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Monday, March 9, 2009
Table of Contents
Summary & Paraphrase
Summary
According to an article written by USA Today, titled “High Schools, Wake Up!”, sleep researchers from Brown University and the University of Montana discovered that teenagers who wake up at a later time, even an hour later, tend to be more alert and ready to learn than sending teenagers to school by 7:30 a.m. Despite overcoming challenges with commuting, sports, and employers, the improved performance from allowing teens to sleep longer in the morning far out ways the conflict according to 92% of all people who participated in the change.
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Paraphrase
Paul D. Houston’s Opposing View: Reform No Child’s Play
Despite the belief that waking up early allows people to get an early start, this is not true for all ages. Recent research on the teenage brain showed a unique change in sleep patterns causing students to perform better later in the day and function more clearly into the evening. As a result, many districts suggest a change in school schedules for high school students might be the solution. Although this change in schedule would greatly improve teen’s performance, change is not always as easy as it sounds. Elementary and Middle school age students would need to start earlier to compensate, thus little boys and girls would be standing outside in the dark waiting for their bus in the morning. In addition, another obstacle discouraging districts from changes are the local businesses. Many teens would no longer be able to work for businesses that depend on teenage labor and parents who used to leave the house to get to work at an early time no longer would be able to do so. Because high schools do not stand alone as an independent organization, leaders must make wise choices in order to watch out for the needs of everyone, otherwise, everything between buses and businesses are greatly affected. Therefore, school districts must communicate with one another, and the community, through constant exploration and research. As one can see, great educational ideas are easier said than done.
According to an article written by USA Today, titled “High Schools, Wake Up!”, sleep researchers from Brown University and the University of Montana discovered that teenagers who wake up at a later time, even an hour later, tend to be more alert and ready to learn than sending teenagers to school by 7:30 a.m. Despite overcoming challenges with commuting, sports, and employers, the improved performance from allowing teens to sleep longer in the morning far out ways the conflict according to 92% of all people who participated in the change.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paraphrase
Paul D. Houston’s Opposing View: Reform No Child’s Play
Despite the belief that waking up early allows people to get an early start, this is not true for all ages. Recent research on the teenage brain showed a unique change in sleep patterns causing students to perform better later in the day and function more clearly into the evening. As a result, many districts suggest a change in school schedules for high school students might be the solution. Although this change in schedule would greatly improve teen’s performance, change is not always as easy as it sounds. Elementary and Middle school age students would need to start earlier to compensate, thus little boys and girls would be standing outside in the dark waiting for their bus in the morning. In addition, another obstacle discouraging districts from changes are the local businesses. Many teens would no longer be able to work for businesses that depend on teenage labor and parents who used to leave the house to get to work at an early time no longer would be able to do so. Because high schools do not stand alone as an independent organization, leaders must make wise choices in order to watch out for the needs of everyone, otherwise, everything between buses and businesses are greatly affected. Therefore, school districts must communicate with one another, and the community, through constant exploration and research. As one can see, great educational ideas are easier said than done.
Agape
Daniel Reed
Phebe Shen
English 98
13 Febuary 2009
Loves Purest Form
Love is a worn out word. In America, a man’s affection towards his spouse, a close friendship, or even a strong liking for strawberry pop-tarts are all ways to experience “love.” So, what do people really mean when they say the word love and how can a person interpret its true meaning? Back when the Greek language was widely used among cultures, there were three words to describe love: Eros, Philia, and the greatest of the three, Agape. These three words, holding similar yet different meanings, are fun to explore because it helps cast a light onto a word so commonly used in America that it has nearly worn itself out and lost its significance.
Of the three loves, the most familiar and certainly the most natural is Eros. Without much logic, Eros entices people together with its tingly feelings, sweaty palms, irrational thinking, and butterflies in the stomach experiences. The surrounding environment surges with raw electricity sending direct power to their internal electromagnets hardwired inside every human being. As long as the power source remains “turned on” the result is inseparable. However, both electromagnets must remain on for an attraction to occur. If only one electromagnet is “turned on” from the experience, Eros immediately switches off in frustration. Or worse, if negative energy (harsh words) surge, the electrical current reverses directions sending the couple repelling from one another until the offender or offenders turn off the negative electricity and make amends. As a recommendation, though Eros brings about great pleasure, it is not the basis for deep, long lasting, relationships.
