristic. However, whether in women or men anxiety disorder mostly originates from some unconscious conflicts within the mind of an individual. According to Koerner (2002) in 2001, the number of Americans suffering from anxiety disorder was about 10 million. The anxiety falls into two different categories that include panic and phobia. The paper looks at anxiety disorder preferences, it causes and various mechanisms to treat the condition.

Problems of Anxiety Disorder

Women are at a higher risk of suffering from an anxiety disorder as compared to men of the same age. The identification is in line with the innate nature of being susceptible to higher levels of stress from the different environment during their interaction. The hormones that give the feminine essence in women also make them more susceptible to the condition. Indeed, the fluctuation levels of estrogen in women based on factors such as menopause, pregnancy, and menses affects their mood. From a historical perspective, women are notable as being highly attained to the surrounding environment as they protect their children. The fear of a different environment hurting their children makes them nervous and influences higher anxiety. Different types of disorder are evident in society such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) characterized by excessive worry. The distress interferes with the daily activities of a person, and physical suffering is evident in such victims. Panic disorder is the other form of anxiety and characterized by irregular racing heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, and tingling sensations. The situation arises when a person worries about events such as approaching examination or job interviews. Another type of anxiety is social phobia characterized by the fear of getting humiliation from a group of people. The victims display signs of self-consciousness and shyness, and this limits their capacity to perform in social events.

Individuals who are in constant use of social media platforms are at higher risks of suffering from different types of anxiety disorder. Social media allows people to interact virtually through the use of internet in platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. A social platform such as Facebook influences social anxiety disorder where some people feel disconnected from different social experiences. It is common to find individuals posting their social activities in social media with the intent of getting comments. The posting displays some sense of accomplishment in life and individuals who do not make to such places feel demotivated. The incidences make some people lose their confidence and feel inferior. Facebook allows users to tell their friends about their locations and the actual activity they are engaging in such as fun day. In platforms such as Instagram, users concern is to get many followers who like their pictures. Incidences, where a person posts his or her photos and gets few likes, makes such a person feel unattractive. Through the various social media sites, people are increasingly posturing about every facet of their lives. Constant uploading of images and events to get comments contributes to possible obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Social sites such as LinkedIn allow users to identify the number of views of their profiles. However, individuals who not registered to the premium mode cannot get to know the exact a person who viewed their profile, and this contributes to generalized anxiety disorder.

Anxiety Disorder and Its Treatment Options

In responding to the problem of anxiety disorder in society, large pharmaceuticals are developing drugs aimed at reducing the impact of such issues. SmithKline has carried research on obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder and provided some medication such as Paxil for these health problems. Through the guidance of the FDA, the company is carrying campaigns to enlighten society about the disease. Some of the efforts involve a 1999 slogan that challenged people to avoid being allergic to others through their behavior. The process involved the use of patients suffering from diseases to sensitize the population to seek medication. It is identifiable that empowering people with information reduce the chances of suffering from medical illnesses silently. Besides, through the campaigns, it is possible to sensitize people on the need to avoid situations that threaten their confidence. Indeed, SmithKline played a primary role in enhancing public perception of anxiety, and the need to seek medication to lowers its adverse effects.

However, despite relying on drugs for treatment on anxiety disorder in the population, there is the need to consider the use of psychotherapy approaches. According to Mental Health Weekly Digest (2018), the appropriate method to solve anxiety disorder is anchoring positive experiences in the victims. The approach requires a standard treatment that exposes the person to the stimuli inducing fear in them. The process is relevant in ensuring that the victims learn that certain stimuli remains harmless, and thus no need to fear them in the future. Indeed, human brains continually change; therefore, it is possible to change them through exposure to adverse or good experiences. Through therapy, psychologists can offer help to patients to boost their resilience to different experiences in their life. The psychologists help the patients to understand the neural process that induce fear and how to avoid them. The approach promotes the victims to avoid falling prey to fear thus lowering levels of suffering from the post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychotherapy approach helps victims of anxiety disorder to develop reward hormone that assists in responding to unnecessary fears. Therefore, psychologists’ intervention is necessary for boosting memory formation and preventing post-traumatic stress.

Researchers are also showing a positive influence of Neurofeedback (NF) to treat the rising cases of anxiety disorder in society. Neurofeedback approach aims at reducing the asymmetry that exists between right and left areas of prefrontal parts in the brain. The procedure is working positively in response to health issues such as depression and anxiety. The method helps regulate the activity of cortical electroencephalograph (EEG) through relying on signals that originate from acoustic and visual parts. However, the effectiveness of the treatment is possible if coupled with psychotherapy sessions. Neurofeedback allows patients to have various courses with psychotherapists that help to restore their body balance. Through the intervention, victims regain from severe depression especially those suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) that relies on remission criteria. The method works through reducing the asymmetry that is existent in the brain prefrontal that conditions the mental wellbeing of an individual. NF allows reduction of depression symptoms that are evident in individuals suffering from any form of stress disorder. Researches show reinstating alpha-asymmetry (AA) is a considerable approach to solving the bio-behavioral aspect of individuals suffering from anxiety.

According to Mental Health Weekly Digest (2018), the mode of treatment chosen by the medics influences the effectiveness of anxiety disorder resolution. Psychotherapy shows relative high rates of recovery of victims of anxiety disorder in the population. Research shows that patients who undergo psychotherapy sessions maintain relatively good health than those who seek medication. Indeed, a significant number of individuals who get medicine suffer from anxiety relapse upon completion of their doses. Therefore, the use of drugs is not relatively effective in treating the health problem. Research to compare the effectiveness of psychotherapy and drug treatment showed a significant difference in response to the intervention. Indeed, the use of approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy allowed participants to show lowered disorder for about 24 months after the intervention. Psychotherapy enables physicians to engage the patient in understanding the stimuli of their fear. The physician then offers the patient a guide on how to overcome such fears and build confidence to face any uncertainties. The patients, therefore, get empowerment to resolve issues that directly influence their panic or phobia characteristics. Besides, a therapy session allows the therapists to observe changes in the behavior of their patients thus changing their approach gradually.

