Makenna Gibbs
Mrs. Pearce/ Pre-AP English II
Research Paper
April 29, 2016
Thinking About Thinking How To Think
“Psychology is one of those many fascinating things that we use almost everyday without even realizing it” as explained by Stanley C Loewen. Thinking leads to a multitude of alterations to someone as a person. (Thinking is) just a way of our minds talking to ourselves whether the thoughts are positive or negative and if they negatively or positively impact our lives (Davis). Everyone thinks differently. Two students could work out the same problem differently, but get the same answer. The way people think and the reasons for their behavior can be justified by a science, for example what makes one person happy could make another person irritated. Not many people realize how certain events in the world can alter someone’s behavior and the way their mind works, which could be the cause of developing mental disorders. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: They have their exits, and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.” Shakespeare captures the importance of every being in society having a role, and now it’s time to step into the light. “Psychology offers approaches and therapies that might be beneficial for helping society as a whole.” Beverly D. Flaxington explains. It’s time that people become aware of the increased occurrence of mental instability in youth and how understanding the way people think is important to help shape society.
Mental instability in youth throughout the country has grown, and will continue to be a problem for years to come. “Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13%.” As explained by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Too many young people go without being treated, or some psychologists aren’t able to detect certain illnesses, which leads to more challenging experience on their way to adulthood, or in some extreme circumstances, a life could be lost. “Suicide is the third leading cause of death for adolescents. And, as seen with the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech, mental-health problems left untreated can sometimes have even more horrific consequences.” Laura Scholes reports. A lot of disorders are psychological and are because of the need to feel control, such as anorexia which is when someone forces himself not to eat, therefore controlling their self control, weight, and appetite. The health field for adolescents isn’t as strong as it should be, leading to kids being advised by specialist that are more than likely not mental health specialist (Baliga). In 2015 there was a teenage girl in Texas who was taken to multiple psychologists and psychiatrists because her parents noticed a major change in her attitude and appearance. All the certified doctors told her parents that she seems normal and that she probably just hit that stage in life, but she is okay. Months later the girl had a heart attack and died a day after her fifteenth birthday from a heart attack brought on by anorexia. This isn’t the only case, and it won’t be the last. With new technology being born, the more upcoming psychologist the world has, the better possibility there is will be in saving a few more lives. School is also a major factor in the rapid growth of depression in teens. Kids are told from a young age that if they don’t follow every little instruction they will not have a prosperous life. This mandatory mindset enroots fear of failure which in turn develops into anxiety and depression (Scholes). “The schools (are) nervous that we would turn up all kinds of kids who needed serious help and they wouldn’t be able to handle it; they (are) already maxed out with the care they (are) giving,” says Vander Stoep. Some schools have become more aware of the expanding depression cases on their campuses but they have yet to become even more aware of other severe problems such as autism, ADHD/ADD, bipolar disorder, and many others. To help schools, families, and teenagers, it would be in everyone’s best interest to become more aware of the rising “trend” in today’s world.
It’s important to understand the way people think now so future generations will have more availability to help and treatments. “Many of the challenges we face in the modern world are rooted in human behavior, so psychological knowledge can help us find solutions”, as stated in “How Psychology Can Help You”. When there is news of a murder suspect it’s common to wonder what was going through their head at the time. Psychology “give(s) us a direct window into which mental processes involve similar and different neurobiological processes” in such situations (Wager). When studying psychology, you unlock mysteries of the mind and understand people’s behavior (Philippe). Nail biting. It’s annoying, right? Well did you know that psychology has helped link the awful habit to “ virtually anything under the sun”, as Thorpe puts it, but some have it narrowed down to; boredom, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), and perfectionism. Psychologist have even traced it all the way back to Ancient Greece! All annoying habits have some sort of science behind them, and when you figure out that science or the motives of one’s behavior, it’s not longer annoying and is suddenly comical. A reason it is important to understand how people think and to easily read them is to help learn about them as a person and to guide personal behaviors and actions (Simmons). Furthermore, learning about psychology, or at least the different processes of thinking, “can help with decision-making and avoiding stressful situations” (Philippe). Autism is a common, widely known, mental condition that is considered one of the most severe conditions out there. It is defined as a condition where communication skills and the skills to form relationships is hindered. In some public schools autistic students are placed in regular environments, which can cause a lot of problems. Teachers in that situation need to understand how the students brain works, and have enough knowledge to understand how to handle the situation. Instances like these prove Philippe’s statement as well as his position that “the science not only allows people to be more successful, but it can also impact their health.” Psychologist incorporate scientific studies to understand how people think, in turn which can help them improve their daily life. Psychological studies have been working to get a deeper reading of patients to help them reach the best them they can. Psychology is use to help people all over the world and the breakthroughs it has achieved can be seen in today’s technology. Thinking back to Shakespeare’s quote, psychology has a major role in society and the impact is astonishing.
The impact of psychological treatment, or psychological problems in today’s society, is through the roof. The mental stability of youth is getting out of hand and needs to be further examined to help improve our Tomorrow. Surprisingly, the importance of understanding behaviors and the way of thinking seems to be more crucial than what people see on the surface. It’s time for society, the media, and the world to become aware of the serious illnesses of the mind and the need for more understanding. In order for there to be a noticeable shift in the health of generations now and the ones to come, psychology seems to be the missing piece everyone is searching for.
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