Doing Penance

Doing Penance Doing Penance Doing Penance By Maeve Maddox In current usage, penance is associated with spiritual practice as a form of self-imposed punishment: penance noun: The performance of some act of self-mortification or the undergoing of some penalty as an expression of sorrow for sin or wrongdoing. When the word penance came into English from Anglo-Norman, it applied to secular punishments as well as penalties assigned by religious authorities. In modern usage, punishment is the usual word associated with a penalty imposed by a secular authority, whereas penance retains the idea of a religiously assigned or self-imposed act of retribution. Post-classical Latin agere paenitentiam translates as â€Å"to do penance,† and the verb â€Å"to do† remains the idiomatic convention in modern English. For example, â€Å"Though still a promising star, Lohan will have to do penance before shes forgiven for this boring, unfunny feature.† Recently I have noticed the unidiomatic â€Å"to pay penance,† chiefly in the context of sports: Pro football continues paying penance for some players involvement with domestic violence.- Steve Inskeep, NPR. Pay your penance, and all is forgiven- ESPN headline. Fordham is  still paying penance  for the colossal mistake it made when it left the MAAC to join the Patriot League in 1990.- New York Daily News. People â€Å"pay for† their sins,† but â€Å"do penance† for them. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Bare or Bear With Me?Latin Words and Expressions: All You Need to Know5 Ways to Reduce Use of Prepositions

Is China's rise an opportunity or a threat to world Essay

Is China's rise an opportunity or a threat to world - Essay Example Munakata (2003) has discussed the impact of China’s rise from a Japanese perspective. He points out that China is viewed as an economic threat because of the high level of imports from China, the rise in foreign direct investment and the inexhaustible supply of low cost hard working laborers, as well as educated engineers and researchers. However, it also provides an opportunity for Japan, because it is the fast growing export market, the profitability of Japanese investments in China has improved considerably, and increased mergers between Chinese and Japanese companies have resulted in a financial windfall for Japan, thus this author concludes that China’s rise is more of an opportunity rather than a threat. According to Lampton (2007), the United States is not making an accurate assessment of China’s rise, since it is focusing on China’s military might. It views China as an emerging military power because the country is too big to compel cooperation, however this could result in unnecessary squandering of resources. Lampton (2007) suggests that instead of viewing China’s rise mainly in terms of its growing strength, there is a need to pay attention to its growth in the economic and intellectual domains. He suggests that the U.S. should focus on ways to improve cooperation and ally with China instead of entering into conflict. Restall(2007) is of the view that China’s military build up is not of a magnitude as to be a source of concern to the United States. The important aspect of this growing military strength is that China is taking on the role of providing military protection to smaller Asian States, which was once the U.S. role. As a result, China poses a threat to the United States hegemony in Asia. It is also entering into pragmatic partnerships with Asian countries and capitalizing on the desire among Asians for self reliance and freedom from outside interference. Therefore China appears poised to play a

CS 5 Skype Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CS 5 Skype Analysis - Essay Example These include: the balancing feedback loop and the reinforcing feedback loop. The balancing loop makes effort to shift the manner things are (present state) to an objective or goal (preferred state) by use of whatever that can be done or used (Some course of action) to attain the goal by the company. The balancing loop is one of the two essential system structures by Skype. This feedback loop is an embodiment of any condition where there is an objective and course of action it is implemented to attain that specific goal. For instance, if one makes a decision to enhance the sales by say 15%, he or she has merely established a balancing loop; same to one who makes a decision to create a new product or service (Bellinger, 2004c). This can be illustrated by the balancing loop diagram below; Source: (Bellinger, 2004b) The preferred state relates with the present condition to create a gap. The preferred condition is taken as fixed or constant in this perception. The gap produced by the ran ge between the preferred condition and the present state is actually inspired for action, and the bigger the gap the higher the tendency to result into an action. The course of action considered contributes to the present condition. The present condition deducts from the gap, therefore minimizing it. ... The feedback loop stresses on entirety as opposed to sections or divisions. It also does stress on the circular feedback as opposed to linear foundation and outcome. Besides, it has a unique terminology that defines the behavior of systems such as the feedback that regulates change and fosters a system to uphold stability. Effective Strategies That Might be used in This Feedback by Skype To efficiently make use of this balancing