- Table View
- List View
The Science and Pseudoscience of Children's Mental Health: Cutting Edge Research and Treatment (Childhood in America)
by Editor Sharna OlfmanThis book explains how studies in brain development and epigenetics—the inextricable interplay of genes and environments—have led to breakthroughs in the understanding of children's psychological disturbances and serve to discredit the scientifically unsupported "chemical imbalance theory" of mental illness.Intended for mental health practitioners, concerned parents, and child advocates alike, this book presents a powerful new paradigm for understanding the causes of children's psychological disturbances—and as a result, the proper treatment of these symptoms. Based in cutting-edge research on the developing brain and epigenetics, this important volume serves to inform readers about the latest scientific conclusions and clinical practices that need to supplant pervasive and often dangerous drug prescriptions to millions of children.Sharna Olfman, PhD, and contributors including leading researchers, clinicians, and childhood advocates present their research findings and explain the implications for treatment of a range of symptoms, including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), concussion syndromes, and mood disorders. The book definitively lays to rest the "chemical imbalance theory" of mental illness, a theory that has been roundly discredited by the scientific community but kept alive by the pharmaceutical industry. Chapters focus on the real science of epigenetics and the sensitivity of the developing brain to environmental influences such as trauma and chemical toxins—legitimate research findings that are largely ignored by mental health practitioners and rarely influence practice.
Science and the World's Religions [3 volumes]: [3 volumes] (Brain, Behavior, and Evolution)
by Patrick McNamara and Wesley J. WildmanThis trio of volumes contains essays that explore vital existential, moral, or metaphysical issues surrounding the relationship between the sciences and the world's religions.In Science and the World's Religions, experts with scientific and religious backgrounds explore vital existential or practical issues, drawing on whatever sciences are relevant and engaging at least two religious traditions. The multidisciplinary essays exhibit rigorous intellectual, scholarly thinking but are written to clearly communicate to educated adult lay readers. The first volume addresses questions about the origins and purpose of the cosmos and the human project. The second volume investigates the roles of religion and spirituality in human existence, considering issues ranging from the brain and religious experience to the human life cycle. The third volume tackles controversies in which both religion and science are stakeholders, showing how both can deepen understanding and enrich human experience. Together, these three books present readers with powerful tools that enable them to think through the challenge of integrating science with their religious beliefs and spiritual practices.
Scientific Advances in Positive Psychology
by Meg A. Warren and Stewart I. Donaldson, EditorsThis book examines the range of new theories, research, and applications in the most generative areas of positive psychology, at the dawn of a new wave of positive psychology scholarship—one that is increasingly sensitive to real-world issues, adversity, culture, and context.In the 17 years since the inception of the movement, the field of positive psychology has grown tremendously and inspired research and practice across a range of sub-areas. Scientific Advances in Positive Psychology showcases the wide range of new theories, research, applications, and explorations in what can be termed "the next wave of positive psychology," presenting novel findings and theories that acknowledge and mainstream sensitivity to real-world issues, adversity, culture, and context, in fresh new ways.The contributors to the work—among the best known and most experienced in the field—trace the growth of new developments in each of the key foci of positive psychology, including happiness, character strengths, and gratitude, and document the latest research, theory, and applications. The volume focuses on the contributions and development of positive psychology sub-fields, such as positive organizational psychology and positive youth development, as well as their primary application areas, such as positive education.
