How to Drive a Teacher Crazy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How to Drive a Teacher Crazy - Essay Example If you were the smartest person in the class wouldn't you be teaching instead of learning In order to successfully drive a teacher crazy, therefore, a student must learn the valuable lesson that nothing causes madness in a teacher more than finding out they made the wrong career decision. The single most effective way to drive an algebra teacher crazy is to simply ask one question. This question can be asked, and probably should be asked, regardless of the problem. And that question is this: How can I use this in real life unless I am working for NASA, or as a writer on Futurama This question is guaranteed to drive any teacher of higher mathematics insane because, of course, nobody except rocket scientists or writers of Futurama ever need to know any kind of math beyond addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. By revealing the great secret of math in American education, that roughly .2% ever use this stuff in real life, you can guarantee that you will drive the teacher crazy because you are suggesting that they have wasted their life. A variation on this method of driving a math teacher crazy can be utilized to enforce the insanity of pretty much any other kind of teacher. A dividing line has always existed between what is useful in school and what is useful in life.

Religion interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion interview - Essay Example It happened that she decided to convert from her Baptist faith to Islam, at first because she fell in love with a Muslim boy, and he wanted her to join him in his faith. At first she felt uncomfortable with it, but because she loved him she decided to try it out. She doubted at the time that it would come to a point where she would be convinced to change religions. All she wanted to do was to understand her boyfriend better. At this point, my friend Amber (my friend) explained that she had to move away with her family to a Muslim country, Kuwait, mainly because the family had a chance to be together with their father. Amber’s dad worked as an executive with a Kuwaiti petroleum company. Kuwait is not an exceedingly strict Muslim country, and women could go about in Western clothing and without a veil, as long as they observed modesty and simplicity. Amber never felt any antipathy towards Muslims, although she did feel a cultural gap particularly in the observance of the holidays, such as Ramadan and Eidl Fitr. She just regarded Islam as something separate and distant from her, and had it not been for her boyfriend, she would not have any interest in reading the Quran, or in studying the tenets of this religion which she had always regarded as foreign to her. As it happened, Amber was surprised to find out that much of what Islam was teaching were principles she felt she had no trouble agreeing with. Islam taught moderation in living, doing what is right and just to others, and above all to worship the one true God, the Creator of all that exists. For a while she had struggled with the nature of Jesus Christ, who in Christianity is the Son of God, but in Islam is one among God’s holy prophets. In Islam, the Ultimate Reality is the singularity of the one true God. â€Å"The name ‘Allah’ itself means ‘The’ (‘al-‘) ‘God’ (‘-llah’), and that this

Jesus Galilean Ministry Essay Example for Free

Jesus Galilean Ministry Essay Jesus is the one sent by God the Father from Heaven for purposes of redemption of sin and restoration of the lost glory after the downfall of mankind. The four gospel books brings it forth that He is the promised Messiah whose coming was prophesied by prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 9:1-7 (Brown, 1979). He was brought up and began His ministry in Galilee which comprise of the northern regions of Palestine, Sea of Galilee and west of Jordan (Luke 4:14-15). Before he began his ministry, Jesus underwent various activities in preparation of the public launching of the ministry. Among these things include the baptism in river Jordan by the one known to be the â€Å"Voice of the one calling from the desert, prepare the way of the Lord Messiah†. It is after this baptism when the ministry of John the Baptist is no longer seen further in the bible and also the evidenced infilling of the Holy Spirit which enables Him in the execution of the God’s kingdom work (Niswonger, 1992). Jesus Ministry and God’s Kingdom When among the crowds, Jesus used parables which can be said to be wise twisted phrases of