loop, Skype must ascertain that there is an explicit well comprehended and accepted description of the preferred condition in the company system structure. If the employees are not aware of the final goal they are trying to get then any course of action can lead them somewhere. The company must also see to it that there is an objective or goal as probable description of the current condition. It is the connection amidst the preferred state and the present state that creates the foundation for planning and corresponding course of action. In case the planning i s faulted there is an excellent opportunity the consequent course of action might be irrelevant to shift the present state to the preferred state (Bellinger, 2004a). Last but not least, since the course of action is reinforced by the magnitude of the gap there is a normal behavior for the degree of action to decrease as the current condition looms towards the preferred state. This behavior accounts for the reason that as majority of the projects by Skype come to a finishing point it tends to be more and more complicated to create development towards the end. To surmount this tendency, the inspiration for action must emanate from some point apart from the gap. In connection to the completion of the project the

Theory of the Derive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Theory of the Derive - Essay Example Thus, it quotes from social and city observers about characteristics of derive, such as that of Chombart de Lauwe (1952),who described, â€Å"an urban neighborhood is determined not only by geographical and economic factors, but also by the image that its inhabitants and those of other neighborhoods have of it,† (Debord, 1952, P 5). It then provides the viewer – the derive actor – a thought, interpretation, or meanings. When it comes to nature, many forms of derive may be obtained, and contrasting thoughts and impressions may be formed depending on where or what the viewer may go through. While it is possible to describe a natural environment as â€Å"untouched† by humans, it no longer applies to being â€Å"undisturbed.† Human activities already altered much of nature, touched and untouched. Indirectly, no stones have been left unturned, so to speak. However, this does not limit nor impede nature derive for one who remains optimistic. One sees many aspects of visual representations: line, shape, balance, form, symmetry, asymmetry, volume, color saturation, contrast and unity. In the exploration of line, some of nature’s products are seen with straight, almost straight, and even curvy lines from tree trunks to leaf features. Many are repetitive, forming symmetry and unity. If one goes deeper, one may inspect the bamboo trunk, with fibers of lines, thousands of them per stem. These can be separated and still form lines like the one seen on synthetic fabrics as is they were engineered to be such. Perhaps, they were engineered by higher forms to be such. Bamboos are structural materials, or even materials for fabrics as is. Bamboo Fiber. Source: Wikipedia, 2011. When it comes to shapes, many representations are sky-inspired. There are the sun, moon and stars, with the moon forming several shapes in the span of a month. There are snowflakes, raindrops, even lightning. Mountains are often pyramidal, or triangular, imitated b y human dwellings with their rooftops. There are oblong fishes, and billions of leaves with thousands of variations. Then there are rocks of varieties of spherical shapes, odd and common. The light that emanates from some of these rocks also inspire their own shapes: say a diamond. We will never get enough of flora’s balance and form. Perfect radiances of flower petals, a center with its attractive colors and forms, and shapes, or even volumes of stigma, anther, and filaments that have for thousands of years attracted many derive experiences. It is how they have occupied important roles in human interaction and survival. In fact, even in afterlife. Flowers represent to humans a lot of things, generally positive and celebratory. It melts anger, pain, and sorrow. It unites, welcomes, refreshes, cheers, consoles, applauds. Flowers have performed well and good to the human experience they continue providing derive experiences of immeasurable pleasure until now. Source: http://flo wers-show.com/ But derive is not all about optimist impressions. As mentioned earlier, there are also negative aspects of natural environment derive experiences which had been influenced by human â€Å"‘touch†, whether nature liked it or not. Through greedy consumption, mindless disposal and major economic activities, nature in many aspects of its existence have been negatively affected by humans. Take for example the latest sea oil spill. Take a look at what volume may mean below: (Source:

Discussions Of Population Growth And Resources Environmental Sciences Essay

