Question #1 (2 pages) Describe the impact of chronic illness on both patients and their families with regard to Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, asthma, emphysema, and AIDS.
Chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, asthma, emphysema and aids are said to have major impact on the patient and their families. Accordingly, each of the illness has different effect in terms of psychological, emotional, physical, and financial aspects of the patients and their families. It is said that each disease inspires a psychological response and the impact of the disease depends on the type of the disease a person has.
For instance, if an individual is diagnosed to have a disease like diabetes, asthma and others, the reaction may be rage, anxiety, fear, depression, stubborn denial, or passive resentment. In the absence of faith, someone or something must shoulder the blame, whether itself, family, caregiver, or the environment. Coping with such normal human reactions can profoundly affect the systemic effects of any disease. Against a background of such emotion, the optimal treatment of a disease requires a skilful healthcare professionals and an insightful patient (Thompson, 1993). According to Brannon & Feist (2007: 299), one of the effects of having chronic disease with the patient is their inability to sustain good relationship with the healthcare providers and other people around them. Patients have low self-esteem and oftentimes have this hopeless attitude with their condition.
Not only the patient, but the families and other people surrounding the patient are also affected in different aspects. Specifically, diseases such as those mentioned above is said to affect the quality living of the patient and their families. It has been defined that quality of life covers all the important aspect of a client’s life such as their physical, psychological, spiritual and social being; their connection to the environment and their aspiration to what they will or can become (Edeman,& Mandle, 2002).
The quality of life as impacted by chronic conditions has been the subject of much research. Not only is the quality of life impacted for the clients afflicted with chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS, diabetes, asthma and their families are also impacted by this phenomenon. According to Leshem (2003), the uncertainty of the disease further complicates the courses of the diseases and the emotional toll which the disease places on the family of the suffering client are also of great concern. Some of the problems are experienced by clients/families are emotional, social and financial problems.
In addition, chronic disease can also impact the psychosocial and occupational and social distress like increased levels of fear and depression of stigma. Chronic disease also affects the patient’s occupational lives causing them to miss work or be less productive at work or at their house. In addition, behavioural and emotional aspects are also affected since patients tend to become more moody, stressed, and depress because of their disease. On one hand, family may sometimes become inpatients with their family member who have the disease and may also feel depression and stress. In this regard, family relationship is also being affected by these diseases. In terms of financial aspects, the family are suffering from the financial burden in meeting the healthcare and medical needs of the patients.
By and large, it can be said that when one member of the family have chronic disease, it is not only the patient who is impacted or affected but the entire family members. As stated, family are being affected, specifically the parents since they are the ones who are responsible for providing support and care to their children and they have to adjust in the situation because having a an and caring for member of the family with chronic disease is really an obligation to fulfill (Brannon & Feist, 2007; 301).
Question #2 (2 pages) Evaluate the various models as explanations for the development of problem drinking. Include why people drink and how people can change problem drinking. Found in textbook p. 388-399)
Problem drinking also known as the alcohol abuse is characterized by desire or a strong need, or craving, to drink. It is also described as loss of control which is the frequent failure to stop drinking once an individual has begun. Alcoholism is defined as a chronic behavioral disorder which is manifested by undue preoccupation with alcohol to the detriment of physical and mental health, by a loss of control when drinking has begun (although it may not be carried to the point of intoxication), and by a self-destructive attitude in dealing with personal relationships and life situations (Judge, 1997). Alcoholism, is the result of disturbance and deprivation in early infantile experience and the related alterations in basic physiochemical responsiveness; the identification by the alcoholic with significant figures who deal with life problems through the excessive use of alcohol; and a socio-cultural milieu which causes ambivalence, conflict, and guilt in the use of alcohol. A person is physically dependent with alcohol if he experiences some symptoms such as sweating, nausea, shakiness, and anxiety when the person tries to stop the consumption of alcohol (DiClemente, 2005). There are many various models that explain the development of problem drinking and these models include the moral model and the medical model (Brannon & Feist, 2007: 389). Accordingly, the moral model is created with the context of moral obligations of people and their free will. According to this model, people have free will to choose our behaviours which include our will to drink excessively or not. On the other hand, the next model is the medical model have been able to conceptualized problem drinking to be a symptomatic of underlying physical dilemmas and the aspect that alcoholism is considered to be hereditary.
In this regard, a person who has relied on alcohol to solve such problem is something that has been running within the family since the children are seeing their parents do it to forget their problems. People have various reasons when drinking and because they think that drinking is some kind of social activity, they are not able to control themselves leading to problem drinking.
Accordingly, there are various ways to control or solve the issue of problem drinking among individuals; one of these is to consider rehabilitation, especially for those individuals who have been consuming alcohols impulsively. through the help of other family members, these people can consult psychologists to know their problems and to know if they need special medications or not. Aside from this, individuals who wish to stop their drinking problems can also submit themselves personally with rehabilitation centres. In addition, being engage in social activities is also a good start for solving this issue. Drinking alcohol has also some benefits specifically in reducing mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular diseases (Brannon & Feist, 2007; 388); however, people should be responsible for their behaviour and be responsible for themselves and must know when to stop.