teaching but with hidden meaning like the parable of the Samaritan woman in John 4 (Funk et al, 1998). In all the parables he used, there was an intended message that he wanted drive into the followers and the crowds following him (Thomas Gundry, 1988). Healing of the Blind 0717897758 Among the many teachings offered by Jesus during the ministry is the story of the man born blind but healed on the Sabbath (John 9:1-12). From this story, it is clear that many believed that any deformity in a person was the result of a sin committed. Jesus contradicts this acutely in the story and puts it clear that this was purposeful and intended for reasons of God’s work to be seen. This healing raised a lot of concern from the Pharisees who sought an opportunity to persecute Jesus because of His teachings. The healed man openly declares Jesus as a prophet from God something which does not convince the Pharisees of the origin and mission of Jesus as one sent from the Father (God). The Pharisees go farther to enquire from the man’s parents about whether that man was their son. In fear of being chased out of the synagogues, the parents refer the Pharisees back to the man claiming that he is old enough to explain everything. It also raised a difference among the Pharisees some who claim that He is not from God because He keeps not the Sabbath while others are for the view that he is God sent because no sinner can perform the miracles and wonders he did. This serves to show God’s power and ability through the awaited messiah as well as proving the truth in Jesus’ words that He is sent from God. Jesus and Evil Spirits Demons are also seen to give into the command of the power and authority endowed in Jesus. This is depicted by the outright confession of demons in a man during a visit in the town of Capernaum by Jesus. In this case, the demons cry out in total submission to the authority of Jesus and acknowledge Him as the â€Å"Holy one of God, the Jesus of Nazareth† (Mark 1:24). Jesus is seen to command silence among the demons after which the evil spirits vigorously shake the man to the ground and depart immediately. The command by Jesus upon the evil spirits marks the separation of these spirits and the man. The crowds around also noted a difference and see the teachings of this man (Jesus) as one endowed with authority as opposes to those of the teachers of the law. This information is recorded to reach the whole Galilee as the people saw the truth accompanied with authority in work, something highly opposed by the Pharisees (Niswonger, 1992). This act thus advances the kingdom of God as one with power and authority as well as supreme to all other authorities of evil nature. The Calling of Levi The calling of Levi, a tax collector, is another story that focuses on the ministry of Jesus in the elaboration and nature of the kingdom of God. After his call, Levi follows Jesus and prepares a banquet for Him in his house. The fellow tax collectors also came to dine together with Jesus in Levis’ house. The banquet became another platform of criticism from the Pharisees who saw Him dining with tax collectors for they regarded them as outcasts and non candidates of the kingdom of God (Luke 5:27-31). In knowledge of His reason of coming to the world, Jesus answers them by telling them that it is the sick who consult a doctor and not the healthy. With this, He meant that His coming was not for the righteous and blameless but for those in darkness and wilderness of sin and iniquity (Vs 31). This indicates that Jesus came for purpose of redeeming the lost back to the kingdom of God and everyone is welcome as long as she or he is ready to follow and adhere to His commands (Thomas Gundry, 1988). Conclusion In Galilee, Jesus performed various miracles and wonders as well as teaching the crowds in the temple and synagogues (Niswonger, 1992). His ministry threatened much the Pharisees, Teachers of the law and Sadducees who had a lot of opposition. Despite all these oppositions, Jesus did not stop accomplishing the will of the one who sent Him but rather he sees this as fulfillment of the word of God (John 15:25). The crowds made a clear distinction between the Pharisees and Jesus and many are seen to follow Jesus due to the assistance, help, miracles and wonders He performed. At the end of the ministry, He assigns His disciples with one assignment â€Å"Go to the world and preach the gospel of the Lord and tell the people to denounce their evil ways and follow Gods’ righteous way. Also, they were to baptize all believers in the Trinity way† (Mathew 28:16-20).