Discussions Of Population Growth And Resources Environmental Sciences Essay Natural resources are a subject of constant debate in the contemporary political and economic scene. Forms of appropriation, exploitation and trade of such resources affect in crucial way international relationships, and they are even a cause of violent conflicts. But its importance goes further. Their allocation has been always a crucial element due to its effects in the economy; its possession determines the economical organization and political development of a region. Today, there is an increasing awareness of the need for production systems to incorporate the objective of sustainable development. In order to manage this, natural resources should be renewal, in the sense that they are the determining condition for sustaining a long-term economic dynamic. Looking at this approach, natural resources are regarded as a link between societies and the environment. But what is the really relationship between population and natural resources? Is it sustainable? The study of interactions between population growth and the environment has a long history. According to Malthus 1, a growing population exerts pressure on agricultural land, forcing the cultivation of land of poorer and poorer quality. This environmental degradation affects natural resources and reduces the marginal product of labor and, through its effect on income, lessens the rate of population growth. The result is an equilibrium population that enjoys low levels of both income and environmental quality. But, the modern economic models replace agricultural land with nonrenewable resources. In this model, natural resources impose a limit to economic growth, with population pressures reducing economic development as scarce natural resources are exploited more intensively. However, a more recent theme in discussions of population growth and resources is the importance of environmental quality, measured by the stock of forests or by absence of air and water pollution. In this view the environment is seen not as a factor that limits productivity as populations expands, but as good whose quality is degraded by a growing population. In fact, population pressures, for example, are frequently cited as a cause of deforestation: population growth, by increasing the need for arable land, encourages the conversion of forest land to other uses. Moreover, it is related to the major cause of air, water and solid-waste pollution. In the past, the main cause of alarm was the depletion of natural resources. Many specialists repeatedly calculated how long the reserves of coal, oil, etc., will last. Now source of alarm is an entire complex of questions relating to the interaction between man and the environment. As in any other natural ecosystem, the increase in population means an increasing pressure on it. In the case of the human population, such pressure is even greater because it is not only a numerical increase, but also associated with the creation and diversification of new needs. This qualitative aspect is reflected in demands on resources, which are scarcer and scarcer. 2Nevertheless, the effects of population growth cannot be discussed independent of other factors that can cause resource and environmental pressures. While it makes sense to ask about relative importance of population in causing these pressures, it cannot be forgotten tastes, technology, institution policies and international relations. These and other determinants strongly condition the resource and pressure generated by population growth; they often change and affect the situation more than do demographic changes within specific time periods; and they often interact with each other and with demographic variables. But focusing on the sustainability of this relationship; there are at least three reason of why concerns about population growth have retreated over the last years. First,3 the demographic transition, which refers to the idea that at sufficiently high incomes, fertility tends to fall, owing to voluntary family size decisions. Indeed, fertility has fallen significantly in those parts of the world where most educated people live such as Unite States, Europe and East Asia. In spite this trend, population for the world as a whole is still growing rapidly. Second, population growth can be related to the technology optimism, which points out that increasing population is a positive force on living standards, largely because of induced innovation arising from population pressure. This model put an end on the Malthusian problem which 1said that there was a possibly tendency of human population to grow more rapidly that can be accommodated by arable land and other components of the source base. Third, it is related to political or ideological considerations. Population concerns are often in conflict with the strongly pro-natal positions of several major religions, particularly with the fundamentalist elements that have grown in influence over the past few decades. Cornering now about environmental degradation, especially air and water pollution, and concerning about depletion of natural resources like forests and oil reserves has become a significant issue. Both, environmental damage and resource depletion derive from the same fundamental question regarding the interaction of economic activity and the natural environment. Thus, important natural resources include environmental resources such as air and water, agricultural resources in the form of land and soil; renewable resources such as forests, fisheries and wildlife; and non-renewable resources such as oil and various metals and minerals. Global warming is a somewhat distinct topic, although it interacts closely with environmental, agricultural and renewable resources and is an important cause of resource degradation. Following studies like Limit to growth 4 put on the table whether the present growth trends continue unchanged, the limit to growth on this planet will be reached sometime within the next 100 years. The most probable result will be a sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity. Looking at this premonition, the word sustainability becomes widely used in discussion of resource use. Unfortunately, the term was used in a variety of different ways, leading to significant semantic confusions. Therefore, extending this sustainable concept to an entire economy seems difficult. 