Philia is the Greek word for friendship or brotherly love is about building relationships rather than acquaintances. Friendship love goes beyond simply knowing an individual’s name, career, common religion, etc. It involves taking risk and discovering a common interest or vision with an individual. Though Philia is not a love required for survival, being able to rely on someone to lend a hand when in need, stand up and defend for them when they are lied about, or look out for them when they are sick is an incredible thing. Friendship love is a love that accepts regardless of what a person may have gone through, what they do as a living, whether he or she is married with a family or is divorced.
In addition, Philia when experienced with a person of the opposite sex brings about Eros quite naturally. What could be better than a person loving on their best friend? With a relationship to bounce back up on, the physical and emotional connections are closer and more in line with loving the individual rather than meeting the individuals own physical needs. Philia and Eros go hand in hand creating a powerful relationship full of intimacy and memories. However, Philia too is not perfect. Friends do make mistakes. In some cases, those mistakes cause friends to neglect, abuse, or abandon each other resulting in shattered hearts, confusion, and feelings of emptiness. As a result, one of two things often occurs. Either this leaves the wounded fearful to ever love again, or it causes them to search for a better love.
Unlike Eros or Philia, which both have their downfalls; Agape love stands independent and it is the foundation where Eros and Philia thrive. Agape love is God’s love, the purest of all loves and in fact, the embodiment of God himself, his divine nature (1). God’s love sets the rules of life, governs our convictions, and guides us from wrong. It is a patient love, willing to wait, endure rejection, and it never gives up. “It always protects, always trusts, always, hopes, always perseveres (2).” How can a human compete with a love like that? The truth is one cannot. Those who learn to receive and experience this love, learn to model it to others, but humans cannot model it on their own will because this love is no longer in their nature (3).
What happened is quite simple; selfishness, the root of all sin and the polar opposite of agape love, entered the world. People began to think they somehow deserved things and they were superior to one another. People slandered one another to make themselves feel better. Their viewpoint of the world became skewed and people no longer thought they needed to listen to others because they were better. When people made mistakes, they lied and blamed one another to hide their guilt so they wouldn’t have to admit they were in the wrong. Men and women degraded one another and used each other so they could experience instant gratification. Selfishness ruined everything intended for good by taking advantage of it and somehow thinking they deserved it more than someone else did. Unfortunately, this vicious cycle continues today. Men and women grow angry when they do not get their way. Lives are ruined, people die, all because of selfishness.
Yet, Agape, the love God intended all to experience and share, still stands in the distance proclaiming hope and life. It goes against the grain of society and says, “to give is better than to receive. Honor your father and mother. Treat one another with respect. Give to the poor because they deserve life just as much as anyone does. Think of others as more valuable than yourself, (stop being so selfish!) Treat others how you want to be treated. Don’t look lustfully at another man or woman. Do not kill others. Their life is valuable. Agape love fights for human life. It refused to give up and it refuses to conform to the pattern of this world. When all hope is lost, agape love remains. No matter how many mistakes a person makes, no matter how many times he or she convinces them self they have gone over the deep end, this tethered love refuses to let go of the object of love (all human race). The only way to lose this love is to reject it. It is impossible to ignore it, because it will never let you go.
(1) 1 John 4:16
(2) 1 Corinthians 4:7
(3) Romans 7:21
Other sources used for inspiration:
http://www.sjchurchofchrist.org/agape.shtml
3:16 The numbers of hope, Written by Max Lucado
Phebe Shen
English 98
13 Febuary 2009
Loves Purest Form
Love is a worn out word. In America, a man’s affection towards his spouse, a close friendship, or even a strong liking for strawberry pop-tarts are all ways to experience “love.” So, what do people really mean when they say the word love and how can a person interpret its true meaning? Back when the Greek language was widely used among cultures, there were three words to describe love: Eros, Philia, and the greatest of the three, Agape. These three words, holding similar yet different meanings, are fun to explore because it helps cast a light onto a word so commonly used in America that it has nearly worn itself out and lost its significance.
Of the three loves, the most familiar and certainly the most natural is Eros. Without much logic, Eros entices people together with its tingly feelings, sweaty palms, irrational thinking, and butterflies in the stomach experiences. The surrounding environment surges with raw electricity sending direct power to their internal electromagnets hardwired inside every human being. As long as the power source remains “turned on” the result is inseparable. However, both electromagnets must remain on for an attraction to occur. If only one electromagnet is “turned on” from the experience, Eros immediately switches off in frustration. Or worse, if negative energy (harsh words) surge, the electrical current reverses directions sending the couple repelling from one another until the offender or offenders turn off the negative electricity and make amends. As a recommendation, though Eros brings about great pleasure, it is not the basis for deep, long lasting, relationships.