Fictional Newspaper Article about Medevial Tournaments -- essays resea

The Medieval Joust This morning I witnessed a tournament held in town. As I was watching I realized that I wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t exactly certain about all the rules. This is why I decided to write this article about the history, rules, and guidelines of this riveting sport. The words "tournament" and "joust" are frequently used interchangeably. Strictly speaking "joust" describes single combat between two horsemen. "Tournament" refers to mounted combat between parties of knights, but also is used to refer to the whole proceeding. The first written tournament guidelines are credited to a Frenchman named Geoffroi de Purelli in 1066. I would have interviewed this man but he was unfortunately killed, ironically in one of these very tournaments for which he made rules. Jousting is a way of gaining respect. It is what is done when there is no war to fight. Jousting is essentially a way of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“playingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? war. Tournaments were, at first, merely battles arranged on some pretext at an appropriate appointment between parties of knights. From these bloody conflicts there developed the tourn... Fictional Newspaper Article about Medevial Tournaments -- essays resea The Medieval Joust This morning I witnessed a tournament held in town. As I was watching I realized that I wasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t exactly certain about all the rules. This is why I decided to write this article about the history, rules, and guidelines of this riveting sport. The words "tournament" and "joust" are frequently used interchangeably. Strictly speaking "joust" describes single combat between two horsemen. "Tournament" refers to mounted combat between parties of knights, but also is used to refer to the whole proceeding. The first written tournament guidelines are credited to a Frenchman named Geoffroi de Purelli in 1066. I would have interviewed this man but he was unfortunately killed, ironically in one of these very tournaments for which he made rules. Jousting is a way of gaining respect. It is what is done when there is no war to fight. Jousting is essentially a way of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“playingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? war. Tournaments were, at first, merely battles arranged on some pretext at an appropriate appointment between parties of knights. From these bloody conflicts there developed the tourn...

The Affect of Aggression on Motivation

Sport psychologists have been becoming increasingly important in the realm of sports; helping athletes in their focus and controlling emotions; such as anxiety. Moreover, they have also become assistants to team organizations In selecting potential players, As previously stated, much research has been completed in an effort to not only increase performance but to also predict future performances. As result, many theories have evolved. These theories range from the achievement goal theory (ACT), to the self determination theory (SDTV), ACT states that an Individual will poses either an ego goal orientation or a task goal orientation.Researchers have examined different aspects of athletes' motivational orientations in hopes to predict a successful performance. Based off this research, it has been shown that when athletes have a high task goal orientation they are more likely to give a successful performance. However, it has been shown that athletes at the elite level of competition pos sess both a high task orientation and ego orientation. This is important to coaches when considering how to motivate players. One motivational tactic that has been heard on the sidelines at sporting events Is the coach telling his players to be aggressive.Moreover, athletes routinely site aggressive play as the factor In a win or loss. In this regard, the focus of this proposed study is to investigate what role aggression has on an athletes' motivational orientation and whether aggression has a positive correlation with performance. Aggression Is seemingly becoming more evident in sports. Moreover, aggression has evolved as a positive attribute In the eyes of athletes and spectators alike, and has earned itself an important role in team sports (Rascal, Coulomb-Cabbage, & Delegate, 2004).However, little research has been conducted on aggression and how TTS manifestation will affect an athlete's performance, or if aggression is more prevalent In one goal orientation over another. To s tudy the occurrence of aggressive behavior, the proposed study will look at athletes In the sport of boxing which is often viewed as a highly aggressive and sometimes barbaric sport. Boxing is 1 OFF play them must also have a certain degree of aggression that motivates them to continue the sport. However, a conceptual definition of aggression is that it is a negative personality trait that is connected with sport participation (Keller, 2004).Aggression has been further broken down into two categories; hostile and instrumental. Hostile aggression is defined as behavior that is performed with the sole intention of inflicting harm on a person and is seen as being an emotional response out of frustration or anger; while instrumental is considered non-emotional and is behavior that intentionally causes injury or harm to an opponent in the pursuit of another non-aggressive goal such as scoring or winning (Rascal, Coulomb- Cabbage, ; Delegate, 2004).With this in mind, this study will also measure assertiveness; which is defined as a non-hostile, non-coercive tendency to behave with intense and energetic behavior to accomplish one's goal, and within the sport setting is within the rules of competition. Assertiveness will primarily be included because the primary goal in boxing is to inflict injury or harm on an opponent. This study will also measure the goal orientations of the athletes. Previous studies have shown that when athletes have a high ego low task orientation they are more