Biology 202 Web Paper 2

The Concept of Disability

Or, perceiving our differences 

Dizziness. Mania. Insomnia. Fatigue. These could all present, without great surprise, as symptoms a psychiatric disorder such as major depression or bipolar disorder. A common cause for concern about health care providers and patients alike, however, is the association of these symptoms not with depressive illnesses but with withdrawal from antidepressants. Sometimes called SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome or Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome, many users of pharmacological drugs have experienced a disorder characterized by the prevalence of a wide variety of symptoms at the time when a short-half-life

Imagine a room full of people sitting quietly at their desks and suddenly laughing one after another for no apparent reason or picture a large congregation of people in the middle of a park laughing in a circle. As uncanny as it may seem, this is happening all over the world. Recently, scientists have begun paying more attention to Laughing Therapy and its psychological and physiological effect on humans. Studies have shown that laughter, or even the anticipation of a merry experience increases health-protecting hormones while reducing stress hormones. Although additional research is needed, there is strong evidence that Laughing Therapy is beneficial to patients and could be used to in addition to standard procedure.

Conscious Children: A Brief Look at Hydranencephaly

Web Paper #2

      There are millions of children all around the world who are affected by dyslexia. Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability where people who are affected by this disorder often have trouble with spelling, reading, word pronunciation, writing, and may have complications with math. Since the brain is the control center for the nervous system, it is responsible for our behavior. The brain receives input from all of our senses, and allows us to decipher what it taking place around us. What happens with dyslexia is that it takes the messages the brain receives from what one hears and sees and mixes the signals or information around, which in turn causes confusion.

Molly Pieri
April 6, 2008
Mind-Body Dualism/Unity in Medicine