5This concept cannot apply to non-renewable resources. Petroleum that is used up cannot be replaced by new petroleum. So, it makes more sense to apply the concept to energy sources that can replace the non-renewable ones. Building the right infrastructures might include facilities to produce hydroelectric power, solar energy, wind energy, and so on. The issue is whether this sustainable word has appeared too late, because human has already cause huge damages. Some of them have even affected our own specie. 5About 3 million people die annually due to contamination. In the past decade and in every environmental sector, conditions have not improved. For example, contaminated water, together with poor sanitation, kills over 12 million people a years, mostly in developing countries. Air pollution kills another 3 millions. And heavy metals and other contaminates also cause widespread health problems; Will we have enough food to feed everyone? In 64 of the 105 developing countries studied by FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture), the population has been growing faster than food availability. The population pressures have degraded some 2.000 million hectares of arable land, an area the size of Canada and the United States together. About the fresh water: The availability of freshwater is finite, but demand is rising rapidly as the population grows and increasing use per capita. By 2025, when projected to the worlds population reaches 8.000 billion is expected that 48 countries, containing 3.000 million people will face water shortages. Focusing now in coastal and oceans; half of all coastal ecosystems are under pressure due to high population densities and urban development. In the worlds oceans is rising tide of pollution. The ocean fishery is being overexploited, and fish catches or harvests have declined. 1 Clausen, AW 1985, Population Growth and Economic and Social Development, Journal of Economic Education, 16, 3, pp. 165-176. 2 Ridker, Ronald G. Population and Economic Growth: Resource and Amenity Implications of Population Changes. American Economic Review 64, no. 2 (May 1974): 33 3 Peyrache-Gadeau, V 2007, Natural Resources, Innovative Milieux and the Environmentally Sustainable Development of Regions, European Planning Studies, 15, 7, pp. 945-959 . 4Smith, V. Kerry, and John V. Krutilla. Economic Growth, Resource Availability, and Environmental Quality. American Economic Review 74, no. 2 (May 1984): 226 4HOMER-DIXON, T 2011, GROWTH WONT LAST FOREVER, Foreign Policy, 184, p. 56 5 Don Hinrichsen and Bryant Robey; Population and the Environment: The Global Challenge Johns Hopkins University report, september 2000

The Untraditional Life of William Faulkner :: Biography Biographies Essays

The Untraditional Life of William Faulkner The South is tradition, in every aspect of the word: family, profession, and lifestyle. The staple to each tradition in the south, and ultimately masculinity, is to be a southern gentleman. William Faulkner, a man with the most southern of blood running through his veins, was everything but a southern gentleman. A southern gentleman is to support his family, to be the sole provider. To support something such as a family is a great responsibility, and it is expected of a southern gentleman to be able to handle that responsibility. Faulkner did not have a secure job or income. He wrote poetry and attempted novels, but had not found success as a writer. He did not aspire to find a different occupation that could bring stability to his financial situation. Though it was not certain that William could support a family, he did have a child with his wife and supported the daughter from his wife’s first marriage. It was not a happy family, as most southern families have been portrayed. Faulkner drank and continued to internalize himself from the rest of the family, as he had always internalized himself from society. The drinking was not and everyday thing, but his family said that it would happen for long periods at a time. He would drink for a few weeks until he wanted to sober himself up. A southern gentleman is to be the father figure in his family, to teach his children right from wrong, but William seemed to be concerned with only himself. When he drank, he was not there for his family. When his daughter asked him not to start drinking because her birthday was coming up, Faulkner said to her â€Å"no one remembers Shakespeare’s daughter.† Tradition in the southern family did encompass â€Å"tough love†, but a southern gentleman is to be an example to his children, with characteristics embodying responsibility and honor. William Faulkner was neither responsible nor honorable. As WWI began, William, who had always been interested in flying, was eager to volunteer in the Royal Canadian Air Force. To protect and defend one’s country is a duty of a southern gentleman, one of the most masculine aspects of the south. Though he did not see any battle first hand, he came back to Mississippi, walking with a limp caused by a supposed metal plate in his head, and elaborate stories of plane crashes and battle.