prone to aggression and a win at all cost mentality (Rascal, Coulomb-Cabbage, & Delegate, 2004).Therefore, it is hypothesized that 1) the goal orientation of the boxers will be influenced by the level of aggressiveness or assertiveness 2) aggression will be correlated with a high ego-orientation and assertiveness will be correlated with a task-orientation 3) assertiveness will have a positive correlation with performance and aggression will have a negative correlation with performance 4) assertiveness will be viewed and considered to be aggression by the athletes in the study. Method The design of this study will be non-experimental and will utilize surveys and researcher observation.The study will have two independent variables, aggression and assertion; and three dependent variables, task-orientation, ego-orientation and performance. Performance will be Judged by a win or loss. Aggressive behavior will be considered illegal blows. This will include low blows, kidney punches, rabbit punches (punches to the back of the head), hitting on the break (when the referee calls a halt to the action), hitting an opponent while down on a knee, and excessive holding. Assertive behavior will be pressing the action, and a high volume of punchers thrown (>50 punches/round).The distinction between aggression and assertiveness will not be made to the athletes and will be used as criterion for observers when rating the performance of the athlete. The participants in the study will b e 30 active professional (n=10) and amateur (n=20) boxers between the ages of 18 and 25. Active participation will be defined as having at least one fight 2 months prior to the study and the subjects must have a fight scheduled to take place during the study. Participants will receive information on the parameters of the study and will be informed that all data collected will be anonymous.In addition written onset will be obtained by all subjects. The subjects will complete surveys that will rate the performance of their last competition, goal orientation, aggression, and assertiveness. The outcome of their last competition (whether the athlete won or loss) and demographic information will also be used in the data analysis. To assess developed by Roberts and Plague will be used. This scale has shown both reliability and validity for assessing task and ego goal orientations. Aggression will be measured in two ways; first, the subjects' global aggression will be assessed by the Buss-D arker Hostility Inventory (BID) scale.This will be used to see if aggression is a core trait of the athlete. Questions are answered either true or false and indicate whether the actions described are thought to be self-descriptive; and second, the subjects' situation-specific or sport aggression will be measured with the BAG-S scale. This is a 30 item inventory that measures both hostile and instrumental aggression. It uses a 4-point Liker scale with 1 being strong agreement and 4 being strong disagreement. To assess assertiveness, the Rather Assertiveness Schedule (RASA) will be used.This is a 30-item questionnaire that measures perceived assertiveness. It uses a six point scale that ranges from 3 to -3; with 3 being very characteristic of me and -3 being very uncharacteristic. Additionally observers will measure the subjects' level of aggression and assertion during competition using a 4- point Liker scales with 1 being very aggressive and very assertive and 4 being little aggress ion and little assertion. Analysis Analysis of the data will be conducted using several methods. For assessing the levels of aggression and assertion on performance the Pearson Correlation Coefficient will be used.

Induction for new Social Care Workers in adult social care Essay

It is vital that diversity, equality, inclusion and discrimination is understood and adhered to at all times as a social care worker. By this we mean treating everyone equal no matter what their race, gender, religious views, ability, culture, age or appearance. We expect Service Users to be included in events and not excluded because of a disability or any other reason. We expect EVERY Service User to be treated fairly and equally. If the above standards are not adhered to our Service Users will not trust you as an individual, they will not trust us as a company and they will feel excluded and let down by you and could not trust you or our company again. We deal with the most vulnerable people of society and it is vitally important to not discriminate these people, they need your trust, they need your confidentiality, they need to be treated equally, THEY NEED YOU. They do not want to be excluded, they do not want to get low self-esteem because of your actions, they do not want to be judged by you or anyone else. For example, we had a new Social Care Worker who wanted to take our Service User to her local shop where she had not been for a few years because of a sudden disability. Upon arrival at the shop she could not gain access because there was no ramp to push the wheelchair up. Our Social Care Worker spoke to the shop keeper explaining that her Service User would very much like to shop their but felt excluded because she couldn’t access the shop. The shop keeper remembered the Service User and had missed her coming to the shop and didn’t realise how difficult it would be for disabled people to gain access to the shop. A few weeks later he had built a ramp for wheelchair access and re-arranged the shop to make wider aisles. The Service User was able to be included as any other person would be now, when shopping in her local shop and the shop keeper was happy to help. We also require our Social Care Workers to support others in promoting diversity, equality and inclusion, we will provide full training and support but it is down to you as an individual to support others. We expect you to share your knowledge and experiences with our other Care Workers to promote diversity, equality and inclusion. You will have regular performance reviews and you can pass on your ideas, examples and experiences then, or whenever you like by just contacting us.