Scientology in Popular Culture: Influences and Struggles for Legitimacy
by Stephen A. Kent and Susan RaineThis multidisciplinary study of Scientology examines the organization and the controversies around it through the lens of popular culture, referencing movies, television, print, and the Internet—an unusual perspective that will engage a wide range of readers and researchers.For more than 60 years, Scientology has claimed alternative religious status with a significant number of followers, despite its portrayals in popular culture domains as being bizarre. What are the reasons for the vital connections between Scientology and popular culture that help to maintain or challenge it as an influential belief system? This book is the first academic treatment of Scientology that examines the movement in a popular-culture context from the perspective of several Western countries. It documents how the attention paid to Scientology by high-profile celebrities and its mention in movies, television, and print as well as on the Internet results in millions of people being aware of the organization—to the religious organization's benefit and detriment.The book leads with a background on Scientology and a discussion of science fiction concepts, pulps, and movies. The next section examines Scientology's ongoing relationship with the Hollywood elite, including the group's use of celebrities in its drug rehabilitation program, and explores movies and television shows that contain Scientology themes or comedic references. Readers will learn about how the Internet and the mainstream media of the United States as well as of Australia, Germany, and the UK have regarded Scientology. The final section investigates the music and art of Scientology.
Seeking the Sacred with Psychoactive Substances [2 volumes]: Chemical Paths to Spirituality and to God [2 volumes] (Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality)
by J. Harold EllensCan drugs be used intelligently and responsibly to expand human consciousness and heighten spirituality? This two-volume work presents objective scientific information and personal stories aiming to answer the question.The first of its kind, this intriguing two-volume set objectively reports on and assesses this modern psycho-social movement in world culture: the constructive medical use of entheogens and related mind-altering substances. Covering the use of substances such as ayahuasca, cannabis, LSD, peyote, and psilocybin, the work seeks to illuminate the topic in a scholarly and scientific fashion so as to lift the typical division between those who are supporters of research and exploration of entheogens and those who are strongly opposed to any such experimentation altogether. The volumes address the history and use of mind-altering drugs in medical research and religious practice in the endeavor to expand and heighten spirituality and the sense of the divine, providing unbiased coverage of the relevant arguments and controversies regarding the subject matter. Chapters include examinations of how psychoactive agents are used to achieve altered states in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism as well as in the rituals of shamanism and other less widely known faiths. This highly readable work will appeal to everyone from high school students to seasoned professors, in both the secular world and in devoted church groups and religious colleges.
Self-Injury: Your Questions Answered (Q&A Health Guides)
by Romeo VitelliThis book provides an introduction to the topic of self-injury as it relates to teens and young adults. The information, guidance, and resources offered make it a valuable tool for anyone whose life has been impacted by self-injury.Regardless of the form it takes, self-injury can leave lasting physical and emotional scars on both those who harm themselves and their friends and family. Part of Greenwood's Q&A Health Guides series, Self-Injury: Your Questions Answered provides clear, concise information for readers interested in or struggling with this often-misunderstood subject. It explores the causes and consequences of self-injury, treatment options that make use of therapy and medication, and the role that popular culture and the media have in shaping our understanding of these behaviors. Each book in this series follows a reader-friendly question-and-answer format that anticipates readers' needs and concerns. Prevalent myths and misconceptions are identified and dispelled, and a collection of case studies illustrates key concepts and issues through relatable stories and insightful recommendations. The book also includes a section on health literacy, equipping teens and young adults with practical tools and strategies for finding, evaluating, and using credible sources of health information both on and off the Internet—important skills that contribute to a lifetime of healthy decision-making.
Sex and Gender: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)
by David E. NewtonGeared toward high school students, undergraduate students, and general readers, this reference work provides a thorough and unbiased treatment of sex, gender, and transgenderism—social issues of particular importance in today's world.Sex and Gender: A Reference Handbook is a single-volume book that introduces a variety of personal, social, political, and ethical issues of concern to every young adult in the United States today. Written in a style that is accessible and engaging for student readers and researchers, this book examines subjects that are rarely discussed for readers of this age group, providing authoritative information on topics such as gender roles, gender development, and gender inequality; body image; sexual differentiation in humans; the range of human affectional expression; sex education; and LGBT discrimination.Readers of this reference book will examine a number of important current issues relating to sex and gender, such as transgenderism, gender dysphoria, same-sex attraction, the development of gender roles, the changing perspectives on these topics, and other controversial and unresolved issues in American society today. The book also includes a Data and Documents chapter that contains laws, courts cases, and other primary documents that relate to current issues involving sex and gender.