Question #3 ( 1page) Define and discuss the types of exercises, and the physical and psychological benefits. Provide examples in your response. (from textbook p. 451-467)
Exercising is an essential aspect of staying healthy when you want to be physically fit. Moderate physical activities on a regular basis also helps decrease fatigue, strengthen muscles and bone, increase stamina and flexibility and enhance general sense of healthy and well being. An individual should be able to commit in a regular exercise because it has both physical and psychological benefits. According to (Brannon & Feist, 2007), there are five types of physical activities and this include isometric, anaerobic, aerobic, isotonic and isokinetic exercises.
Isometric exercise is being performed by contracting muscles against an immovable object. Herein, even if the body do not move in isometric exercise, the muscles pushed hard against each other or oppose to the immovable object which enable the body to gain strength. One example of isometric exercise is when we push hard against a solid wall. This type of activity enhances the muscle strength. On one hand, the isotonic exercise is a kind which requires the contraction of muscles as well as the movement of joints. Example of this is weight lifting and other forms of callisthenics.
Another type of exercise is the isokinetic type which requires the exertion for lifting and additional effort is needed to return to the starting position. Such type used specialized equipments which adjusts the amount of resistance in line with the amount of for applied. This type is use to restore the strength of the muscle and its endurance in people who are suffering from muscle injuries. This is use for physical rehabilitation.
On the other hand, the next type is the anaerobic type which includes sort-distance running, softball, some forms of callisthenics, and other physical activities that require short, intensive bursts of energy and do not need increase amount of oxygen. Lastly, the aerobic exercise is any exercise which needs dramatically increase oxygen consumption and this includes jogging, rope skipping, dancing, swimming, cycling, and others (Brannon & Feist, 2007; 451).
Accordingly, exercise has physiological benefits and people have various reasons for maintaining such exercise regions to ensure that their body is always healthy and physically and physiologically fit. The physiological benefits include decrease of depression, reduction of anxiety, buffer stress and raise self-esteem. For instance, women with physically fit body have more confidence than those women who are obese. In addition, it reduces depression since people have something to do and they can choose to do it alone or with other people. The interaction they have during exercise will be helpful to lessen the depression you feel.
Question #4 (1 page) Darlene is 20 pounds heavier than the ideal. Why would you say to improve her health?
I will tell Darlene to improve her health because I want her to become healthier and to prevent diseases associated with overweight. I will tell her that living a healthy lifestyle is important to prevent serious problems in the future. According to the World Health Organization, health is described as the state of a complete emotional, physical, and social well-being of an individual and not merely the absence of infirmity or disease. The WHO further refined health definition and they have seen health as a resource for daily life not the objective of living. Health is a positive context which emphasizes social and personal resources and also the physical ability. I will tell Darlene about the importance of losing weight to her self-image and confidence. I will also say that improving her weight status can give her sufficient energy to perform daily tasks and activities without undue fatigue. If she is healthy, she has the ability to cope daily challenges and can carry out social interactions without undue emotional, mental, or behavioural deficiencies. On the other hand, this will also improve her social interaction with other individuals within his or her social environment. I will tell her to improve her health status to become capable of capable of creating and enjoying harmonious and satisfying personal relationships.
I will tell her that the health status of an individual is synonymous to a person’s well-being, which refers to the state of being contented, successful, and healthy. This condition encompasses clear thinking, spirituality and emotional ability that enables a person to create, love, and change. In order to achieve a good well-being, the individual must undergo a life long process of becoming aware of alternatives and choices to make appropriate decisions toward a more balanced and fulfilling life. According to Brannon & Feist (2007; 455), losing weight requires a lot of exercise and healthy diet. Accordingly, Darlene should know which actions should be taken and one of these is through the consideration of exercise which is capable of increasing metabolic rate and produce changes in weight which exceed the number of calories spent in various activities.
Reference
Baumeister, R.F. (1991). Escaping the self: alcoholism, spirituality, masochism, and other flights from the burden of selfhood. New York.: Basic Books.
Brannon, L and Feist, J (2007). Health Psychology: An Introduction to Behavior and Health. 6th edition.
Chafetz, M.E. and Demone, H.W. Jr. (1962). Alcoholism and Society. New York: Oxford University Press.
DiClemente, C. (2006). Health A to Z. Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD. Available at [http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/dc/caz/suba/alco/whatis.jsp]. Accessed on [07/01/06].
Edelman, C. and Mandle, C. (2002). Health promotion throughout the lifespan. (5th Ed). St. Louis: Mosby.
Haskins, J. (1976). Teen-age alcoholism. New York: Hawthorne Books.
Judge, M.G. (1997). Alcoholism: Character or Genetics? Insight on the News 13 (8), 8.
Thompson, W.G. (1993). The Angry Gut: Coping with Colitis and Crohn’s Disease. New York: Plenum Press.
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