Depression, a common problem among teens. Depression is caused by genetics, bad personality traits like low self esteem, relationship problems, family problems, death of a loved one, and academic pressure. When depression occurs, they may be unable to perform daily tasks. This would cause them to have a hard time being around others. Then it could lead to worse situations like being in a suicidal state. To prevent this from happening, people go to doctors to get treatment. There are many types of treatment like medication or therapy. Teen depression should not controlled with pharmaceutical treatment because it has more side effects and research has shown that alternative treatments are more effective.
The usual treatment for depression has been antidepressants. Antidepressants meaning medication, pills. The pills would relief the taker by controlling certain symptoms. This allows the person make changes in their life. Medicine comes handy in times when a person is too depressed to talk during a psychotherapy. Then medication would help them feel better and that would allow them to respond. In addition to that, some people the medication may cause them to have one episode of depression and they would remain symptomless for years. Lastly, for some people, as they get older their depressions become more severe. Medication can be used as a way to reduce the frequency and severity.
However, medication is not always the best way to treat depression. Furthermore, it should not be treated by pharmaceuticals because it could result in some serious side effects. The medication varies and depends on what type of depression a person has and it requires trial and error to find the right medication. The medication SSRI (selective serotin reuptake inhibitors), has the side effects of decreased libido (sexual problems), drowsiness, sleep difficulties, and nausea. For some, these side effects might go away after the first few week but for others it persists and may get worse. In addition antidepressants may also increase the risk of suicide instead of decreasing it. This mostly has to do with young adults, so they have to be closely watched while taking antidepressants. If the person shows signs like anxiety, insomnia, hostility and extreme agitation, it means that the medication is making things worse. In addition, when the antidepressants are stopped, the patients experience "antidepressant discontinuation syndrome". A common symptom is depression and anxiety. The depression as a syndrome is usually worse than the first depression that they had. As a treatment for their withdrawal, they would go back to taking the medications. Also there are many minor side effects that can affect their daily life like dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, abdominal pain, sedation, and more. Lastly, some of the medication can be harmful when it is taken with another type of medication.
Furthermore, research has shown that depression could be treated with alternatives that are more effective. There are many alternatives to treating depression. One of the main alternatives is therapy. Therapy is a good way to treat depression because it goes to the root of the problem and it could last a lifetime. Another good thing about therapy is that it doesn't rely on taking a pill daily. Therapy also helps them develop a relationship with their therapist, giving them a feeling of being understood. Therapy would give them a chance to release their emotion. Then they would get advice and guidance that would help them get through depression. Another type of treatment for depression is Herbal remedies. Herbal remedies are good because they are safe and does not require prescription to use. Herbal remedies work by increasing brain levels since people with depression are said to not have enough brain chemicals. Some work by targeting symptoms that were caused by low seratonin. Some work by increasing blood flow to the brain and other parts of their body or it improves the balance of important neurotransmitters. These are not the only alternatives that have been proven to work. There is also the natural treatment, which includes exercise or meditation. Then there is aromatherapy, vitamins, diet factors, and then the treatment through self-help.
Although many people who are being treated for depression are using medication, the alternatives are still there and are available for them to use. Medication have been effective but they carry too much risk of getting the serious side effects. It would be a better choice to try out the alternatives rather than go straight to medications and take the risk of making things worse. Depression is a serious illness that could lead to death. Overall, treatment of depression through medication is not the best way because it could lead to worse situations, whereas the alternatives could help and would have long term effects.
College Draft: Critique Ready "Just To Help"
I found this college essay topic for USC:
The 18th century French philosopher Denis Diderot said, "Only passions, great passions can elevate the soul to great things." Describe one of your passions and reflect on how it has contributed to your personal growth.
My passion has always been to help people. I always felt the need to help out everyone around me, even if i didn't know what they needed help with. I haven't realized this until my freshman year in high school. I always tend to tell people "call me if you need anything" and when they do, I would drop what Im doing and do my best to help them out.
Looking back to it, I just did it like it was a natural instinct. I loved helping people and I loved the feeling that it gave me in the end. The feeling of accomplishment, even though it wasn't my own. I felt like I made a difference by showing someone how to do a thing or two. I always thought it was my way of relieving myself of the guilt of never helping out with my own family when they needed it. I always took from my family and never actually gave back. So when I went out to the world, to my school, I would help everyone as much as I could. Now I realize it's not because I was trying to get rid of my guilt. I just loved to do it.