Encyclopedia of Sex and Sexuality [2 volumes]: Understanding Biology, Psychology, and Culture [2 volumes]
by Heather L. ArmstrongProviding a comprehensive framework for the broad subject of human sexuality, this two-volume set offers a context of historical development, scientific discovery, and sociopolitical and sociocultural movements.The broad topic of sex—encompassing subjects as varied as sexuality, sexual and gender identity, abortion, and such crimes as sexual assault—is one of the most controversial in American society today. This two-volume encyclopedic set provides readers with more than 450 entries on the subject, offering a comprehensive overview of major sexuality issues in American and global culture.Themes that run throughout the volumes include sexual health and reproduction, sexual identity and orientation, sexual behaviors and expression, the history of sex and sexology, and sex and society. Entries cover a breadth of subjects, such as the major contributors to the field of sexology; the biological, psychological, and cultural dimensions of sex and sexuality; and how the modern-day political climate and the government play a major role in determining attitudes and beliefs about sex. Written in clear, jargon-free language, this set is ideal for students as well as general readers.
Sex in College: The Things They Don't Write Home About (Sex, Love, and Psychology)
by Richard D. McAnultyExperts address key issues—from attitudes and behaviors to harassment and homophobia—related to sexuality among college students.With essays by a wide range of knowledgeable contributors, Sex in College: The Things They Don't Write Home About draws on recent research to examine just about every aspect of its intriguing subject. The book begins with general chapters that offer historical, cross-cultural, and theoretical perspectives on college students' sexual attitudes and behaviors. One chapter offers a framework for understanding the unique developmental perspective of young adults. Another chapter explores the research methods used to study college students' sexual practices.Subsequent chapters cover: dating and intimacy on campus, the perspective of young adults about love, sexuality education and classes, and sexual orientation. The darker side of college sexuality is also examined in chapters centering on such topics as infidelity in college dating relationships, homophobia and sexual harassment on campus, sexual risk-taking and sexually transmitted infections, sexual problems and dysfunction among young adults, and sexual assault among college students.
Sexual Attraction: The Psychology of Allure
by James GilesHow and why does sexual attraction happen? This book is an exploration of the universal yet highly individualized experience of being sexually attracted to another person.Incorporating interviews, research findings, and excerpts from romantic and erotic literature, lyrics, and film, Sexual Attraction: The Psychology of Allure explores a subject that is central to the human experience and highly relevant not only in personal, intimate interactions but also other relationships as well. Although the causes and effects of sexual attraction have been studied, sexual attraction itself—how we experience others in terms of their sexual attractiveness—remains a neglected, rarely researched topic.Scholar James Giles presents jargon-free information that is accessible and fascinating to the general reader as well as highly useful and informative to students and researchers in social psychology, sexology, sex and marital therapy, and relationship counseling. The book explores subjects such as how sexual attraction is fundamentally different from other forms of interpersonal attraction and how at the heart of sexual attraction lies the experience of allure—something that makes one feel helplessly drawn towards an intimate physical joining with the sexually attractive person. The allure of strangers, cross-sex friends, sexual friends ("friends with benefits"), and romantic partners are all addressed, revealing the often subtle heterosexual attraction that typically exists between males and females in all their relationships, including between those who are ostensibly "just friends."
Sexual Forensics: Lust, Passion, and Psychopathic Killers
by Don Jacobs Ashleigh PortalesThis book taps neuroscience and neuropsychology to provide hard facts about brain conditions and the behavior that emerges from powerful brain chemistry—a fascinating read for adolescents, parents, and teachers alike.Sexual Forensics: Lust, Passion, and Psychopathic Killers provides a fascinating examination of "neurotruths" that are relevant and applicable to 21st-century parenting and social relationships, and explains workplace "brainmarks" that enable predictive solutions to practical problems.Author Don Jacobs, a researcher who has been studying psychopathy for over 25 years, describes how psychopathy has evolved as a brain condition, documenting how the vast majority of the spectrum represents normalcy, and only 20 to 30 percent of humankind characterizes corruptors or violent, pathological individuals. The book examines examples of individuals who have demonstrated significant achievement, influence, wealth, or corruptive behavior in differently abled profiles, and provides student autobiographies that enable rare scientific insights into the adolescent state of mind.