Walking Dead Syndrome

THE WALKING DEAD SYNDROME English 150 Instructor: S. Jone November 7, 2011 The Walking Dead Syndrome Introduction The Walking Dead syndrome is considered a rare disease. I believe everyone in this existence has a purpose on this vast place we call earth. However, there are people diagnosed with a syndrome who believe they have no soul or convinced themselves they are dead. The â€Å"Walking Dead Syndrome† is also commonly known as â€Å"Cotard’s Syndrome†. In this paper, I will refer this syndrome as â€Å"Cotard’s syndrome†. Cotard’s syndrome is linked with other mental illnesses which could explain a person’s state of mind of feeling non-existent in society. I will further discuss eight aspects of this syndrome: defining the Walking Dead Syndrome, defining mental illness, description of several mental illnesses associated with this syndrome, classifications of Cotard’s syndrome, analysis of patients, diagnosis of syndrome, and types of treatments available for patients. Defining Walking Dead Syndrome or Cotard’s Syndrome Many people I discussed this topic with never heard of the â€Å"Walking Dead Syndrome†. The Walking Dead Syndrome was first created by French neurologist, Jules Cotard, hence, named the â€Å"Cotard’s Syndrome†. He was a French neurologist who first described this psychiatric condition. First reference to the syndrome was made in the year 1880, when Jules Cotard gave a lecture in Paris. In this lecture, he described various degrees of the syndrome, while he said that a person who resorts to despair and self-hatred begins in the early stages of this disorder. With deterioration, the person might go to the extent of denying the very existence of himself or herself. There are detached from the sense of existence of self (â€Å"Cotard Syndrome† 2010). Patients portray themselves similar to the concept of â€Å"zombies†. Hollywood has portrayed horror and science fiction based movies on â€Å"zombies† or the â€Å"walking dead†. In the movies, zombies are typically mean and fond of human flesh, they groan and cannot talk, have incredible strength, and display rotting flesh. A zombie is physically identical to a normal human being, but completely lacks conscious experience. If we suddenly lost our minds, or consciousness our bodies might continue to run on for a while, our hearts might continue to beat, we might breathe while asleep and digest food. But without the contribution made by minds, behavior could not show characteristically human features. In the Urban Dictionary, 1999-2011, a zombie is defined â€Å"as deceased human being who has partially returned to life due to undeterminable causes. The brain retains base facilities, namely gross motor function. In its near-mindless state, it grasps no remains of emotion, personality, or sensation of pain. In rare cases, some of the reanimated have reflexively preformed routine activities from their past lives†. The people diagnosed with Walking Dead Syndrome have similar portrayals including not having internal organs and smelling of rotting flesh. A hypothetical analogy can be explained when most of us have woken up after a really good night out. Our first drive in the morning was motivated by a desire for food and coffee. If we as a society experience a chemical or radiological contamination, we might be experiencing the hangover from hell. Our higher thought would be destroyed, the neural system would be degraded, and leave just the body running on its primary functions. Defining Mental Illness Since the beginning of man, I think there has been mental illness, and chemical imbalance generates a huge part, and some people just do not have the ability to use parts of their brain for reason and logic. According to to Sorrentino, Wilk, and Newmaster (2009), a mental illness can be: â€Å"caused by a combination of genetic, biological, personality, and environmental factors, is a disturbance in a person’s ability to cope with or adjust to stress; the person’s thinking, mood, and behaviours are affected, and functioning is impaired †¦mental illnesses affect people of all ages, culture, and educational and income levels. The onset of most mental illnesses occurs during adolescence and young adulthood† (p. 641). Most mental illnesses are brought on by the stresses of life, money, property, and consumption. Having a mental illness varies from person to person and if you cannot go about your day as you normally would due to a condition then it is a mental illness. An example would be having an â€Å"anxiety disorder†, and if you cannot leave your house anymore due to petrifying fear, then