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Conclusion

Anxiety disorder is a problem that affects a significant number of people in the population and appears in the form of enhanced fear or panic. The condition is relatively high in women due to hormonal changes and their role as caregivers to their children. Anxiety disorder manifests in different ways that could either be through panic or social phobia. Individuals suffering from the condition experiences issues such as tingling sensation and lowered confidence in social events. Social media users have higher chances of suffering from an anxiety disorder. Different approaches are available to respond to the health condition such as medication. A drug such as Paxil from SmithKline helps in responding to the problem. The medical intervention seeks to balance the prefrontal area of the brain reducing issues of asymmetry that affect thinking. However, there are also different psychotherapy interventions that aim to help people handle uncertainties and fear. Therapy sessions allow victims to understand various stimuli for their worries and different ways to respond to them. It is essential that medics consider using therapy session as opposed to medication because of its long term positive effect on the anxiety disorder patients.

Discussion

Primo Levi, an Italian Jewish chemist, writer, and Holocaust survivor, once said that "Monsters exist, but they are far too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions." When people think of evil people or monsters, we typically think of the main figure of a movement or group. The most evil person people think of is Hitler or Stalin. It is easy to blame the main figure solely, but by doing this we fail to remember the ordinary people who are involved in letting horrendous acts occur. These people did not work alone. It is everyday people who have the power to control what will happen.

It is through civilian opinions and actions that evil acts can occur. Hitler had millions of followers and supporters that did not question what he was doing to Jews. They and many other countries failed to realize by following blindly without questioning, they were condemning a group of people to death. Monsters do not have to be a completely evil being. Many people do not realize that all monsters are just ordinary people.

In her short story, "The Lottery", Shirley Jackson is able to express the chilling horror of blind obedience. Jackson is able to show that any ordinary person is capable of horrific acts by conforming mindlessly to a person's surroundings. Although people are have the ability to cause change and do good, Shirley Jackson is able to convey in her story "The Lottery" that the normalization of events, fear and tradition, and selfishness are the roots of blind obedience and cause everyday people to become monsters.

To begin, Shirley Jackson shows that heinous deeds can become normal over time. The most sinister aspect of "The Lottery" is the normalization of the killing of a neighbor. Every single person in the town is not bothered by the lottery. The townspeople schedule the lottery to happen around 10, so that it will be over in time for them to have lunch. The people of the town have no issue with continuing their day after killing someone that was apart of their community. It is through normalization that bad things can occur.

The Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, points out that the killing of Jews was not the first step in the Holocaust. In 1930s Germany there was a lot anti-Jew propaganda. Jews were often an object people could blame for their problems. They complained that Jews were taking jobs away from Germans; which is much like some Americans views on immigrants. Through the constant blame of Jews and propaganda against them in the media, the Nazis were able to normalize the hatred of Jews. By blindly listening to the media and bias, the people in 1930s Germany became just as bad as Nazis. The townspeople in "The Lottery" do the exact same thing.

The children are playing with the rocks that will kill a person that they know and interact with constantly; they fill their pockets full of stones. Children should be questioning whether it is right to be killing a person, but they conform to what others do around them. No one questions the lottery. The townspeople gossip and joke before the lottery begins. They just think of the lottery as a mundane activity that they are forced to do. The lottery is just another part of their day they have to get thorough. If someone were to question the lottery, than people wouldn't have to die. In addition, once Tessie is chosen to be stoned and begins to panic, the townspeople tell her to "be a good sport".

These people don't even think about her or her situation. They blindly stone this lady without thinking of her family or why they are really doing it. The act of killing someone has become so normal to this town that they just want it to be over with quickly. Jackson warns that if heinous acts are normalized then the true horrors of a situation are hidden, making ordinary people monsters by blind obedience.

Furthermore, the blind obedience found in "The Lottery" is even more intensified by fear and tradition. Fear is one of the best motivators; anyone can control another person through fear. Fear and tradition in "The Lottery" go hand in hand. There is a fear that if the sacrifice from the lottery is stopped, than the crops won't flourish; the lottery has worked for the townspeople for centuries, so they don't consider stopping the tradition. They repeatedly conform to the same pattern every year of bringing out the old box and killing someone.

This is all they have ever know; lotteries are conducted in villages in all of the surrounding areas around the townspeople. The oldest man in town, Old Man Warner, has been apart of over 70 lotteries. No one in town has ever not been apart of the lottery. It has always happened and the crops always grow. The townspeople are like drones that carry out orders without thinking or realizing how pointless the lottery really is. They are afraid to speak up about the lottery because of what might happen to them. It is just a small town of just 300 people; no one talks about the lottery because they are afraid of judgment by the town, and they are afraid to alter the lottery for what might happen to their crops.

The black box used for the lottery is old and shabby. There is always talk about making a new box, but no one wants to mess with the tradition that is represented by the black box. Jackson is able to demonstrate how strong of a hold tradition and fear have on people. Tradition makes it easy to blindly follow a routine, and fear is used a deterrent to stop an sort of questioning toward the lottery.

In addition, selfishness is a further exemplifies blind obedience. We as people tend to not question anything until we personally are involved. The townspeople do not care about the families of the people who are sacrificed at the lottery; they only care about themselves. Even Tessie, the woman who gets stoned, jokes around during the lottery until she is chosen to be killed. We only care about ourselves and our safety. Tessie even tries to bring some of her married children in the lottery draw for her family to increase her odds of living. She would rather one of her own child die in her place than her. Nobody questions anything until they are apart of it.

In present day, many people do not sympathize with the suffering and discrimination of minority groups because it does not affect them personally. They cannot see the pain of others because it does not affect them. Once the Hutchinson's have been chosen for the lottery, some of Nancy Hutchinson's school friends hope that it isn't her. Nancy's friends do not care about Nancy's family. They only think about themselves and what they would do without Nancy. They don't think of Nancy's suffering or how the lottery will affect her and her family.