Philia is the Greek word for friendship or brotherly love is about building relationships rather than acquaintances. Friendship love goes beyond simply knowing an individual’s name, career, common religion, etc. It involves taking risk and discovering a common interest or vision with an individual. Though Philia is not a love required for survival, being able to rely on someone to lend a hand when in need, stand up and defend for them when they are lied about, or look out for them when they are sick is an incredible thing. Friendship love is a love that accepts regardless of what a person may have gone through, what they do as a living, whether he or she is married with a family or is divorced.
In addition, Philia when experienced with a person of the opposite sex brings about Eros quite naturally. What could be better than a person loving on their best friend? With a relationship to bounce back up on, the physical and emotional connections are closer and more in line with loving the individual rather than meeting the individuals own physical needs. Philia and Eros go hand in hand creating a powerful relationship full of intimacy and memories. However, Philia too is not perfect. Friends do make mistakes. In some cases, those mistakes cause friends to neglect, abuse, or abandon each other resulting in shattered hearts, confusion, and feelings of emptiness. As a result, one of two things often occurs. Either this leaves the wounded fearful to ever love again, or it causes them to search for a better love.
Unlike Eros or Philia, which both have their downfalls; Agape love stands independent and it is the foundation where Eros and Philia thrive. Agape love is God’s love, the purest of all loves and in fact, the embodiment of God himself, his divine nature (1). God’s love sets the rules of life, governs our convictions, and guides us from wrong. It is a patient love, willing to wait, endure rejection, and it never gives up. “It always protects, always trusts, always, hopes, always perseveres (2).” How can a human compete with a love like that? The truth is one cannot. Those who learn to receive and experience this love, learn to model it to others, but humans cannot model it on their own will because this love is no longer in their nature (3).
What happened is quite simple; selfishness, the root of all sin and the polar opposite of agape love, entered the world. People began to think they somehow deserved things and they were superior to one another. People slandered one another to make themselves feel better. Their viewpoint of the world became skewed and people no longer thought they needed to listen to others because they were better. When people made mistakes, they lied and blamed one another to hide their guilt so they wouldn’t have to admit they were in the wrong. Men and women degraded one another and used each other so they could experience instant gratification. Selfishness ruined everything intended for good by taking advantage of it and somehow thinking they deserved it more than someone else did. Unfortunately, this vicious cycle continues today. Men and women grow angry when they do not get their way. Lives are ruined, people die, all because of selfishness.
Yet, Agape, the love God intended all to experience and share, still stands in the distance proclaiming hope and life. It goes against the grain of society and says, “to give is better than to receive. Honor your father and mother. Treat one another with respect. Give to the poor because they deserve life just as much as anyone does. Think of others as more valuable than yourself, (stop being so selfish!) Treat others how you want to be treated. Don’t look lustfully at another man or woman. Do not kill others. Their life is valuable. Agape love fights for human life. It refused to give up and it refuses to conform to the pattern of this world. When all hope is lost, agape love remains. No matter how many mistakes a person makes, no matter how many times he or she convinces them self they have gone over the deep end, this tethered love refuses to let go of the object of love (all human race). The only way to lose this love is to reject it. It is impossible to ignore it, because it will never let you go.
(1) 1 John 4:16
(2) 1 Corinthians 4:7
(3) Romans 7:21
Other sources used for inspiration:
http://www.sjchurchofchrist.org/agape.shtml
3:16 The numbers of hope, Written by Max Lucado
Breathtaking Breathariansim
Come one come all to see the most amazing discovery of all. Meet Wiley Brooks at the Everett Events Center January 17-18 at 1, 3, and 5pm lift 1,100 pounds of weight, over 10 times what he himself weighs after not eating for 18 years! Do not believe me? Then you will have to come and see for yourself.