there is clearly a problem. Unless of course you cannot recognize that you are having problems and you are posing a threat to yourself or others, then you can be forcibly placed under the guidance of a psychologist. Mental illness can be contributed to either biological, psychological, and environmental factors. The biological factors can be attributed to genetics or â€Å"mental disorders tend to run in families, suggesting a hereditary factor†¦the number of close relatives a person has who suffer from depression or other mood disorders is the best predictor of the likelihood that the individual will develop a mood disorder† (Boyd, Johnson, Bee, 2009, p. 385). In addition, psychological aspects can be contributed to emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, and the environmental causes can be defined as a person living in poverty or substance abuse. Mental Illnesses Associated with Cotard’s Syndrome People diagnosed with the â€Å"Cotard’s Syndrome† have been treated for a mental illness or combination of bi-polar, delusions, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder, to name a few. The major mental illnesses are painful, pervasive, disruptive and usually disabling. Firstly, a â€Å"bi-polar disorder† is defined as â€Å"a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function† (Sorrentino, Wilk, Newsmaster, 2009, p. 651). Whereas, â€Å"delusions† are the â€Å"false beliefs that are firmly held† (Purse, 2011). An example is a person who has grandeur delusions or has paranoid tendencies. In the grandiose subtype, the person is convinced that he has some great talent or has made some important discovery, they have an inflated sense of self-worth. In addition, their delusions center on their own importance, such as believing that they have done or created something of extreme value or think they have a â€Å"special mission†. There is reference to another type of delusion known as â€Å"nihilistic delusions†. This type of delusion describes a person â€Å"focused on the individual’s body, including loss of body parts, being dead, or not existing at all† (Debruyne, Portzky, Peremans, & Audenaert, 2011). Furthermore, Cotard syndrome created a new type of depression which â€Å"is described as anxious melancholia, ideas of damnation or rejection, insensitivity to pain, delusions or nonexistence concerning one’s own body, and delusions of immorality† (Debruyne, Portzky, Peremans, & Audenaert, 2011). This type of delusion is a major attribute of Cotard’s syndrome. Thirdly, â€Å"schizophrenia† which â€Å"is an extremely complex mental health disorder characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disturbances in thinking, and withdrawal from social activity† (Sorrentino, Wilk, Newsmaster, 2009, p. 55). News and entertainment media tend to link mental illnesses including schizophrenia to criminal violence. Most people with schizophrenia, however, are not violent toward others but are withdrawn and prefer to be left alone. Lastly, â€Å"schizoaffective disorder† is described as a â€Å"person having symptoms of both schizophrenic and bipolar disord er† (Purse, 2006). Some disorders will cause parts of the brain to stop performing their normal functions. These can leave people out of control and disoriented (not knowing what they themselves are doing). Classifications of Cotard’s Syndrome In its early stages, Cotard’s syndrome is characterized by vague feeling of anxiety with a varying time span from weeks to years. This anxious state gradually augments and can result in nihilistic delusions where denial of life or denial of body parts are the prominent features. The patient loses sense of reality. Despite the delusion of being dead, these patients show an increased tendency to automutilation (self harm) or suicidal behaviour. (Debruyne, Portzky, Peremans, and Audenaert, 2011). A case studying involving 100 patients, in Debruyne, Portzky, Van den Eynde, and Audenaert, (2009) reveal three types of Cotard’s syndrome. The first is a form of â€Å"psychotic depression† in which anxiety, melanchonlia, delusions of guilt, and auditory hallucinations are the more prominent features. The second class is â€Å"Cotard’s syndrome Type I†, which is associated with hypochondriac and nihilistic delusions. The third type is â€Å"Cotard’s syndrome Type II†, which includes anxiety, depression, delusions of immortality, nihilistic delusions and suicidal behaviour are characteristic features†. However, in Debruyne, Portzky, Peremans, and Audenaert, 2011, a case study conducted in 1999, identified three stages of Cotard’s syndrome. The first stage, germination