Suicide Among African Americans Today Essays

Suicide Among African Americans Today Essays Suicide Among African Americans Today Essay Suicide Among African Americans Today Essay Suicide Among African Americans Today I ask myself, â€Å"What is something that has an effect on African Americans today? † After days of much thought and coming up with nothing I said, â€Å"Well, I’m an African American†¦ What’s something that has been effecting my life? † SUICIDE†¦ Whether it be committed or attempted, suicide is something that I see to be a growing issue among the African American culture. I believe this to be brought on by either 1. Depression 2. Fear or 3. Mental Illness Suicide a hidden crisis that is taking the lives of more African Americans today than ever. Nearly a million people worldwide commit suicide each year, with anywhere from 10 to 20 million suicide attempts annually. About 30,000 people reportedly kill themselves each year in the united States. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in males and the 6th leading cause of death in females. It is the third leading cause of death for people 10 to 24 years of age. Suicide is a taboo subject among many cultures, but the denial of mental health disorders runs rampant among African Americans. Between 1980 and 1995, the suicide rate of black males doubled to about eight deaths per 100,000 people. The authors of a new book are uncovering an unspoken crisis in the African American community. Amy Alexander, author of Lay My Burden Down was just a teenager when her brother Carl took his own life. Still reeling from the tragedy, Amy teamed up with renowned Harvard psychiatrist Alvin Poussaint to dispel the myths of suicide among the black community. It is very much a misperception that black people dont commit suicide and that comes in part from a need the very real and legitimate need for black people for many years to be very strong, says Alexander. They see mental disorder and depression as a sign of personal weakness or moral failure, says psychiatrist Alvin Poussaint, M. D. of the Harvard Medical School. The suicide rate among black men has doubled since 1980 making suicide the third leading cause of death for black men between the ages 15 and 24. Poussaint calls his own brothers death from heroin abuse a slow form of suicide. Psychologists and psychiatrists have to pay atten tion to those types of behaviors and look at them in a context in the same way they would look at someone who, in fact, was depressed or maybe suicidal, says Poussaint. Like others, African Americans may display depression through physical symptoms like headaches and stomachaches and may complain of an aching misery. There must be an increased awareness about the unique aspects of mental health in black Americans. Doctor Poussaint says one reason African-Americans may not seek out professional help is because only about 2. 3% of all psychiatrists in the United States are African American. Amy feels its important that culturally sensitive training become a part of the standard mental healthcare education process. She emphasizes mental health problems are often physically related and can be treated through talk therapy or through medication. Between 1980 and 1995, the suicide rate among black men doubled to nearly 8 deaths per 100,000 people. Suicide is now the third leading cause of death among black men between the ages of 15 and 24. Despite this increase in numbers, the topic of suicide is still considered taboo. While this is true nationwide among all groups, Alvin Poussaint, M. D. , a Harvard psychiatrist, says the stigma is even stronger in the black community. One problem, he says, is the stigma associated with depression itself. More than 60 percent of black individuals dont see depression as a mental illness, which makes it unlikely they will seek help for it. Dr. Poussaint says it goes back to the days when blues music was invented as a way to sing about pain and distress. He says blacks just consider it part of life. He also says blacks pride themselves on being strong after surviving 250 years of slavery and years of segregation and discrimination. Depression, then, is seen as a sign of weakness. Dr. Poussaint says the first step to help is public awareness. He says, You cant prevent illness or suicide if you dont talk about it and gain some knowledge about it. Along with this, he says education about the warning signs of suicide is needed. These signs include: irritability, changes in appetite, changes in sleep habits, headaches, stomach aches, pain all over, sadness that continues for up to a month, spontaneous crying, social withdrawal , a loss of interest in activities and things once considered enjoyable. Dr. Poussaint also talks about what he calls slow suicide. This is other self- destructive behavior that can accompany depression. This includes drug addiction, alcohol addiction, gang involvement, and other high-risk behaviors. The effects of suicidal behavior or completed suicide on friends and family members are often devastating. Individuals who lose a loved one from suicide are more at risk for becoming preoccupied with the reason for the suicide while wanting to deny or hide the cause of death, wondering if they could have prevented it, feeling blamed for the problems that preceded the suicide, feeling rejected by their loved one, and stigmatized by others. Survivors may experience a great range of conflicting emotions about the deceased, feeling everything from intense sadness about the loss, helpless to prevent