Wiley Brooks is an inventor of a new way of eating where all you will have to do is eat air. I know sounds suspicious and strange but it’s true. He calls himself a Breatharian. “He does not eat, seldom drinks and sleeps less than 7 hours a week and is healthier, more energetic and happier than he ever dreamed possible.” (1)
For $500 you can attend a 5-day intensive course with Wiley Brooks so that you too can learn how to eat only air and experience the benefits of increased energy, a more positive outlook on life, and the body you always dreamed of but never been able to achieve. Sounds too good to be true? Feeling a bit suspicious? After 18 years of research and prior testing, Wiley Brooks is highly trained in Breatharianism and will teach you how to start on a simpler diet so that you won’t throw your body into a complete shock to its system. Once your body has grown accustomed to the new lifestyle he will teach you how to achieve eating nothing more than air and occasionally drinking liquids to counteract any toxins you may face found most heavily in urban environments. This is an event you cannot afford to miss, so mark your calendars for January 17-18 from 1, 3, and 5pm and watch Wiley Brooks lift 1,100 pounds and sign up to begin experiencing the benefits of breatharianism. But hurry fast because space is limited and you will not want to miss this event. To sign up for this even you can call at 1800-Wiley Brooks or Find more information and sign up at WileyBrooksBreathariansim.com
(1) Pg 24 of Steps To Writing Well by Jean Wyrick
Wiley Brooks is an inventor of a new way of eating where all you will have to do is eat air. I know sounds suspicious and strange but it’s true. He calls himself a Breatharian. “He does not eat, seldom drinks and sleeps less than 7 hours a week and is healthier, more energetic and happier than he ever dreamed possible.” (1)
For $500 you can attend a 5-day intensive course with Wiley Brooks so that you too can learn how to eat only air and experience the benefits of increased energy, a more positive outlook on life, and the body you always dreamed of but never been able to achieve. Sounds too good to be true? Feeling a bit suspicious? After 18 years of research and prior testing, Wiley Brooks is highly trained in Breatharianism and will teach you how to start on a simpler diet so that you won’t throw your body into a complete shock to its system. Once your body has grown accustomed to the new lifestyle he will teach you how to achieve eating nothing more than air and occasionally drinking liquids to counteract any toxins you may face found most heavily in urban environments. This is an event you cannot afford to miss, so mark your calendars for January 17-18 from 1, 3, and 5pm and watch Wiley Brooks lift 1,100 pounds and sign up to begin experiencing the benefits of breatharianism. But hurry fast because space is limited and you will not want to miss this event. To sign up for this even you can call at 1800-Wiley Brooks or Find more information and sign up at WileyBrooksBreathariansim.com
(1) Pg 24 of Steps To Writing Well by Jean Wyrick
Corrosive Anxiety
Daniel Reed
Professor Phebe Shen
English 98 OL
5 March 2009
Corrosive Anxiety
Although it may not be possible to convince society they should stop worrying altogether, there are many considerable reasons why people ought to relax more and worry less. Anxiety, according the World Health organization in their 2007 study discovered that 60% of all countries surveyed, (not including Canada), is the number one health issue humans face1. If unattended to, worry quickly changes over to anxiety, closely followed by a series of chronic illnesses, and finally a lack of productivity all together. Do not think this is something to be concerned about? Think again.
So, what really is worry and why do people do it? Worry, in its simplest form are the feelings all humans face when they realize there are things in their life they cannot control on their own that leaves the person feeling “uncertain” what is around the corner. It usually starts with a simple thought like, “I hope I did ok” or a question like, “do I look alright?” More often than not, these questions are unavoidable and the feeling of fear or concern about a situation passes once the situation that sparked the worry ends2. According to the Bible, the history of worry dates back to the beginning of creation when the serpent, God’s craftiest of creatures, tempted Adam and Eve and God’s authority was tested:
“Did God really say ‘you must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” the serpent inquired.
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil3.”
When the serpent challenged Eve about what was right, uncertainty lurched into motion. Worry entered the picture because trust was challenged from the serpents lie. Worry, more than anything is a questioning of trust, sparked from uncertainty. By itself, it is not much more than an uncomfortable feeling due to doubt. It gets a person in trouble though, when they begin to dwell on the doubt and take matters into their own hands without first checking to see if the “obstacle” or thing challenged is true.
Anxiety, “worry in action”4, really is what caused Adam and Eve’s downfall and many others after them. When they allowed doubt to enter their minds, they then took matters into their own hands. That worry enticed them to go other step further and eat the forbidden fruit because they wanted to know for themselves rather than trusting God’s authority. Anxiety grows when people stop worrying over if they did well or if they look nice and they start to dwell on their worries. The uncertainty of “not knowing” causes people to convince themselves they did lousy, and they change their outfit half a dozen times wanting to make sure no one possibly could tell them they did not look nice.