Sexual Harassment and Misconduct: An Encyclopedia
by Editor Gina RobertielloThis authoritative reference work informs readers about the scope, nature, and prevalence of sexual harassment and misconduct in all walks of American life and how changes in policy, law, and traditional gender dynamics can address the problem.As revelations of sexual harassment and misconduct roil Hollywood; Washington, D.C.; and workplaces across the country, these problems are being examined more closely than ever before. This encyclopedia provides interested readers with a comprehensive and authoritative resource to help them understand not only the specific scandals that have erupted across U.S. society, but the historical factors and events that have led to this moment in American history. The book features entries that illuminate various types of sexual harassment and misconduct (e.g., quid pro quo, hostile environment), explain different classifications of harassers (e.g., territorial, predatory), survey how sexual harassment and misconduct manifest themselves in different settings (e.g., workplace, school, military, politics, home), detail the major cases that have been publicized since the #MeToo Movement gained momentum, and explain various reforms and responses that are being crafted to address deeply entrenched problems of sexism and harassment in American culture.
Sexuality and Addiction: Making Connections, Enhancing Recovery
by Raven L. BadgerThis book provides an understanding of how sexuality and addiction are intertwined, helping those who counsel substance abusers and individuals who have experienced negative sexual messages or experiences to improve their sexual health and enjoyment.This book presents a broad overview of sexual health issues that documents the links between sexuality and substance abuse, and describes how counselors can help individuals who have been impacted by negative sexual experiences can find a way out of the pain that leads them to addiction or back to substance abuse. Using the sexual health model as a framework for discussion, author Raven L. James, PhD, explains how sexual health and substance abuse are often connected, provides examples of real-life experiences, and identifies issues to consider in adopting healthier attitudes and sexual behaviors as well as effective methods for achieving them. Each chapter provides focused content followed by an explanation of the subject's connection to substance abuse. Tips for counselors, sample lesson plans and ideas, tangible tools to use in sexual health groups, and related resources area also included. Whether the reader is personally afflicted, a helper, or a loved one, the information in Sexuality and Addiction: Making Connections, Enhancing Recovery will provide a new perspective on how to help clients improve their sexual self-esteem, find ways to improve sexual relationships with themselves and others, and most of all, to restore hope for sexual health in recovery.
Sexualized Media Messages and Our Children: Teaching Kids to Be Smart Critics and Consumers (Childhood in America)
by Jennifer W. ShewmakerThis provocative book takes a look at children's consumption of sexualized media messages while providing parents, teachers, and professionals with strategies for abating their influence.In this eye-opening book, experienced child psychologist Jennifer W. Shewmaker contends that the manner in which a child is raised influences how they respond to media messages, particularly those shaded by sexual overtones. This text takes a hard look at the impact of advertisements, products, and entertainment on a child's psyche and offers strategies for helping kids become critical, active media consumers.Drawing from research in a wide variety of disciplines, this book explores the interpersonal factors within children's lives that impact how they learn to process sexualized media messages. The book argues that an increase in marketing to children along with media-based fabrications of beauty, masculinity, and femininity impact the confidence and character of young children who are often greatly affected by what they see and hear. The author shares invaluable tips for promoting strengths in children and adolescents of both genders and presents the protective influence of communities to help children dismiss distorted media images.