Thomas Du Bose believes that Jackson is suggesting "that people are not concerned about injustice and kindness unless these problems touch them personally." The townspeople are able to blindly obedient because the lottery doesn't concern them or their families. Once they open their piece of paper and don't see a black dot, they are relaxed; it's not them. They just want the stoning to end quickly so they can go to lunch. Selfishness and not being able to put yourself in someone else's place causes people to be apart to horrific deeds.

Any person can become a monster. It is not just figureheads who are evil, it is also ordinary people. Shirley Jackson is warning us that by being blindly obedient that we can create terror and suffering. Jackson is urging us to look for signs of normalization of awful things. She is telling us to question everything even if it is tradition, or is it scary to oppose. Jackson is telling us to look beyond ourselves and to not conform to awful practices. "The Lottery" is a call to action to be more aware of our surroundings and what we do. We need to be more self aware and see what we can do to help and change other people.

Works Cited

1. Du Bose, Thomas. "The Lottery." Masterplots, Fourth Edition, November 2010, pp. 1-3. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx direct=true&db=lkh&AN=103331MP421429820000662&site=lrc-plus.
2. Green, Jordan. "CAIR Executive Director Decries 'normalization of Hate'." The NC Triad's Altweekly. Triad City Beat, 31 Mar. 2017. Web. 7 Apr. 2017.
3. "Quotes About Monsters (389 quotes)." (389 quotes). N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2017.

Book analysis

“Anything But Silent” by Mark Drolsbaugh provides readers with a delightful and amusing look at Deaf culture. The only Deaf person I know personally is my ASL professor. I have met Deaf and hard of hearing people in passing as well. I took ASL to fill a course requirement. I struggle with foreign languages and thought the muscle memory involved with ASL might be more to my strength. I had heard of Deaf culture, but was largely unfamiliar with it. This book has fed my curiosity with perspectives on a variety of issues through the lense of Deaf culture.

The most interesting topic in “Anything But Silent” is in the chapter “The Impossible Ideal.” Mark Drolsbaugh writes about an interaction he had with a family member he calls Jim. Jim had read Mark’s article about the pros and cons of cochlear implants. Jim is of the opinion that everyone biologically suited for the implant should have one as well as want to have one. The absence of the sense of hearing is purely a deficit and should be fixed, Jim argues. “The concept that I can survive, let alone thrive, in a world without sound is just too foreign to him” (Drolsbaugh 105).

Jim goes so far as to deny that Deaf culture is a thing. I find Jim’s opinion extremely offensive and hurtful. Everyone “lacks” something. That does not mean we need to be FIXED. It is healthy to be comfortable with who you are. Mark says, “Deaf culture is who I am. It kind of stings when he rejects it” (105). I admire how Mark handled this encounter. Despite being “disappointed to learn that Jim still feels a need to go out and ‘fix’” him, Mark continually asserts that everyone is entitled to their opinions (105). I would not have reacted so calmly.

The least interesting thing in this book was the repetitive reference to martial arts and how great it is. I don’t care about sports at all. It is completely foreign to me why people get so worked up about them. I understand that Mark enjoys martial arts. It builds his confidence, keeps him healthy, and he’s good at it. I did not read this book to learn about sports, and found these sections boring.

Personal opinion

This book taught me several things. I learned how much effort it takes to read lips. Hearing people should meet Deaf people halfway when trying to communicate. I learned about common issues Deaf people run into, such as ordering cold cuts. I never had considered that problem before.

I better understand the variety of views on cochlear implants. I learned about the harmful effects of the audist ideal. These effects include the discouragement and prevention of signing, isolation, and low self-esteem. It is good to help people, but it is not okay to imply they are broken. It is not okay to be condescending. Just because someone is hearing does not make them better or smarter. Being hearing does not make one qualified to judge what a deaf person is missing from his or her life.

I understand the importance of Deaf culture now. It is a social setting that gives people a sense of belonging and a way to communicate with each other. Everyone either has or wants a group like this, where they can belong. It is not meant to be an “us verses them” mentality, but rather a group within the larger group of humanity. Being Deaf has pros and cons like any human characteristic. Deafness is a lack of hearing, but it also allows access and acceptance into a vibrant culture. The inability to speak is not an inability to communicate. Sign Language can be used to communicate just as much as any spoken language. Deaf culture is indisputably a real thing, Jim.

Table of contents

1. Apartheid Laws
2. Negative Effects of Apartheid
Opposition to ApartheidViewpoints
3. Conclusion

If it accepted that one's vision of the future is shaped by an interpretation of the present and past, then any discussion of the conditions of post-apartheid South Africa requires a thorough understanding of apartheid. An active dispute over the nature of apartheid ids identified by South African academics and again before we can begin to go through the history of the apartheid period it is essential to comprehend what apartheid was and how it influenced individuals of South Africa to be concise.

Interpreted from the Afrikaans meaning 'apartness', apartheid was the ideology backed by the National Party (NP) government and was presented in South Africa in 1948. Apartheid called for the isolated advancement of the diverse racial groups in South Africa. On paper it showed up to call for break even with improvement and opportunity of social expression, but the way it was put into practice made this incomprehensible. Apartheid made laws constrained the diverse racial groups to live independently and create independently, and terribly unequally as well. It attempted to halt all inter-marriage and social integration between racial bunches. During apartheid, to have a companionship with somebody of a distinctive race for the most part brought doubt upon, or more regrettable.

More than this, apartheid was a social framework which seriously impeded the larger part of the population, essentially since they did not share the skin colour of the rulers. Numerous were kept fair over dejection since they were 'non-white’. The years of apartheid are without a doubt one of the most painful years in South Africa's history. The period which traversed from 1948 to 1994 was characterized by racial isolation, white minority authority and the persecution of the rights, developments and opportunity / freedom of the blacks. This assignment entails more about how South Africans, specifically blacks were treated before they could gain freedom and full authority. The Apartheid system had implemented laws that restricted people from doing certain things and those laws had somehow affected people of South Africa. In that case, Apartheid activists made ways on how to fight back for their people.