it, longing for the person they lost, anger at the deceased for taking their own life if the suicide took place after years of physical or mental illness in their loved one. This is quite understandable given that the person they are grieving is at the same time the victim and the perpetrator of the fatal act. The effects of suicidal behavior or completed suicide on friends and family members are often devastating. Individuals who lose a loved one from suicide (suicide survivors) are more at risk for becoming preoccupied with the reason for the suicide while wanting to deny or hide the cause of death, wondering if they could have prevented it, feeling blamed for the problems that preceded the suicide, feeling rejected by their loved one, and stigmatized by others. Survivors may experience a great range of conflicting emotions about the deceased, feeling everything from intense sadness about the loss, helpless to prevent it, longing for the person they lost, anger at the deceased for taking their own life to relief if the suicide took place after years of physical or mental illness in their loved one. This is quite understandable given that the person they are grieving is at the same time the victim and the perpetrator of the fatal act. Individuals left behind by the suicide of a loved one tend to experience complicated grief in reaction to that loss. Symptoms of grief that may be experienced by suicide survivors include intense emotion and longings for the deceased, severely intrusive thoughts about the lost loved one, extreme feelings of isolation and emptiness, avoiding doing things that bring back memories of the departed, new or worsened sleeping problems, and having no interest in activities that the sufferer used to enjoy. Life circumstances that may immediately precede someone committing suicide include the time period of at least a week after discharge from a psychiatric hospital or a sudden change in how the person appears to feel (for example, much worse or much better). An example of a possible trigger (precipitant) for suicide is a real or imagined loss, like the breakup of a romantic relationship, moving, loss (especially if by suicide) of a friend, loss of freedom, or loss of other privileges. Firearms are by far the most common means by which people take their life, accounting for nearly 60% of suicide deaths per year. Older people are more likely to kill themselves using a firearm compared to younger people. Some individuals commit suicide by threatening police officers, sometimes even with an unloaded gun or a fake weapon. That is commonly referred to as suicide by cop. Although firearms are the most common way people complete suicide, trying to overdose on medication is the most common way people attempt to kill themselves. What are the risk factors and protective factors for suicide? Ethnically, the highest suicide rates in the United States occur in non-Hispanic whites and in Native Americans. The lowest rates are in non-Hispanic blacks, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. Former Eastern bloc countries currently have the highest suicide rates worldwide, while South America has the lowest. Geographical patterns of suicides are such that individuals who live in a rural area versus urban area and the western United States versus the eastern United States are at higher risk for killing themselves. The majority of suicide completions take place during the spring. In most countries, women continue to attempt suicide more often, but men tend to complete suicide more often. Although the frequency of suicides for young adults has been increasing in recent years, elderly Caucasian males continue to have the highest suicide rate. Other risk factors for taking ones life include single marital status, unemployment, low income, mental illness, a history of being physically or sexually abused, a personal history of suicidal thoughts, threats or behaviors, or a family history of attempting suicide. Data regarding mental illnesses as risk factors indicate that depression, manic depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, eating disorders, and severe anxiety increase the probability of suicide attempts and completions. Nine out of 10 people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental illness and up to three out of four individuals who take their own life had a physical illness when they committed suicide. Behaviors that tend to be linked with suicide attempts and completions include violence against others and self-mutilation, like slitting ones wrists or other body parts, or burning oneself. Generally, the absence of mental illness, including substance abuse, as well as the presence of a strong social support system, decrease the likelihood that a person will kill him- or herself. Having children who are younger than 18 years of age also tends to be a protective factor against mothers committing suicide. Warning signs that an individual is imminently planning to kill themselves may include the person making a will, getting his or her affairs in order, suddenly visiting friends or family members (one last time), buying instruments of suicide like a gun, hose, rope or medications, a sudden and significant decline or improvement in mood, or writing a suicide note. Contrary to popular belief, many people who complete suicide do not tell any mental-health professional they plan to kill themselves in the months before they do so. If they communicate their plan to anyone, it is more likely to be someone with whom they are personally