I remember a point in my life during elementary when I wasn't close to my friends, well I was but not really. I talked to them, hung out with them, and shared secrets but it still felt like I was distant from them. Then time went on and during 7th grade in middle school, I was still the same. Until I told my friend "I can help you out with that, just ask if you need anything". Later that night, she called me. I wasn't expecting it but I was glad she did. We talked on the phone for over an hour. The first 30 minutes was me trying to help her with her math homework but as she finished, we went on to talking more and more about everything else and we became close. This night made me feel like I closed that distance with someone. I was actually close with her.
Helping people made me who I am now. It seemed so normal for me to take from my family but it was never right for me to take from other people. I always gave. I gave them my knowledge and my opinions, and this made me feel good about myself. "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." I was told of this quote during my 6th grade year and it stuck with me until now. Whenever I helped someone, I always taught them how to do it, never gave them the answer until they really needed it but after I did give it, i'd ask them if they knew how i got that answer. Helping people became my passion, it's something that i wanna do and i wouldn't mind doing even if i'm busy with my own stuff. Its the reason why I live the life i live now, the reason why i know the people i know, and the reason why I feel good about getting up each day, because I know that when I get up, I could find a chance to help someone out, in some way.
Pro and Con: Redo
Link: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/01/deepwater.drilling.ban/
Proposition: I think it was right for the government to ban deepwater drilling. It led to an oil spill that has been going on for about 5 months and up until now the government is still trying to find a way to deal with it so it can't cause any more damage than it already has. Banning it can prevent future cases like this one.
Coming of age (draft)- "There it is"
“Bubbles! Bek Bubbles!” my nephew yells at me.
It’s another typical summer night with my nephew and niece. I tell him no. I didn’t feel like getting up and looking for the container filled with liquid that makes bubbles but it seems I like didn’t have a choice. He grabs one hand and my niece takes my other hand. They both tug on my arm, urging me to get up. “UGH, you two” I say to them as I get up.
I look around for what I remember to be a little green container, with a blue cap, and blue label. I search in the bathroom, in their toy stash, and in our room, no luck. I hear them saying bubbles in the living room, asking someone else to find it.
Then I hear my sister “Bek, hurry up!”
“Yea, yea” I reply as I go down the stairs.
I take a quick glance around the room, still nothing. I go inside the garage, opening and closing the cabinets, looking as fast as I could. I couldn’t disappoint them, I just couldn’t. Finally I open the cabinet above the sink and saw it. The little green bottle that will soon bring happiness to two little one year olds.
I was out of breath, too much blowing.
“Wait” I tell them.
My nephew then gives me a big smile and I couldn’t resist. I just had to keep going. Just to keep that smile there. I blow a small one. It flies away and he chases it. He tries to reach for it and misses. He turns around and smiles, asking for more. I blow another; they both reach for it and pop it. They both look over to me and their faces light up. It was the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen. Whenever I remember it, it just takes away all the problems I have.
I decided to experiment, blow a bigger bubble and see what happens. My sister holds another cup and blows bubbles small bubbles that keep them occupied while I try to create a big one. I start blowing, it gets bigger and bigger. It finally reached its limit and goes off flying.
“Cian, look!” I tell my nephew
“THERE IT IS!” he yells while pointing at it.
The whole family burst out laughing as he runs over to get it. I keep blowing and making more and more big bubbles. For each one, even as I’m blowing it, my nephew would point and yell the same thing, there it is. I couldn’t stop, I just had to continue letting them have their fun, and I had to keep that smile going.
After about twenty minutes of blowing bubbles and getting good laughs, the floor was wet and sticky with the liquid that comes from when the bubble gets popped. My brother-in-law tells me to keep going since the food isn’t done yet. They would get bored while waiting for the food.
“Be careful walking Cy and Sophie” I warn them both.
My nephew looks down; he knew what I was talking about. I blow a small one, and he runs for it, he reaches for it but it was far from his reach and he slips. He lands on his arm and starts crying.
“I told you,” I say to him as I pick him up and rub his arm.
It’s amazing how much one night can bring so much meaning to a person’s life. This one night brought me laughter and a deeper value into what was happening with me. Remembering that night, I remember the feeling, the feeling of making them happy and keeping them like that. I wasn’t the youngest anymore, I’m not the one that everyone has to take care of now, it was them and now it’s my turn to take care of them. I came to the realization that I had more responsibilities, whether it was school or home, I had to step up.