stage, is characterized by important hypochondriac cenesthopathy and depressive mood. A diagnosis of Cotard’s syndrome cannot be made in this stage yet. In the blooming stage, the characteristic features of Cotard’s syndrome (nihilistic delusions, delusions of immorality together with anxiety and negativism) are seen. The last stage, the chronic stage is differentiated in two forms: one with persistent emotional disturbances (depressive type) and the second where depressive symptoms are less prominent (paranoid type) (as cited by Yamman, 1999). The two classifications described above have assisted in diagnosing of Cotard’s syndrome. The similar features displayed are nihilistic delusions, depressive mood, and anxiety. Analysis This syndrome does not affect a specific category of people. A study of 100 patients, revealed that â€Å"Cotard’s syndrome was diagnosed in 2 of 349 patients†¦taking into account only severely depressed older adult patients. In addition, the average of age of person studied was 52 years of age, however, the study also suggested that Cotard’s was occasionally described in children and adolescents (Debruyne, Portzky, Van den Eynde, Audenaert, 2009). Furthermore, according to Wani et al. , (2008), â€Å"this syndrome is typically related to depression and is mostly found in middle-aged or older people. In the analysis the following results were displayed: â€Å"depressive mood (89%), nihilistic delusions (69%), anxiety (65%), delusions of guilt (63%), delusions of immortality (55%), hypochondriac delusions (58%)† (Debruyne, Portzky, Peremans, and Audenaert, 2011). Diagnosis The diagnosis reveals a psychological and neurological aspect of Cotard’s syndrome. The â€Å"depersonalization phenomenon† as described in Debruyne, Portzky, Van den Eynde, and Audenaert, 2009, is referred to using German erminology leib (body for me) and korper (body as such), korper becomes more prominent than leib and the body less associated with the self (leib), depersonalization onset can then occur. However, in depersonalization, the patient feels as if he or she is dead (in difference of affect), whereas in Cotard’s syndro me, the patient is convinced that he or she is dead (lack of feeling). Cotard’s syndrome is often associated with parietal lobe lesions. Compared with controls, patients with Cotard’s syndrome have more brain atrophy in general and more median frontal lobe atrophy in particular. Cotard’s syndrome may be associated with multifocal brain atrophy and medial frontal lobe disease. Neurological assessments were performed and findings resulted in patients affected by â€Å"parietal brain dysfunction† and structural brain abnormalities. Recent discoveries have indicated that Cotard’s syndrome was associated with multifocal brain atrophy and interhemispheric fissure enlargement. The interhemispheric fissure enlargement means â€Å"parietal lobe lesions† (Joseph and O'Leary, 2011) or bending in the frontal and occipital regions and this abnormality also been observed in schizophrenic patients. Others have described and enlargement of the third and lateral ventricles. In one patient, the patient was diagnosed with a schizophrenia disorder and a left sided hypoperfusion in the temporal, parietal and frontal lobes. The medical term of hypoperfusion is defined as a â€Å"decreased blood flow through an organ† (Meriam-Webster, 2011). In addition, the patient experienced improvements of the inferior frontal and left hypoperfusion and there was evidence of decreased hyperprofusion of the left temporal lobe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (cited in Debruyne, Portzky, Van den Eynde, and Audenaert, 2009). Treatments There are several methods utilized to treat mental health struggles. A patient can seek professional assistance by psychology or psychiatry therapy and/or the utilization of medication. If you lived in the 16th century with any undefined mental disorder, you were considered as â€Å"possessed by the Devil† and cast away to some godforsaken monastery dungeon in which monks would constantly pray for and exorcise you. The Catholic Church they used a methodical guidebook to describe all behavioral aspects and associations of witchcraft, satanism, etc. nd utilized this upon people who were suffered with mental or behavioral maladies, and it was not commonly understood in the Medieval and Renaissance periods. In the medieval ages, they were burned because they thought demons haunted the mentally ill. In later years, we willfully experimented on them, cutting into their bodies and brains to â€Å"fix them†, this was called, trepanation. The â€Å"evidence of trepan ation has been found in prehistoric human remains from Neolithic times onward. Cave paintings indicate that people believed the practice would cure epileptic seizures, migraines, and mental disorders† (Wikipedia, 2011). It is really disgusting and is the major reason that even today it is to some a badge of humiliation instead of just an illness. Complete recovery may occur spontaneously and suddenly as onset of Cotard’s syndrome. There are several reports of successful pharmacological treatment of Cotard’s syndrome. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is considered an important treatment option in Cotard’s syndrome. It is noted, in Debruyne, Portzky, Van den Eynde, Audenaert, 2009, that young patients use of mood stabilizers should be considered because Cotard’s syndrome in this population is often part of a bipolar disorder. Successful treatment with ECT and the patient with underlying major depressive disorder resulted in recovery of left and right temporal hypoprofussion and normalization of profusion in the frontal cortex was reported after treatment with antidepressants (Debruyne, Portzky, Peremans, and Audenaert, 2011). Please be aware that people who have true mental illnesses do suffer. They want more than anything to be able to feel and function like other people and they will actively seek help. The reality is that certain medications and treatments help those who are suffering from these conditions. Conclusion Mental illness is not a modern invention. The mentally ill have been recognized in one form or another by every culture we have a record of. How they were perceived and what their value is what has largely changed. Some people do not retreat into their minds as much as they are supposed to, while others spend all their time there. What we eat and breathe and drink affects our health and our brain, and a healthy individual's brain tends to have more to work with and develop all the right chemicals and nerve sheaths. A good parent with their strong sense of empathy realizes that their child is a thinking, growing human being and will always need that light touch that points them in the â€Å"right direction† and prevent them from getting â€Å"lost†. The right nature and nurturing are essential for a healthy development. Some cases of these disorders I believe could be a simple lack of the ingredients to solve this chemical imbalance. Given that our brain is constantly changing accordingly with the times, a chronic chemical imbalance quickly becomes more than just that, as the brain has grown and changed around this shortcoming. The kind of understanding you wish people had for those with mental disorders would be a universal understanding for all if people would look into themselves and observe their own thoughts and behaviors. We are our best test subjects since we have full access to all the â€Å"data†, and by observing ourselves totally (mentally, developmentally, chemically) we can apply our understanding to others and learn from the experience. People need to care about how people's minds work in general, understanding â€Å"you guys† would come with the turf, and communication with our angry neighbors would be much more effective since we'd all see where everyone is coming from. Philosophers have long contemplated human happiness, and how to live a â€Å"good† life, in harmony with our own nature. The problem is that humans do not really know what makes them happy, and what they think will, or will not, and instead they find contempt and superficial pleasures they believe will satisfy them. As a result, some people will not live a good and peaceful life that satisfies the majority of people. The fact is not everyone needs medication, but there are those who do. Some need it temporarily, some for a lifetime. Some simply need therapy, and some benefit from dietary changes. I believe understanding is the highest ideal we should seek to attain. Understanding and being honest with ourselves about ourselves and applying our own understanding to others may help us see that we are not as different as we'd like to believe. I believe that sense of commonality with all human beings can generate empathy, compassion and ultimately peace in all of us. It is when we categorize each other, ourselves, and place value on those categories then we breed hatred, ignorance and fear. References Boyd, D. , Johnson, Paul, Bee, Helen (2009). Lifespan Development. (4th Canadian Edition). Toronto: Pearsons Canada Inc. Cotard Syndrome. (2010). Disorders Central. 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