close, like a friend or family member. Individuals who take their lives tend to suffer from severe anxiety, symptoms of which may include moderate alcohol abuse, insomnia, severe agitation, loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy (anhedonia), hopelessness, and persistent thoughts about the possibility of something bad happening. Since suicidal behaviors are often quite impulsive, removing firearms, medications, knives, and other instruments people often use to kill themselves can allow the individual time to think more clearly and perhaps choose a more rational way of coping with their pain. The assessment for suicidal thoughts and behaviors performed by mental-health professionals often involves an evaluation of the presence, severity, and duration of suicidal thoughts in the individuals they treat as part of a comprehensive evaluation of the persons mental health. Therefore, in addition to asking questions about family mental-health history and about the symptoms of a variety of emotional problems (for example, anxiety, depression, mood swings, bizarre thoughts, substance abuse, eating disorders, and any history of being traumatized), practitioners frequently ask the people they evaluate about any past or present suicidal thoughts, intent, and plans. If the individual has ever attempted suicide, the circumstances surrounding the attempt, as well as the level of dangerousness of the method and the outcome of the attempt, may be explored. Any other history of violent behavior might be evaluated. The persons current circumstances, like recent stressors (for example, end of a relationship, family problems), sources of support, and accessibility of weapons are often probed. What treatment the person may be receiving and how he or she has responded to treatment recently and in the past, are other issues mental-health professionals tend to explore during an evaluation. Sometimes professionals assess suicide risk by using an assessment scale. One such scale is called the SAD PERSONS Scale, which identifies risk factors for suicide as follows: Sex (male) Age younger than 19 or older than 45 years of age Depression (severe enough to be considered clinically significant) Previous suicide attempt or received mental-health services of any kind Excessive alcohol or drug use Rational thinking lost Separated, divorced, or widowed (or other ending of significant relationship) Organized suicide plan or serious attempt No or little social support Sickness or chronic medical illness Those who treat people who attempt suicide tend to adapt immediate treatment to the persons individual needs. Those who have a responsive and intact family, good friendships, generally good social supports, and who are hopeful and have a desire to resolve conflicts may need only a brief crisis-oriented intervention. However, those who have made previous attempts, have shown a high degree of intent to kill themselves, seem to be suffering from either severe depression or other mental illness, are abusing alcohol or other drugs, have trouble controlling their impulses, or have families who are unwilling to commit to counseling are at higher risk and may need psychiatric hospitalization and long-term mental-health services. Suicide prevention measures that are put in place following a psychiatric hospitalization usually involve mental-health professionals trying to implement a comprehensive outpatient treatment plan prior to the individual being discharged. This is all the more important since many people fail to comply with outpatient therapy after leaving the hospital. It is often recommended that all firearms be removed from the home, because the individual may still find access to guns stored in their home, even if locked. It is further often recommended that potentially lethal medication be locked up as a result of the attempt. Vigorous treatment of the underlying psychiatric disorder is important in decreasing short-term and long-term risk. Contracting with the person against suicide has not been shown to be especially effective in preventing suicidal behavior, but the technique may still be helpful in assessing risk since refusal to agree to refrain from harming oneself or to fail to agree to tell a specified person may indicate an intent to harm oneself. Talk therapy that focuses on helping the person understand how their thoughts and behaviors affect each other (cognitive behavioral therapy) has been found to be an effective treatment for many people who struggle with thoughts of harming themselves. School intervention programs in which teens are given support and educated about the risk factors, symptoms, and ways to manage suicidal thoughts in themselves and how to engage adults when they or a peer expresses suicidal thinking have been found to decrease the number of times teens report attempting suicide. Although concerns have been raised about the possibility that antidepressant medications increase the frequency of suicide attempts, mental-health professionals try to put those concerns in the context of the need to treat the severe emotional problems that are usually associated with attempting suicide and the fact that the number of suicides that are completed by mentally ill individuals seems to decrease with treatment. The effectiveness of medication treatment for depression in teens is supported by the research, particularly when medication is combined with psychotherapy. In fact, concern has been expressed that the reduction of antidepressant prescribing since the Food and Drug Administration required warning labels be placed on these medications may be related to the 18. 