Skewed Studies: Exploring the Limits and Flaws of Health and Psychology Research
by Sally KuykendallIn these uncertain times, how much can you trust health news? Is the research behind breaking headlines reliable? This book is an indispensable resource for students and general readers, helping them evaluate and think critically about health information."People Who Drink Coffee Live Longer." "Students Learn Better When Listening to Classical Music." "Scientists Discover the Gene That Causes Obesity." We are constantly bombarded with reports of "groundbreaking" health findings that use attention-grabbing headlines and seem to be backed by credible science. Yet many of these studies and the news articles that discuss them fall prey to a variety of problems that can produce misleading and inaccurate results. Some of these may be easy to notice—like a research study on the benefits of red meat funded by the beef industry, or a study with a sample size of only 10 people—but others are much harder to spot.Skewed Studies: Exploring the Limits and Flaws of Health and Psychology Research examines the most pervasive problems plaguing health research and reporting today, using clear, accessible language and employing real-world examples to illustrate key concepts. Beyond simply outlining issues, it provides readers with the knowledge and skills to evaluate research studies and news reports for themselves, improving their health literacy and critical thinking skills.
Slaves to Faith: A Therapist Looks Inside the Fundamentalist Mind
by Calvin MercerAs Dr. Mercer posits, the fundamentalist is fundamentally driven by anxiety layered over a fragile sense of self-identity constructed upon a system of beliefs that is both logically inconsistent and highly suspect in light of modern science. As a result, the fundamentalist completely rejects modernity while battling mightily in the arena of national politics and culture to bring about a world that aligns more closely with the fundamentalist worldview.Focusing on Christian fundamentalists, the author puts Christian fundamentalism in its historical and theological contexts. At the same time, Mercer calls upon cognitive theory to explain that the fundamentalist's life story is not particular to Christianity or any other religious belief system but that fundamentalist Catholics, Muslims, Jews, and those of all other faiths share a common psychological profile. Indeed, Mercer insists that if the Christian terminology were eliminated from contemporary fundamentalist Christian rhetoric, what would remain would be a framework that fundamentalists from other religions would find quite familiar and even comforting. In other words, the structure of the fundamentalist worldview, and the psychology beneath it, is pretty much the same across religions. It is a controversial thing to say about Christian fundamentalism, a thesis that has already proved contentious in the author's public appearances, and one that is sure to generate considerable attention and passionate debate as the U.S. populace continues to divide into opposing camps.
Encyclopedia of Sleep and Dreams [2 volumes]: The Evolution, Function, Nature, and Mysteries of Slumber [2 volumes]
by Deirdre Barrett and Patrick McNamaraThis fascinating reference covers the major topics concerning dreaming and sleep, based on the latest empirical evidence from sleep research as well as drawn from a broad range of dream-related interdisciplinary contexts, including history and anthropology.While many books have been written on the subject of sleep and dreams, no other resource has provided the depth of empirical evidence concerning sleep and dream phenomena nor revealed the latest scientific breakthroughs in the field.Encyclopedia of Sleep and Dreams: The Evolution, Function, Nature, and Mysteries of Slumber explores the evolution, nature, and functions of sleep and dreams. The encyclopedia is divided into two volumes and is arranged alphabetically by entry. Topics include nightmares and their treatment, how sleep and dreams change across the lifetime, and the new field of evolution of sleep and dream. While this book includes ample material on the science of sleep and dreams, content is drawn from a broad range of disciplinary contexts, including history and anthropology.
Sleep Disorders: Elements, History, Treatments, and Research (Health and Psychology Sourcebooks)
by Kathleen J. Ph.D. Gina GraciThis sourcebook presents the history of sleep disorders, from restless legs to insomnia to night terrors, alongside emerging research, illustrations of sleep disorders in society, and treatments.Part of the Health and Psychology Sourcebooks series, this compact volume offers concise information on an issue threatening human health and well-being: sleep disorders. The authors are established psychologists and researchers specializing in the study of sleep and sleep disorders, one an editor for the Journal of Sleep Disorders and Therapy and the other a certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist.The book begins with an introduction that underscores how prevalent sleep disorders and the condition of sleep deprivation are in this nation and why they are considered a public health concern. Chapters explain and illustrate disorders including apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, nightmares, night terrors, and sleepwalking, with each chapter providing an empirical review followed by a case study. For each disorder, history; signs and symptoms; incidence; theory; personal, familial, societal, and economic factors; treatments and solutions; and emerging research are included.