Apartheid Laws

Many laws were implemented and passed within the creation of the apartheid state. Here are some of the columns on which it rested:

By 1950, the government had prohibited relational unions between whites and individuals of other races, and denied sexual relations between black and white South Africans. The Population Registration Act of 1950 given the fundamental system for apartheid by classifying all South Africans by race, counting Bantu (black Africans), Coloured (mixed race) and white. A fourth category, Asian (meaning Indian and Pakistani) was afterward included. In a few cases, the legislation part families; guardians might be classified as white, whereas their children were classified as coloured. An arrangement of Arrive Acts set aside more than 80 percent of the countries arrive for the white minority, and “pass laws” required non-whites to carry reports authorizing their nearness in confined ranges. In arrange to constrain contact between the races, the government set up isolated open offices for whites and non-whites, restricted the action of non-white labour unions and denied non-white cooperation in national government.

Group Regions Act, 1950 - This was the Act that begun physical partition between races, particularly in urban ranges. The Act too called for the evacuation of a few bunches of individuals into zones set aside for their racial bunch. Well known evacuations were those in Area Six, Sophiatown and Woman Selborne (moreover see Cato House, Fiestas and Curries Wellspring (Grey Street area)). Individuals from these regions were at that point set in townships exterior of the town. They may not possess property here, as it were lease it, as arrive might as it were be white owned.

Promotion of Bantu Self-Government Act, 1959 - This Act constrained diverse racial bunches to live completely different ranges. As it were a little rate of South Africa was cleared out for black people (who comprised the vast majority) to make their 'homelands’. Just like the Bunch Ranges Act, this act too got freed of 'black spots’ interior white ranges, by moving all dark individuals out of the city. This Act caused much hardship and hatred. Individuals misplaced their homes, were moved off arrive they had claimed for numerous a long time and were moved to undeveloped regions distant absent from their put of work.

Bantu Instruction Act, 1953 - set up a second rate instruction framework for Africans based upon an educational programs expecting to create manual labourers and respectful subjects. Comparable unfair instruction laws were moreover forced on Coloureds, who had misplaced the proper to vote in 1956, and Indians. The government denied financing to mission schools that rejected Bantu Instruction, driving to the closure of numerous of the leading schools for Africans. Within the higher instruction division, the Expansion of College Instruction Act of 1959 avoided dark understudies from going to 'white' colleges (but with government consent) and made isolated and unequal teach for Africans, Coloureds, and Indians individually. The apartheid government too undermined mental and social life through strongly censorship of books, motion pictures, and radio and TV programs.

The Suppression of Communism Act, 1950 (initially presented as the Illegal Associations Charge) - The Act was presented in an endeavour to control the impact of the CPSA and other arrangements that restricted the government's apartheid arrangement. It endorsed the banning/punishment of the CPSA or any bunch or person plans to bring approximately political, financial, mechanical and social alter through the advancement of clutter or unsettling influence, utilizing illegal acts or empowering sentiments of antagonistic vibe between the European and non-European races of the Union of South Africa. The Act was continuously fixed up in 1951, 1954, and annually from 1962-1968.

Some other imperative laws were the:

• Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, 1949
• Immorality Amendment Act, 1950
• Separate Representation of Voters Act, 1951
• Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, 1953.

Negative Effects of Apartheid

Apartheid has advanced and supported racism between the individuals of South Africa. The nation is battling to join together its people of different races all since of how the apartheid approach has psychologically harmed them. Apartheid has moreover advanced racial discrimination. Today, South Africa is Democratic developing nation where everyone has the right to vote so that their voices may be heard. During the time in which the Apartheid government was still in control, the economy was separated and in a few parts of the nation, there was extraordinary poverty. The apartheid system separated the nation along racial lines and there was isolation all over the nation. The white race was advanced and was seen as predominant to the other races of the nation. Open offices such as shops, toilets, beaches, parks and restaurants were separated according to race. White individuals used the most excellent offices and after that was the Indians, coloureds with black individuals underneath the social chain.

Black individuals were the ones that were for the most part influenced by this arrangement. Since they were at the foot of the social chain, they received the most exceedingly bad offices ever. They too might not study in white schools and colleges which made them have a littler circle of career choices. High school instruction was the most elevated qualification that most black individuals had so they might not ended up being specialists and medical caretakers or indeed legal counsellors. All they seem ended up was educators in black schools, garden workers for white suburbs and household labourers if they were ladies. Be that as it may, they seem not fair stream in and out of the white suburbs as they satisfied, they had to carry what taken after an ID report that had all their points of interest that was to be assessed by the white police to allow them get to into the white, Indian and coloured suburb and this report was called the 'Dompass'. They moreover might not stream in and out of the city as they satisfied as well since they had a certain time allocated for them to go within the city within the morning and empty afterward in sunset. They had to moreover have the dompass go with them every time, wherever they were going separated from the townships they lived in. On the off chance that you were dark and did not have a pass with all your points of interest with you, you were denied admission into the white suburbs. Schools were no special case, as they were too isolated. The negative impact that apartheid had in schools was that black learners ought to be instructed in Afrikaans. Which for numerous was a language not indeed talked and foreign. English was as of now an outside language to them and most of them already battled with it but when this law was passed, the learners started a mass protest against the utilize of Afrikaans in their schoolwork. Black students might no longer adapt with coming up short at school since of Afrikaans so they chose to walk to Orlando Stadium in Soweto. They did this in protest of considering in Afrikaans.

Be that as it may, the Apartheid police did not want this, so they used teargas to scatter the huge crowd but when the understudies retaliated with throwing stones at the police. There were no caution shots from the police as they started opening fire to the children. Numerous lives were misplaced that day and one of the primary children that was shot that day was incredible Hector Peterson. Separated from fair the mass killings that happened amid the apartheid administration, there were numerous other impacts it brought to the South African community. These impacts did not happen as it were on dark individuals but other non-white races such as the coloureds and the Indians. Individuals were isolated from their families, those were the more attractive coloured individuals who looked whiter than coloured, the Indians that looked more coloured than Indian and the blacks who looked more coloured than dark. This handle happened with the Gather Zones Act. Individuals were moved to places of their claim race and a few indeed moved to families that they were not indeed portion of.