2% increase in U. S. youth suicides from 2003 to 2004 after a decade of steady decrease. Mood-stabilizing medications like lithium (Lithobid), as well as medications that address bizarre thinking and/or severe anxiety, like clozapine (Clozaril), have also been found to decrease the likelihood of individuals killing themselves. Suggestions for helping people survive suicidal thinking include engaging the help of a doctor or other health professional, a spiritual advisor, or by immediately going to the closest emergency room or mental-health crisis center. In order to prevent acting on thoughts of self-harm, it is often suggested that individuals who have experienced suicidal thinking keep a written or mental list of people to call in the event that suicidal thoughts come back. Other strategies include having someone hold all medications to prevent overdose, removing knives, guns and other weapons from the home, scheduling stress-relieving activities every day, getting together with others to prevent isolation, writing down feelings, including positive ones, and avoiding the use of alcohol or other drugs. Grief that is associated with the suicide of a loved one presents intense and unique challenges. In addition to the already significant pain endured by anyone that loses a loved one, suicide survivors may feel guilty about having not been able to prevent their loved one from killing themselves and the myriad of conflicting emotions already discussed. Friends and family may be more likely to experience regret about whatever conflicts or other problems they had in their relationship with the deceased, and they may even feel guilty about living while their loved one is not. Therefore, individuals who lose a loved one from suicide are more at risk for becoming preoccupied with the reason for the suicide while wanting to deny or hide the cause of death, wondering if they could have prevented it, feeling blamed for the problems that preceded the suicide, feeling rejected by their loved one and stigmatized by others. Some self-help techniques for coping with the suicide of a loved one include avoiding isolation by staying involved with others, sharing the experience by joining a support group or keeping a journal, thinking of ways to handle it when other life experiences trigger painful memories about the loss, understanding that getting better involves feeling better some days and worse on other days, resisting pressure to get over the loss, and the suicide survivors doing what is right for them in their efforts to recover. Generally, coping tips for grieving a death through suicide are nearly as different and numerous as there are bereaved individuals. The bereaved individuals caring for him- or herself through continuing nutritious and regular eating habits and getting extra rest can help strengthen their ability to endure this very difficult event. Quite valuable tips for journaling as an effective way of managing bereavement rather than just stirring up painful feelings are provided by the Center for Journal Therapy. While encouraging those who choose to write a journal to apply no strict rules to the process, some of the ideas encouraged include limiting the time journaling to 15 minutes per day or less to decrease the likelihood of worsening grief, writing how one imagines his or her life will be a year from the date of the suicide, and clearly identifying feelings to allow for easier tracking of the individuals grief process. To help children and adolescents cope emotionally with the suicide of a friend or family member, it is important to ensure they receive consistent caretaking and frequent interaction with supportive adults. All children and teens can benefit from being reassured they did not cause their loved one to kill themselves, going a long way toward lessening the developmentally appropriate tendency children and adolescents have for blaming themselves and any angry feelings they may have harbored against their lost loved one for the suicide. For school-aged and older children, appropriate participation in school, social, and extracurricular activities is necessary to a successful resolution of grief. For adolescents, maintaining positive relationships with peers becomes important in helping teens figure out how to deal with a loved ones taking their own life. Depending on the adolescent, they even may find interactions with peers and family more helpful than formal sources of support like their school counselor. How to best assess the risk of someone committing suicide continues to be an elusive challenge for health professionals, so its an appropriate goal for future research. The best way to achieve the balance between using psychiatric medication to treat any underlying conditions that may result in suicidal thoughts and the potential side effects of those medications is an ongoing issue in suicide prevention. Techniques for coping with the suicide of a loved one include nutritious eating, getting extra rest, talking to others about the experience, thinking of ways to handle painful memories, understanding their state of mind will vary, resisting pressure to grieve by any one elses time table, and survivors doing what is right for them. To help children and adolescents cope with the suicide of a loved one it is important to ensure they receive consistent caretaking, frequent interaction with supportive adults, and understanding of their feelings as they relate to their age.