Social Media and Your Brain: Web-Based Communication Is Changing How We Think and Express Ourselves
by C. G. PradoWhile society has widely condemned the effects on preteens and teens' natural social maturation of digitally enabled communication, such as texting and messaging, and of social media apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, and SnapChat, these forms of communication are adversely affecting everyone, including adults. This book examines how social media and modern communication methods are isolating users socially, jeopardizing their intellectual habits, and, as a result, decreasing their chances of achieving social and professional success.The ubiquitous use of the Internet and social media is changing our society—in some ways, for the worse. Use of social media, the Internet, and other purely digital and less-personal communication methods are distorting the intellectual and social maturation of teens and preteens in particular—those among us who were born into and raised with Internet technology. People's ability to read facial expressions, interpret subtle differences in spoken intonation, and perceive body language is in significant decline due to the use of social media and the Internet largely replacing direct, face-to-face contact with other human beings. This book documents how changes in our daily behavior caused by the proliferation of social media are reshaping individuals' personalities and causing an evolution of the character of our society as a whole. Readers will understand how these important changes came about and how more connectivity all too often leads to more ignorance and less comprehension, and will consider solutions that could counter the negative effects of being "too connected, too often."
Social Psychology [2 volumes]: How Other People Influence Our Thoughts and Actions [2 volumes]
by Randal W. SummersThis book provides an introduction to social psychology that covers its history, theories, and core concepts. It explains intrapersonal (how others influence our views about ourselves) and interpersonal (how we think about and act toward other people) applications of this discipline in today's society.Human beings are social by nature. Because of this, the people around us have a profound impact on how we think about ourselves and others—from our sense of self esteem to our opinions and attitudes to our interactions in a group setting. Social Psychology: How Other People Influence Our Thoughts and Actions describes these subtle but powerful effects in our daily lives, offering a complete and balanced view of the topic. Readers will discover the history of social psychology, grasp its theories and core concepts, learn about important issues and debates related to this topic, and see how these ideas are directly applicable to therapy and other real-world situations.Chapters cover how an individual's self-concept is developed and the various social forces on it, how a social psychology experiment may be conducted, and examples of social psychology in everyday life, such as group dynamics and cultural phenomena. Readers will also see how social psychology plays a role in our criminal justice system, including in the context of the prison system population; in the cultural issues associated with Latino and Native American populations; in our social collective concern about mass shootings, epidemics, and terrorism; and in the dynamics, processes, and tactics of a nationwide presidential election campaign seeking to influence the masses.
Social Sadomasochism: How Emotional Dominance and Submission Affect People's Lives
by Martin Kantor MDExplains the subtle but pervasive aspects of sadomasochism that affect everyday relationships across our lives, detailing when the power and control dynamics become neurotic and describing actions that can be taken to better individuals and improve society.For most people, a whip-wielding, leather-clad sexual subculture comes to mind when they hear the phrase "sadomasochism." But as psychiatrist Martin Kantor explains in this book, sadomasochism is generally about power, control, dominance, and submission, dynamics that are subtle and pervasive in all of our lives, from home life to work life to social interactions including political arenas. The bottom line: sadomasochism is about the giving or receiving pleasure from the infliction or reception of pain or humiliation and both pain and pleasure can be purely emotional, no sexual or physical context necessary. Kantor deconstructs sadomasochism to show us how it affects each of us, consciously or not. He explains the "life phases" of sadomasochism, the role early trauma plays in this self-defeating action when it reaches a neurotic level, and the damage it does to individuals, loved ones, and society. This ground-breaking book will appeal to psychology students and researchers, as well as general readers with an interest in psychology.