Opposition to Apartheid

Resistance to apartheid inside South Africa took numerous forms over the long time, from non-violent exhibits, dissents and strikes to political activity and inevitably to outfitted resistance. Beside the South Indian National Congress, the ANC organized a mass assembly in 1952, amid which participants burned their pass books. A gather calling itself the Congress of the Individuals received an Opportunity Constitution in 1955 attesting that “South Africa has a place to all who live in it, black or white.” The government broke up the assembly and captured 150 individuals, charging them with tall treason.

In 1960, at the black township of Sharpeville, the police opened fire on a group of unarmed blacks related with the Pan-African Congress (PAC), and branch of the ANC. The group had arrived at the police station without passes, welcoming capture as an act of resistance. At slightest 67 blacks were shot and more than 180 injured. Sharpeville persuaded numerous anti-apartheid pioneers that they seem not accomplish their targets by serene implies, and both the PAC and ANC built up military wings, not one or the other of which ever postured a genuine military risk to the state. By 1961, most resistance pioneers had been captured and sentenced to long jail terms or executed. Nelson Mandela, an originator of Umkhonto we Sizwe (“Spear of the Nation”), the military wing of the ANC, was imprisoned from 1963 to 1990; his detainment would draw universal consideration and offer assistance earn bolster for the anti-apartheid cause.

There were numerous cases of dark resistance to apartheid. One of the foremost imperative was the Soweto riots. Soweto was a collection of townships exterior of Johannesburg, where the blacks worked. On June 16, 1976, 15,000 children walked in dissent of the modern instructive arrangement that required black students to learn Afrikaans alongside English, the official language. They denied to scatter and the police let go into the swarm, slaughtering and injuring a few understudies. After this occurrence, riots spread over Soweto and other cities, and were put down through frequently brutal tactics. Opposition proceeded. The government associated all black resistance with communism, which gave them and pardon to break down.

Viewpoints

People in power during (Whites) apartheid didn't regard the individual’s rights of the minorities in light of the fact that to the government that truly didn't matter. They thought more about control than individuals or their rights. It denies this principle totally with the pass books and all the restrictions. They were supposed to have the right to do whatever they wanted and the liberty to go any place they want. Not be confined by laws made to make them feel inferior.

Victims did not deserve to be treated the way the whites did. They didn't do anything wrong. They didn't carry out a crime. They were victimized for what they resembled and they were tore away their rights. All these things that happened made people to feel awful for the exploited people in light of the fact that the uncalled for set of laws removed their rights. Some of the general population in South Africa were the victims of unfair police harassment, they were prisoned because the whites were silently in fear of their capabilities such as the late Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Steve Biko and others.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, Apartheid appears to have come about in a duality of results for Black South Africans. It shows up that racism results in down mental wellbeing and mental harm, but it too appears to inspire reactions of versatility, adapting and strength in abused people. This duality was moreover found among ladies who bear the included discrimination of sexism; sex examinations uncovered that apartheid had more genuine impacts on women than men. This more noteworthy abuse against women appeared to be met with a similarly greater degree of resilience.

Table of contents

1. Profile of Autistic Individual
Cognitive TheoriesCognitive Theories and Interventions
2. Conclusion

‘Autism is a lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people and how they experience the world around them’. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) published in 2013 provides a ‘more accurate, and medically and scientifically useful way of diagnosing individuals with autism-related disorders’. People with autism in the past were diagnosed under the fourth edition of the criteria DSM-4 by identifying differences in the underlying ‘triad’ of behaviours. This triad of impairments included difficulties with social interaction, social communication and social imagination. Within DSM-4, diagnosis fell under four separate disorders: Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Consequently a wider, broader spectrum of criteria for diagnosis with DSM-5 (2013) has now combined these four areas into a single category – Autistic Spectrum Disorder. The previous 3 areas of impairment have been reduced to 2 main areas: Social communication and interaction; and Restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities. With this dyad of impairments, people with a diagnosis may also present with unusual sensory responses.

Profile of Autistic Individual

Greg is an autistic individual with whom I work with, as an ASD class teacher, on a daily basis in a second level school with an ASD unit attached. Greg is currently a 14 year old boy with a diagnosis of ASD and a comorbid diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and attends an ASD unit in a small group class with number of other students of the similar age. He presents as an engaging young man, with difficulties including attention, emotion and sensory regulation, essentially exhibiting a complex and fluctuating profile of behavioural difficulties. The first impairment of deficits in social communication and interaction, Greg displays with inappropriate conversation and he can point out faults in others. Greg demonstrates a lot of difficulty in differentiating strangers from familiar people. He exhibits significant concrete thinking. For example he has no awareness of ‘stranger-danger’ and can become confused when parents or teachers speak as they are trying to teach him ‘stranger-danger’ awareness.

Along with his multiple diagnosis, Greg presents with moderate-severe language difficulties, characterised by severe receptive language difficulties and moderate expressive language difficulties. With the second impairment of restricted behaviours, interests and activities, Greg displays a degree of obsessiveness and very rigid patterns of behaviour. On a daily basis, Greg can be very pleasant and easy to engage with as long as his demands are being met. At times he may show significant intolerances for demands that contradict his preferences and this leads to a difficulty in accepting unwelcome transititions or changes. Greg can become very overwhelmed with the level of stimulus in a classroom, he finds noise and close interaction with people very difficult to handle. His level of obsessiveness can be displayed with his collection of teddy bears; this is a good example of how he finds it hard to regulate himself. He will become fixated on the need to have a teddy bear from a claw machine. Along with these two impairments, a component of sensory responses may also be evident. In Greg’s case, I have observed his behaviour fluctuate between three states. These three states present as:

• Stable level: Greg is able to listen and respond to firm verbal boundaries, however remains at risk of becoming dysregulated. He can become anxious and is a movement seeker.
• High level: Greg presents in a constant fight or flight mode. His behaviour can be extremely dysregulated, hyper, acting out and impulsive. Calming activities and focus on breathing may be accessed if he tires.
• Lethargic level: Sometimes Greg becomes demotivated and defiant. In these occasions he responds well to fun making and competitive team games, framing it as helping an adult with whom he has a good relationship with.