Some people argue that some anxiety is good for you5. Taking matters into your own hands forces a person to be on top of their game and prevents a person from being taken advantage of or a company to go out of business because they did not keep up with the trends. Moving into action when uncertain shows taking initiative to find out what the “problem” is. All these may be true, but the negative effects of anxiety far outweigh its positive. Anxiety stabs people in the back because it does not trust. It makes people zip through traffic lanes so they will not be late, endangering the lives of others by reckless driving. A good way to describe anxiety is a “nagging worry”6. “Anxiety bubbles beneath the surface, like a pot simmering on the stove, silent and potentially corrosive over time. And it can be hidden under the shell of a highly functional person7.”
Though it may not show symptoms like depression or someone who struggles with an addiction, anxiety cunningly enslaves the mind and If it is not controlled, it self-defeats the person from the inside out. Maybe at first it seems harmless, but when it matures, it becomes a deadly disorder. One of its greatest tactics is to convince its “subject” that admitting to fear or anxiety is a sign of weakness8. The person finds them self in constant worry. Their brain will not shut off. “What if” questions plague their minds at all hours9. As a result, Anxiety disorder not only plagues the mind, but it takes over your whole body. When a person cannot turn off their brain, how can they expect to sleep? Fascinating studies show how one poor night of sleep greatly reduces a person’s ability to think, cuts down on the body’s ability to heal itself, and new studies linked increase in obesity to improper rest10.When the body does not get proper rest, the body goes into sleep deprivation, which eventually leads to sleep insomnia or other sleep disorders11. In addition, sleep deprivation is only one of many chronic illnesses or health problems. Some quickly mentioned are Chronic Stress12 (a person can only imagine what kind of affect that would have on the body), Fatigue13 (the body drags all day long), Depression (along with increase suicidal thoughts14), increased sensitivity to allergies15, lack of sexual interest16, greater risk of diabetes17, and many more. As anyone can see, anxiety is not a friendly lifestyle to live. Unfortunately, the racing mind and increased risk of numerous other health problems is not the worst of the problems.
Above all else, anxiety’s worst trick yet is to cause anyone it its path a lack of productivity. It sucks the joy out of life and limits what a person physically and mentally can do without the help of others. Though certainly not all chronic illnesses are caused by anxiety, in a 2003 study, the U.S. spent nearly $277 Billion on health treatments and lost over $1.1 trillion in lack of productivity because workers were off work or could not perform affectively. By 2023, if nothing changes, it is estimated that the U.S. will lose and average of $4.2 trillion, and by 2050… nearly $6 trillion, not total, but yearly18! If it is not prevalent that chronic illnesses plays a significant role in the U.S. deficit, maybe anyone who argues needs their heads examined to see if they don’t have a mental health issue themselves. Although anxiety cannot be blamed for all of this loss of productivity, anxiety certainly is not helping make things better.
Because anxiety plays such a negative role not only in physical well being, mental health, but also in the economic downfall of the world, there is only one conclusion, stop anxiety. Easier said than done right? What in life is not? The first step to conquering anxiety is admitting there is a problem in the first place and turning for help. This helps fight anxieties lie that admitting for help is wrong. There is not a person on this planet that is perfect 100% of the time. Everyone needs help and there is nothing wrong with that. It is wise for a person to dwell in their problem or solve it? If the answer is not obvious to the struggler, waiting around doesn’t make the problem better. Turn for help. The next step in the right direction is facing up to the things in life that cause the anxiety in the first place. Many people turn to medication19, reading books20, unfortunately even harmful drugs to escape and get your mind off of life and relieve stress, but all those things only avoid the problem not solve it. Face up to the anxiety. Many times anxiety is a hereditary thing that plagues generation after generation21. Not only does avoiding the problem hinder the struggler, but it also teaches their children to fall into the same trap. Learning to catch the symptoms of anxiety before they start and break generational habits is the only healthy solution. If people could learn how to stop worrying altogether though, that would be even better.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Works Cited
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1524873421&sid=11&Fmt=3&clientId=8125&RQT=309&VName=PQD
1. 2007 Study
2. Worry usually ends
4. “Worry in Action”
5. Anxiety good for you (argument)
7. “Anxiety bubbles beneath…”