Pro-Con: Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
Summary: The oil spill at the Gulf of Mexico is still in the ocean. But just incase, they have temporarily plugged in by the "static kill" and they are waiting on the results. The "static kill" has stuffed the well with mud and cement from above the hole. If the results show that the pressure is rising then the "bottom kill" is still needed. The "bottom kill" is plugging the well by pumping in mud and cement through a nearby relief well. The officials are still debating on whether they should still go on with the idea with the relief well in order to ensure that the well is closed.
Proposition: I think that they should go on with the bottom kill because it would surely end the problem with the oil spill that has been causing many problems.
Link: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/08/13/2010-08-13_bp_oil_spill_may_not_require_bottom_kill_officials_to_release_test_results_on_bl.html
Coming of age- my experience
Its funny how fast life seems to go. In just one day, you could realize that you're older and you're at the point in life where everything just gets more and more difficult. For me, coming of age means that I have more responsibilities, more important things to do and think about, and it means that I have to become more independent.
Looking at how my life is going right now, I can see clearly that things have stepped up. I have more responsibilities around the house and more things are expected from me. My parents expect me to take over the jobs that my sisters had while they still lived with us. I have to do the laundry, clean up whenever i could, take care of the younger ones (my niece), and cook. While taking over their jobs, I became more independent. My parents and my older siblings don't have to tell me what to do and when to do it. I make my own decisions about my education and I take full responsibility for my actions. Through making my own decisions came thinking more and more about the important stuff in my life. I don't go through a day not thinking about what I want to do when i finish high school or what classes I would take in college or what classes should I take in my next year of high school that would be good for my specific college.
Moving on, stepping up, and growing up is tough. Each decision we make could change our whole life. One thing that I learned that is important through it all is to have fun. Coming of age doesn't mean that life stops being fun. It just means that I have to make the best of whatever happens.
GLO invitation
Hey there! Mom or Dad.. or both!
Hahaha.. Well this year, just flew by like a black dog running from a filipino.. Haha Just Joking!! D: sorry! ahaha. Really though.. With all the projects and the exciting events, time just passed by too quickly. I'm proud of myself and I hope you will be too. I put a lot of time, effort, and hours of sleep into my work so they could be exemplary. I wanna thank you, for being there and supporting me with my work. The projects and homework seemed endless but I had you guys and my friends to help me through it. And it all turned out great with us winning a couple of our competitions!
SOOO, heres another portfolio..
Please comment after our conference.
- What did you like best about my portfolio and portfolio conference? What would you like to see me improve on in my portfolio?
- From your point of view, which of my attainments of the 6 general learner outcomes is of most value? Please explain why you feel it is important and what about my documentation of it impresses you.
- Which of the GLOs would you like me to focus on in the coming year(s)?
"The Necessities of A Science Fiction"
To everyone, science fiction is basically just another type of made up story. Why? Because that’s what fiction is all about. What they don’t realize is that science fiction (sci-fi) is a much more intelligent and refined version of a fiction. We don’t even realize that most of the new technology now might’ve been a sci-fi back then. These things we have, a cell phone, a laptop, an ipad, etc. might have been just a dream that seemed impossible back then. Sci-fi movies and stories take these impossibilities and use it to show the world that it is possible but with it comes good and bad results. So now a question remains, what is science fiction? It is a fantasy that involves how science would affect society. A good science fiction should make you speculate and imagine, it should have a good story to it, and it should have the breakthrough because these are what makes the people interested and these allow them to be informed.
Science fiction should arouse the audience’s sense of wonder. It should get them to explore the possibilities in their mind, to make up their own solutions and make up their own scenarios. A good science fiction would make the audience imagine themselves in that type of situations. Arousing their sense of wonder means to make them think ahead of the story, make them question things about the story. For example, in the movie “matrix”, in the beginning Neo learns that he is “the one” but throughout the whole movie, he wonders what it means to be “the one”. While watching this movie, I couldn’t help but wonder myself, “what does it mean?” I also wondered what it would be like to live in a fake world, a programmed world. A way to know if a science fiction is really good is when the story bugs you, or provokes you into thinking “how would my life be if that really happened?” If a science fiction makes you ask these types of questions, then it has captured you and woke up your sense of wonder.