Cognitive Theories

From Bleuler’s initial definition of autism (1911), clinicians have been on a journey with their research on autism. It is evident that an understanding of the cognitive processes involved in the condition has been the main reason for majority of the research. Smalley et al, (1988) discussed that even though genetic factors play an important role in the occurrence of this condition, diagnosis is made on the basis of behavioural analysis and examinations. From Kanner (1943), Aspegers (1944), Baron-Cohen et al. (1985), Happé (1994), Milton (2012), and Frith (2015), a number of cognitive theories have been formulated to better explain about autism. In recent psychological research the three most noticeable theories are; a deficit of theory-of-mind, executive dysfunction. These three theories (theory-of-mind, executive dysfunction and weak central coherence) have painted a clear and precise picture of the nature of ASD.

The first cognitive theory I will is discuss is Theory of Mind (ToM). Rajendran & Mitchell, (2007) refers to an autistic individual having an impairment in the development of social cognition. This suggests that individuals with autism fail to understand and take into consideration other’s mental states or points of view. Frith (2015) refers to a person’s ability to read facial expressions, to empathise, to imagine other people’s thoughts and feeling. Individuals with ASD have been noted to have an under-developed ToM, therefore having difficulty in analysing other people’s thoughts and feelings, and struggle with empathising. Both of these hypothesis can account for most of the behavioural, social and cognitive deficits presented, it would appear to fail in offering an explanation for behaviours such as insistence on sameness, repetitive behaviours and transitions from one task to another.

Research suggests there are two components of theory of mind: a cognitive component, knowing intuitively that something is wrong with another and emotive, the inability to feel pain or distress of another. It has been found that individuals with autism display impairments in the cognitive and not in the emotive. Research indicates that the individual is capable of having an emotional reaction to this distress once they understand that the other person is in distress. Greg displays these two components of ToM quite clearly. When he presents in a stable regulated state, there is evident understanding of distress and joy in others. In the previous academic year, we completed as a class group ‘The alert programme – How does your engine run’. On a daily basis we use the scale described as ‘running high’, ‘running just right’ and ‘running low’, based on self-regulation throughout the day. All teachers, Special Needs Assistants and students participate. On the occasion that a person will be ‘running low’, Greg will enquire why and he will display an appropriate emotive response to the distress of that person. Grandin refers to having emotions but ‘they are more like the emotions of a child than an adult’ (2006). It would appear that Greg displays emotions in a similar manner as Grandin describes as ‘childhood temper tantrums were not really expressions of emotion so much as circuit overloads. When I calmed down the emotion was all over’.

The second cognitive theory I will discuss is Executive Function (EF). EF can be described as a set of cognitive processes that are involved in the organisation and control of mental and physical activity. As such it is the skills that are required for goal directed behaviour; skills such as managing time, managing own behaviour, planning and organising, problem solving and making decisions and choices. Schaber (2015) refers to EF in people with ASD, as individuals experiencing ‘executive dysfunction’. A person when given a task to do may know that they have a job to do but not be able to start, break down or stay on task. Greg exhibits immense difficulties in EF, on majority of tasks. I question the addition of the comorbid diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) adding to his dysfunction. Kutscher (2005) describes EF as the skills required to make a plan and actually execute it. It is evident that there is an overlap in deficits in skill areas. Barkley (2000) describes executive functions to include; the ability to inhibit, working memory, foresight, hindsight, organisation, self-talk, sense of time, transitioning for agenda A to agenda B and separating emotion from fact. It is evident that these symptoms are not just incidental and are commonly seen in both diagnosis of ASD and ADHD. In Greg’s case, EF’s across the board are very poor. However with task analysis and breaking each task down into small achievable steps, some success has been evident. Greg thrives on structured activities, a daily visual schedule provides support throughout the day.

On an everyday level, foresight can be the most essential EF. It refers to the ability to predict one’s future needs. For Greg any behaviours exhibit do not seem to warrant consequences. He presents very much in the here and now, with neither the past or the future having a huge impact on modifications of behaviours. Greg demonstrates deficits in separating emotion from fact. In the past he has travelled on a bus to school with a small number of students with additional needs, in the company of a bus escort. When met with a traffic jam, Greg does not see this as a relaxing moment but can become quite anxious and displays heightened behaviour. This is also evident in his inability to wait, therefore underpinning a shortfall in foresight and the need for tasks to happen immediately and his need for the teachers attention majority of the time.

Cognitive Theories and Interventions

Boucher attributes the aims of ‘treatment of people with ASD are to facilitate development and to increase and individual’s competencies and control over their own lives. ’ (2017). Research shows that intervention can greatly improve an individual’s developmental outcome. Interventions need to be chosen wisely, as some may not have the desired effect. For the most part it is often a multi-disciplinary outlook that is required for interventions, with not just one intervention outstanding, yet a holistic view must be taken. A successful response to an intervention is evident when it is delivered in a safe, familiar environment by a professional where a good relationship and a sense of trust has been built. Greg uses a visual schedule at home and during school time, this offers a sense of plan and that nothing unexpected could happen on a given day. Colour-coding of text books and exercise copies along with specific subject areas, aids with organisation in the classroom. Both of these interventions can aid with poor EF. Being mindful of the ToM deficit, Greg struggles with an awareness of his psychological self. He struggles to explore and execute changes in his internal thought process as he is not aware or them and cannot effectively monitor what they are responsible for.