8. Sign of weakness
9. What if questions
13. Fatigue
21. Anxiety/Generational
(Bible) Genesis 3:1-5
3: Adam and Eve Quote
New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary Vol. 1
1987 Edition, Lexicon publications inc. N.Y.
6. “Nagging Worry”
Can’t find my references
10 & 11: Sleep Studies, 13: Diabetes
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1620905091&sid=2&Fmt=3&clientId=8125&RQT=309&VName=PQD
12. Chronic Stress
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1363251731&sid=2&Fmt=3&clientId=8125&RQT=309&VName=PQD
18. 2003 Study
19. Medication
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1563481201&sid=4&Fmt=3&clientId=8125&RQT=309&VName=PQD
20. Reading Books
Professor Phebe Shen
English 98 OL
5 March 2009
Corrosive Anxiety
Although it may not be possible to convince society they should stop worrying altogether, there are many considerable reasons why people ought to relax more and worry less. Anxiety, according the World Health organization in their 2007 study discovered that 60% of all countries surveyed, (not including Canada), is the number one health issue humans face1. If unattended to, worry quickly changes over to anxiety, closely followed by a series of chronic illnesses, and finally a lack of productivity all together. Do not think this is something to be concerned about? Think again.
So, what really is worry and why do people do it? Worry, in its simplest form are the feelings all humans face when they realize there are things in their life they cannot control on their own that leaves the person feeling “uncertain” what is around the corner. It usually starts with a simple thought like, “I hope I did ok” or a question like, “do I look alright?” More often than not, these questions are unavoidable and the feeling of fear or concern about a situation passes once the situation that sparked the worry ends2. According to the Bible, the history of worry dates back to the beginning of creation when the serpent, God’s craftiest of creatures, tempted Adam and Eve and God’s authority was tested:
“Did God really say ‘you must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” the serpent inquired.
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil3.”
When the serpent challenged Eve about what was right, uncertainty lurched into motion. Worry entered the picture because trust was challenged from the serpents lie. Worry, more than anything is a questioning of trust, sparked from uncertainty. By itself, it is not much more than an uncomfortable feeling due to doubt. It gets a person in trouble though, when they begin to dwell on the doubt and take matters into their own hands without first checking to see if the “obstacle” or thing challenged is true.
Anxiety, “worry in action”4, really is what caused Adam and Eve’s downfall and many others after them. When they allowed doubt to enter their minds, they then took matters into their own hands. That worry enticed them to go other step further and eat the forbidden fruit because they wanted to know for themselves rather than trusting God’s authority. Anxiety grows when people stop worrying over if they did well or if they look nice and they start to dwell on their worries. The uncertainty of “not knowing” causes people to convince themselves they did lousy, and they change their outfit half a dozen times wanting to make sure no one possibly could tell them they did not look nice.
Some people argue that some anxiety is good for you5. Taking matters into your own hands forces a person to be on top of their game and prevents a person from being taken advantage of or a company to go out of business because they did not keep up with the trends. Moving into action when uncertain shows taking initiative to find out what the “problem” is. All these may be true, but the negative effects of anxiety far outweigh its positive. Anxiety stabs people in the back because it does not trust. It makes people zip through traffic lanes so they will not be late, endangering the lives of others by reckless driving. A good way to describe anxiety is a “nagging worry”6. “Anxiety bubbles beneath the surface, like a pot simmering on the stove, silent and potentially corrosive over time. And it can be hidden under the shell of a highly functional person7.”
Though it may not show symptoms like depression or someone who struggles with an addiction, anxiety cunningly enslaves the mind and If it is not controlled, it self-defeats the person from the inside out. Maybe at first it seems harmless, but when it matures, it becomes a deadly disorder. One of its greatest tactics is to convince its “subject” that admitting to fear or anxiety is a sign of weakness8. The person finds them self in constant worry. Their brain will not shut off. “What if” questions plague their minds at all hours9. As a result, Anxiety disorder not only plagues the mind, but it takes over your whole body. When a person cannot turn off their brain, how can they expect to sleep? Fascinating studies show how one poor night of sleep greatly reduces a person’s ability to think, cuts down on the body’s ability to heal itself, and new studies linked increase in obesity to improper rest10.When the body does not get proper rest, the body goes into sleep deprivation, which eventually leads to sleep insomnia or other sleep disorders11. In addition, sleep deprivation is only one of many chronic illnesses or health problems. Some quickly mentioned are Chronic Stress12 (a person can only imagine what kind of affect that would have on the body), Fatigue13 (the body drags all day long), Depression (along with increase suicidal thoughts14), increased sensitivity to allergies15, lack of sexual interest16, greater risk of diabetes17, and many more. As anyone can see, anxiety is not a friendly lifestyle to live. Unfortunately, the racing mind and increased risk of numerous other health problems is not the worst of the problems.