The State of American Policing: Psychology, Behavior, Problems, and Solutions (Forensic Psychology)
by David J. ThomasWritten by a veteran police officer turned college professor, this modern-day study of American policing covers hot-button issues including police use of deadly force against and bias toward minorities.Grounded in research of historical and current events, this text examines police practices and the psychological impact that those practices have on minority communities. Author David J. Thomas, a retired police officer and associate professor of criminal justice, looks at and beyond historical perspectives to address many of today's most controversial issues central to minority communities. Topics covered include the repeated failure to convict officers for fatally shooting unarmed subjects, the rise of heated debates between the Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter movements, the militarization of police agencies, and police response to protests by NFL players. The text also offers insight into the psychology of race, police culture, implicit bias, and the decision to use deadly force. Thomas additionally examines possible solutions to these problems. College students, researchers, academics, and readers interested in politics will find this work informative and thought-provoking.
Stereotypes: The Incidence and Impacts of Bias
by Joel T. Nadler and Elora C. VoylesProvides an invaluable primer on how culturally accepted stereotypes are impacting people throughout the United States.Stereotypes—both intentional and unconscious—and the harms they cause are increasingly featuring in the news. Here a team of top researchers examines current and emerging research on how stereotypes begin, grow, and harm the members of society—and what can be done to stop them. The authors explain what actions lead to the development and manifestation of stereotypes against groups ranging from racial, ethnic, sexual, and religious minorities to men, women, immigrants, the disabled, and more. They detail the newest studies to help us understand the psychological and social processes that spur and sustain stereotypes, how those affect behavior and decision-making, and how the targeted groups are affected by micro-aggressions and nonverbal behaviors. This volume will interest students of psychology, counseling, social work, law enforcement and legal studies, race and ethnicity, LGBTQ studies, gender studies, public policy, and politics.
Stopping Military Suicides: Veteran Voices to Help Prevent Deaths
by Kate Hendricks Thomas Sarah Plummer TaylorBlending illustrative narratives from veterans with cutting-edge research, this book provides a model for a needed shift from treatment post-trauma to psychological training pre-trauma to prevent deep depression and resulting suicides.As suicides among members of the U.S. military and veterans continue at a rate higher than in the general population—nearly 20 each day—and their calls for help become louder, with three veterans waiting for treatment outside Veterans Administration hospitals in 2019 committing suicide, authors and former U.S. Marines Kate Hendricks Thomas and Sarah Plummer Taylor present a call for a new approach to help halt the needless deaths. Thomas, now a researcher and assistant professor of public health, and Plummer Taylor, now a social worker and adjunct professor, detail a plan to establish preventative training for mental fitness that will help psychologically "vaccinate" service members against depression and PTSD, the most common precursors to suicidal thoughts. Thomas and Plummer Taylor detail their mental fitness training program to shift from post-trauma treatment to pre-trauma prevention. Each topic addressed is illustrated with stories from veterans. Part of the solution, Thomas and Plummer Taylor explain, is to present prevention as something for all service members and as a positive, strength-building, challenging activity for champions, as opposed to a post-trauma treatment only for "weak and broken" warriors.
Stress in the Modern World [2 volumes]: Understanding Science and Society [2 volumes]
by Editor Serena WadhwaAn engaging exploration of the scientific theories and medical conditions relating to stress and an examination of case studies that suggest ways to manage, reduce, and prevent stress in everyday life.Tension and anxiety are normal aspects of modern life, but ineffective stress management can lead to stress disorders, psychological distress, and physical ailments. An ideal resource for students researching the impact of stress on both physical and psychological health, this comprehensive two-volume set addresses scientific theories about stress, describes common symptoms and effects, identifies various sources of stress, explains how to identify and assess stress levels, and shares effective coping skills as well as strategies for preventing, managing, and reducing stress.More than two dozen contributors share their combined expertise, covering topics such as cognitive and behavioral theories and explanations of stress, the physical symptoms and effects of being subjected to stress, factors involving lifestyle and parenting styles, effective and ineffective coping methods, and finding support in mitigating stress. The set also supplies 20 personal accounts of stress, offers sidebars throughout its pages that present additional information about interesting related topics, and presents primary sources and statistics to encourage students to use their research and critical thinking skills.