Every morning, Greg completes a motor/sensory intervention. This intervention goes hand in hand with low arousal techniques to try to ensure that Greg remains in a stable state of regulation. Through a number of alerting, sensory seeking and calming activities it aids with executive dysfunction therefore improving concentration levels and everyday skills. This programme also includes deep pressure strategies. Greg has been encouraged to use a break card, when he feels high levels of stress or anxiety throughout the day. He is then offered a choice card of his favourite deep pressure activities. This will help him control, manage and regulate his behaviours in an over stimulated environment. It is apparent that a relationship exists between ToM and social and communicative challenges deep-rooted in individuals with ASD. In demonstrating social communicative shortfalls, it is no shock that those with ASD often fail to understand the communicative intent of classroom language. Likewise, the difficulties in pragmatics and in understanding deception may be contributing factors to the ongoing difficulties experienced in developing peer relationships. It may also explain the high incidence of peer shunning and victimisation those with ASD experience in school settings.

Poor EF may however impact on an individual’s behaviour and learning in the classroom. In the early years an individual with ASD is likely to have difficulties with inhibiting a response, working memory and using new strategies. As an individual gets older, difficulties in planning and organisation are apparent, as well as problems with time-management, prioritising, understanding abstract concepts and self-monitoring. Learning in the classroom may be hampered due to the individual's inability to shift between activities or mental state.

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Conclusion

It is crucial to have an understanding of Cognitive Theories when working with individuals with ASD. In the classroom, ‘mindblindness’ will compromise socially mediated learning and in the case of EF, an inability to shift between activities impacts on learning. These are key needs of an individual that must be addressed.

Table of contents

1. Apollo 11: Revolutionary Breakthrough
2. Apollo 11: Modern Impact
3. Works Cited

The Space Race had created two strong space programs that would end up competing for space supremacy as a result of the intense competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both countries made great emphasis in their efforts to create a stronger national security and foreign relations, turning space into a new area of active competition for political and military advantages (Dunbar, Brian). Only during the late 1980s, with good political relations underway, did momentum for major space advancements begin to build. As the Soviet Union was near collapse, the push for the arms race and competition in space was at its peak, allowing both countries to seriously pursue strategic partnerships in space. “Throughout this political roller-coaster period of history, both countries increased areas of cooperation, including space, as a symbol of warmer relations while cutting cooperation off when ties worsened.”- Dunbar, Brian. The relationship between the U.S and the U.S.S.R in the next years was marked by periods of mistrust and hostility. This made Apollo 11 more important for the image of the United States as the ongoing struggle with the Soviet Union continued. This historic battle between world powers for space supremacy will lead to the most significant space mission that will revolutionize space and technology. Now with the world as the stage the space race begins.

The Space age starts strong for the Soviets as Sputnik or also known as Sputnik 1 was launched into space, orbiting the worlds atmosphere. This send a shockwave across America with thoughts of the United States falling behind being all the talk. With the Cold War just over plans to create the 1st ICBM (Intercontinental ballistic missile) was underway. This would help create the 1st space craft able to reach the moons vicinity and a scientific missile used to gather data in space. The Soviet Union was miles away from the United States and was expected to end up becoming more superior in space, but this would only spark a fire in the newly elected president John F. Kennedy. On September 12, 1962 John F. Kennedy gave a speech in Houston, Texas intended to persuade the American people to support the Apollo program in his famous speech “we choose to go to the moon in this decade not because it's easy, but because they are hard”. On December 21, 1969 the Apollo 11 crew lands on the moon, Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to walk on another planet during the Apollo 11 mission.

Apollo 11: Revolutionary Breakthrough

Twenty years after the Apollo 11 mission to the moon technology was still reaping in the benefits. A new way to gather electricity in both space and earth promising clean reusable energy.” Solar panels collect electricity by absorbing light when it strikes the surface and transfers it to a semiconductor. These solar panels are used on calculators, streetlights, houses and on the International Space Station”. The Apollo project also launched major medical breakthrough down on earth. NASAs technology was used to make a heart monitoring device that can tell you symptoms of a heart attack and other heart related problems. “The pulse generator is, in effect, a miniaturized version of the defibrillator used by emergency squads and hospitals to restore rhythmic heartbeat after fibrillation. Once implanted, it needs no specially trained personnel or additional equipment and consists of a microcomputer, a power source and two electrodes that sense heart activity.” This Apollo space mission did not only put the United States in the history books, but it also helped people living in the present and future. For example, “Technology originally developed under NASA contract by Marquardt Corporation, a chemical process was developed to remove toxic waste from used dialysis fluid. This discovery led to the development of a kidney dialysis machine using “sorbent” dialysis, a method of removing urea from human blood by treating a dialysate solution. The process saves electricity and gives the patient greater freedom of movement during treatment”.This massive break through has helped many people who have been diagnosed with cancer and other diseases that can be treated with radiation. I for example remember going to the hospital to visit my great grandma that was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was given less than a few months to live and to our surprise lived for 3 more years. You could barely tell she was sick because she was so energetic and listening to music. Without these advancements in the medication and technology she might have been in more pain. This was only possible because in 1997 NASA had created a medication program that would precisely meter medication for example a patient.

Apollo 11: Modern Impact

The Apollo projects and landings have left an electrifying impact on today's society. One person inspired by this is the CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk. In an Interview with by Times magazine the Buzzing Elon Musk stated, “I’m not sure SpaceX would exist if not for Apollo 11.” “Apollo 11 landing on the moon was probably the most inspiring thing in history”. “And one of the most universally good things in history”. He then states that it inspired him to create SpaceX and everyone that works there. The ambitious billionaire decided to stop waiting for others to do the handy work and put all off his efforts into his space company. “And here we are in 2019. The United States actually does not yet have the ability to send people even to low Earth orbit.”- Elon Musk. The Apollo 11 project was just a steppingstone for humans as it has inspired the Mars Project. A project only thought off as fantasy is becoming a reality thanks to the advancements of Apollo 11. The BFR or better known as the Starship was based from past Apollo rockets was going to be the seed ship that took humans to live on Mars. “On September 17, 2018, SpaceX announced fashion innovator and globally recognized art curator Yusaku Maezawa will be the company’s first private passenger to fly around the Moon in 2023. To date, only 24 people have visited the Moon, with the last of them flying in 1972. This first private lunar passenger flight, featuring a fly-by of the Moon as part of a weeklong mission, will help fund development of SpaceX's Starship and Super Heavy (formerly known as BFR), an important step in enabling access for everyday people who dream of flying to space.”- SpaceX. This all began with The Space Race and the Apollo projects that will spark a fire and revolutionize space exploration. The following quote sums up what was inspired that fateful day the United States landed on the moon and revolutionized the future of space. “You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great - and that's what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It's about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can't think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars.” — Elon Musk, SPACEX