Above all else, anxiety’s worst trick yet is to cause anyone it its path a lack of productivity. It sucks the joy out of life and limits what a person physically and mentally can do without the help of others. Though certainly not all chronic illnesses are caused by anxiety, in a 2003 study, the U.S. spent nearly $277 Billion on health treatments and lost over $1.1 trillion in lack of productivity because workers were off work or could not perform affectively. By 2023, if nothing changes, it is estimated that the U.S. will lose and average of $4.2 trillion, and by 2050… nearly $6 trillion, not total, but yearly18! If it is not prevalent that chronic illnesses plays a significant role in the U.S. deficit, maybe anyone who argues needs their heads examined to see if they don’t have a mental health issue themselves. Although anxiety cannot be blamed for all of this loss of productivity, anxiety certainly is not helping make things better.
Because anxiety plays such a negative role not only in physical well being, mental health, but also in the economic downfall of the world, there is only one conclusion, stop anxiety. Easier said than done right? What in life is not? The first step to conquering anxiety is admitting there is a problem in the first place and turning for help. This helps fight anxieties lie that admitting for help is wrong. There is not a person on this planet that is perfect 100% of the time. Everyone needs help and there is nothing wrong with that. It is wise for a person to dwell in their problem or solve it? If the answer is not obvious to the struggler, waiting around doesn’t make the problem better. Turn for help. The next step in the right direction is facing up to the things in life that cause the anxiety in the first place. Many people turn to medication19, reading books20, unfortunately even harmful drugs to escape and get your mind off of life and relieve stress, but all those things only avoid the problem not solve it. Face up to the anxiety. Many times anxiety is a hereditary thing that plagues generation after generation21. Not only does avoiding the problem hinder the struggler, but it also teaches their children to fall into the same trap. Learning to catch the symptoms of anxiety before they start and break generational habits is the only healthy solution. If people could learn how to stop worrying altogether though, that would be even better.
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Works Cited
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1524873421&sid=11&Fmt=3&clientId=8125&RQT=309&VName=PQD
1. 2007 Study
2. Worry usually ends
4. “Worry in Action”
5. Anxiety good for you (argument)
7. “Anxiety bubbles beneath…”
8. Sign of weakness
9. What if questions
13. Fatigue
21. Anxiety/Generational
(Bible) Genesis 3:1-5
3: Adam and Eve Quote
New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary Vol. 1
1987 Edition, Lexicon publications inc. N.Y.
6. “Nagging Worry”
Can’t find my references
10 & 11: Sleep Studies, 13: Diabetes
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1620905091&sid=2&Fmt=3&clientId=8125&RQT=309&VName=PQD
12. Chronic Stress
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1363251731&sid=2&Fmt=3&clientId=8125&RQT=309&VName=PQD
18. 2003 Study
19. Medication
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1563481201&sid=4&Fmt=3&clientId=8125&RQT=309&VName=PQD
20. Reading Books
Intro to "Effectively Summarizing and Paraphrasing"
For my final piece of writing, I choose to include my writing piece out of the class discussion board on summarizing and paraphrasing. In the assignment, the class read two essays recorded in the college textbook, “USA Today: High Schools, Wake UP!”, and “Paul D. Houston’s Opposing View: Reform No Child’s Play”. After reading the essays, the class summarized the first essay and paraphrased the second. Learning how to summarize and paraphrase effectively greatly improved my ability to use research effectively and avoid plagiarism.
Intro to MWA 2, "Agape"
Introduction to MWA 2 Description is an essay written about the Greek word for love, agape (unconditional love) also known as “God’s Love”. This essay explains some of the other Greek words Eros (physical love) and Philia (friendship love), which helps the reader understand just how different God’s unconditional love is from our typical understanding of love. It challenges people to imagine what real love is according to God’s standards. Also it explains how love was lost through selfishness, the polar opposite of love. This paper was one of my favorites because it was something I wanted to share with others as well as learn more about myself. Very few people know where the word love originates from. It explores how the word was used back when the Greek language was widely used.
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