Science fiction needs what every story needs, a good plot. A good plot is the same as a good storyline. A good plot means that it would make sense to whoever would read or watch it. It leaves them wondering throughout the whole story and it makes them want to keep reading or watching. But a good plot would also leave them pondering after the story. Being suspenseful in a sci-fi is a must. It allows everything to build up and be surprising and be satisfying in the end. An example of a good plot is in the movie “Wall-e”; it starts off with a normal day as the robot named Wall-e. It shows how the earth looks like and what the little robot; left by itself is doing on the empty planet. The story starts to build up when another robot named “Eve” comes to the planet, obviously in search for something. Being a curious person, around this time of the movie, you’d be asking “where did she come from, what is she?” This is a good thing to have in a plot because to get people to keep watching, the story needs to make them get interested. In Wall-e the story starts to build up as the Wall-e finds himself in a ship in outer space, where the “Eve” came from. And the story continues on by showing what the ship is for, what Eve’s purpose was for going to earth. As the story builds up, it answers a few of the viewer’s questions but it would also make them ask even more questions until they find themselves getting to end and having their wonders be satisfied. A good sci-fi story builds up and adds twists and makes the viewer make their own conclusions.
Lastly, a science fiction’s main requirement is a breakthrough. A scientific breakthrough that is possible and the breakthrough that has its upsides and of course, its downsides. The breakthrough should take the story in unexpected and interesting directions. Science fiction takes a type of technology and advances it out of this world. A technology that seems impossible. In the movie “Minority Report” they have a technology that allows them to see who the killer is and who the victim is before it happens, it also allows them to see where and when this would happen. This is a big breakthrough that would save a lot of people’s lives. Not only will it save them, it will also put criminals in jail for even thinking about harming another. Although this breakthrough has good upsides, a good sci-fi would show all of the major possible consequences. The negative consequences in the “Minority Report” was that they would arrest the criminal minutes or even seconds before it happens, not knowing that criminal’s could change their mind right at the last minute. So they could be putting innocent people in jail. In this movie, they had some minor breakthroughs, like how their computer works, it runs on a big screen and you can use it just with the touch of your fingers, not only is this an easier technology, it is also helpful. A good sci-fi needs to have a big breakthrough that would affect the whole story.
Picture Analysis
Verb: Running, Barking, Laughing, Leaping, Biting, Holding
Sensory Details:
Hear: Thudding of the dog's paws against the ground, Snarling as the dog holds on to the ball
Smell: The soft wet grass, the dog's fur, the wet sticky ball
Taste: (none, but since im filipino... hahaha just kidding)--for the dog, the rubber of the ball
See: The high leaps of the dog, bright sunny day, soft green grass, bright green rubber ball, black and white fluffy fur
Feel: The pointy grass, the wet rubber ball, the soft fur, the heat of the sun, the cool breeze
Poetry Website Invitation
HEY THERE!
Hi! I just said hi.. in a different form.. Anyways... Whenever you can, you, yes i mean YOU can come and visit my poetry website. Whats that? Its a website that I created that includes 4, yes FOUR of poems of my interest and, wait for it........ My OWN poem. Yes, i wrote it myself. My metaphor poem! Hahaha, and when you're done, PLEASE leave a comment to this post.
That picture on the left is a sneak peek
An example of one of my pages :D
So, go to this website http://www2.k12.hi.us/~rmorales/poems.html
if you missed that, here it is again!: http://www2.k12.hi.us/~rmorales/poems.html
-Rebekah
Please and Thank you!
Revised Metaphor Poem
I sleep, I eat, I cry
For you attention is all I need
I'm here for you
To comfort you
To be there when you cry
To bring you that smile you long
Since you do the same for me
I claw, I protect
For you are my friend
I may be difficult to care for
But its worth it in the end
I clean,
Im independent
I learn on my own,
do things on my own
I am a cat
For you attention is all I need
I'm here for you
To comfort you
To be there when you cry
To bring you that smile you long
Since you do the same for me
I claw, I protect
For you are my friend
I may be difficult to care for
But its worth it in the end
I clean,
Im independent
I learn on my own,
do things on my own
I am a cat
metaphor project reflection
Hi there. grawr (grr&rawr).. its late and for some reason.. im doing homework and oy.. its odd.
Well here goes..