Works Cited

• Dunbar, Brian. “United States-Soviet Space Cooperation during the Cold War.” NASA, NASA, https://www.nasa.gov/50th/50th_magazine/coldWarCoOp.html.
• https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/80660main_ApolloFS.pdf https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1156874/moon-landing-inspiring-nasa-apollo-11-motivated-elon-musk-create-spacex-space-news
• https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1156874/moon-landing-inspiring-nasa-apollo-11-motivated-elon-musk-create-spacex-space-news

Appearances and Unhappy Couples In Jhumba Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies, there is a common theme of glossing over the truth. Many characters preoccupy themselves with appearances in hopes of escaping the reality of their unhappy relationships. In the short stories “This Blessed House,” “Interpreter of Maladies,” and “A Temporary Matter,” symbols are used to demonstrate the need to put on a façade not only for others around them, but more importantly for the characters themselves. Ultimately, this inability to accept the truth is what causes each character’s perpetual unhappiness.

In “This Blessed House,” the character Twinkle is the total package—beautiful, funny, intelligent, and good-humored. Yet all her husband sees is a childish woman with a short attention span. Unlike most people seeking a relationship, Sanjeev does not want a partner who loves him or who brings meaning to his life. Rather, he wants someone who is just like him—sensible, organized, mature. He wants someone who will give him the appropriate life for a man of his age—a life that all of his friends have. This mistake costs him happiness as he marries simply to fulfill a step in his life plan rather than for love. His obsession with appearances can be seen in the way he gets angry at Twinkle for wearing heels because they make her taller than him. Sanjeev cannot stand the height difference because it deviates from his traditional image of a couple in which the man is taller than the woman. Similarly, his focus on appearances is seen through the symbol of the Christian paraphernalia. To Twinkle, it is simply a game—an unsolved mystery and an exciting treasure hunt. Yet to Sanjeev, it is inappropriate, strange, almost blasphemous. He is worried that others will see the paraphernalia and judge them. When Twinkle wants to put a statue of Virgin Mary on the front lawn, he adamantly objects and says: “All the neighbors will see. They’ll think we’re insane…We’re not Christian” (Lahiri “Blessed” 146). The Christian paraphernalia therefore becomes a symbol of the difference between Sanjeev and Twinkle. Ironically, Twinkle—a woman who could care less what anyone thinks of her—ends up being the most beautiful and likeable character. Because of Sanjeev’s need to appear a certain way, he fails to appreciate the eccentric and untraditional nature of Twinkle. Only at the end when he discards his preconceptions of what a couple should look like does he reveal any hope for the couple’s future.

Similarly, in “Interpreter of Maladies” both Mr. and Mrs. Das are too preoccupied with looking like a perfect family to realize how dysfunctional their family truly is. For Mr. Das, he cares so much about capturing idealized moments on his camera that he fails to notice that nothing about his family is ideal. In this way, the camera becomes a symbol of his desire to avoid the truth and to instead surround himself with pictures depicting a happy family—one that in reality is the farthest thing from his own. And just like Mr. Das, Mrs. Das cares more about the appearances of herself and those of her family than their actual happiness. She dreads having to take her daughter to the bathroom and remains completely inattentive to any of her children’s wishes like when Tina asks to have her nails painted. Yet, her fixation with appearances is clearly demonstrated when Bobby is attacked by the monkeys—something that never would have happened if she had not been so careless with her food. After the incident, she brushes it off as if Bobby’s being attacked by a swarm of monkeys is no big deal and says, “He’s fine. Just a little scared, right, Bobby?” (“Interpreter” 68). Instead of checking to see if he is alright, she is quick to tape over the cut on his knee and fix his hair—caring more about how he looks than how he is doing after such a traumatic event. Because of both Mr. and Mrs. Das’s need to appear perfect, they become oblivious to each other and their wishes—so much so that Mr. Kopasi thinks they look more like siblings than husband and wife.

The desire to cover up the truth is also present in “A Temporary Matter.” Both Shoba and Shukumar have let themselves go, seen in the way that Shoba is “looking, at thirty-three, like the type of woman she’d once claimed she would never resemble” (“Temporary” 1). They care nothing about how they look and Shukumar does not even bother to brush his teeth. So when the power goes out and darkness surrounds them, the couple is able to escape reality at least for a little while. The light, therefore, becomes a symbol of the harsh truth and the darkness represents their desire to avoid that truth. Though they are not preoccupied with keeping up appearances the way the other two couples are, they are still keenly aware of those appearances. By not being able to clearly see each other when the power goes out, Shoba and Shukumar can hide from the unpleasantness of what they see when the lights are on. Yet for this couple, it is not a concentration on appearances, but a lack thereof that defines their relationship. Ultimately, however, both lead to the same end result—an unhappy partnership.

Perhaps the malady is not that the characters are incapable of love or of sustaining their relationships, but rather that their desire to escape reality is what is ultimately holding them back. In showing the two extremes of the spectrum—couples that care only about appearances and couples that don’t care at all—Lahiri demonstrates that a healthy relationship must be composed of both. That is why the story “This Blessed House,” in which Sanjeev faces the truth, is the most hopeful of the three. Through Interpreter of Maladies, Lahiri demonstrates that ultimately, it is a balance of caring enough to keep up appearances and being honest enough to see things for what they really are that leads to a successful relationship.