Creating the poem wasn't easy for me. Actually, making up a poem or a video is never easy for me. It's tough for my to create a poem for something that general.. In a way, this project was. We had to create a metaphor for ourselves, at first thinking of a metaphor for myself wasn't easy at all. There were many possibilities, some odd and some were just, completely random and made no sense at all. Of course, while thinking of the different metaphors, i was with my cat and that how i realized what my metaphor would be. The next hard step? Making the poem. Making poems aren't my specialty. I like to read them but make me write one and you won't get a response from me for awhile. To make it, i just thought of the different elements there are in a poem. I thought of making rhymes and i also thought of making similes. After about an hour of thinking, i finished. But, i wasn't done yet. I still had a video to make. Since my poem was mainly about cats, i thought it was pretty easy to make the storyboard for this. And it was, all needed was to show the personality of my cats that related to me.
I learned many things during this project. For one, never have a lazy and mean cat as your actor. They will walk away from the camera and hide from you until you put it away. I also learn about the different angles i could use. The angles made my video more interesting to watch while at the same time, it informed them about myself. I also learned about turning poems into videos. It may be alot of work but it's always fun to do. Some things in poem could be used literally. For example, in my poem "i claw, i protect", I didn't actually mean that i would fist fight with someone for my friends but i also meant that i would protect them from words that could hurt for a long time. But in my video, i used in a literal way by using the audio of my cats. As for myself, i learned that i don't quit easy. I may think that i want to but i won't and my poem helped with this because it wasn't easy making my poem.
Poems.. list..
My poem- "A companion" (not sure of this title)
Fire and Ice- Robert Frost (doesnt this sound familiar?)
The lockless door- Robert Frost
Life's too short- Michael Charles Messineo
Dreams Deffered- Langston Hughes
Hope is the thing- Emily Dickinson
A dream Within a dream- Edgar Allan Poe
Im sure of the first four in the list.. im trying to decide between the last 3..
Fire and Ice- Robert Frost (doesnt this sound familiar?)
The lockless door- Robert Frost
Life's too short- Michael Charles Messineo
Dreams Deffered- Langston Hughes
Hope is the thing- Emily Dickinson
A dream Within a dream- Edgar Allan Poe
Im sure of the first four in the list.. im trying to decide between the last 3..
Metaphor Poem
I wish for 20 hours of sleep(rough title)
I sleep, I eat, I cry
For your care is all I need
Im here for you
To comfort you in your sleep
To be there when you cry
To bring you that smile you long
Since you do the same for me
I claw, I protect
For you are my master
I may be difficult to care for
But its worth it in the end
I am a cat
That will always be there for you
Journal #25-"my vocabulary history"
Assess your own vocabulary. What are your strong points; what are your weak points when it comes to the trait of Word Choice in your writing and reading?
My strong points are coming up with the right words that click in the sentences. The words that are synonyms so no words would be repetitive. My weak points are when I read, it takes me awhile to figure out what some words mean, so I would have to read the sentence again. Also, when i write, it takes awhile for me to make sure that the words I use, makes sense and that the sentence it's in defines the word.
Describe how you have studied vocabulary in the past. What kinds of class activities and assignments have you experienced to work on your word choice?
I have had vocabulary tests in class. In the beginning of the week, our class would be given a set of words and each person picks a word. Then they would have to make a sentence with the word and draw a picture that describes the word. Another is an assignment that we had, where we were given a set of words and we had to use those words in a fictional story.
Describe how you, personally, learn new words. Give a specific example of how you have learned a new word recently.
I learned new words from my family and friends. I also learn from the books I read. I always like to have a book or a series that I am reading, so recently, I've been learning new words from the college level book I'm reading.
What are your specific vocabulary/word choice goals? How many new words would you like to learn this semester? What will be your evidence that you “own them” and can use them in your speaking and writing?
My goal is to learn more new words and use them daily. I would like to learn as much as I can. My evidence to show that I "own them", is to use them while talking to my friends and my family. I would also use it as I speak to my teachers and use it in my essays.
Explosion of the beginning
Anticipating and waiting, the words of how I spent my last few minutes of the 09'. As my cousin and I sat outside watching the little kids giggle over a few morning glories, i heard my uncle say that our biggest show this year is their neighbor lighting up over a dozen of aerials. I looked at him in shock, I've never seen the aerials right up close and now i was going to get to see it right above my head. As the 2010 crept closer, their neighbor decided to wake up everyone with a countdown blast from their blow horn. With each piercing blow came big cheers from the surrounding houses. When it was 10 seconds from the new year, they held it until everyone yelled "Happy New Year!" and they lit up all their aerials. My world was now, bright rainbows lights above me along with hugs and smiles all around me. I was glad to share this new year with my family and my friends.
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