Personal Blog #3

In your opinion, to what extent should problems like alcoholism and drug addiction be considered "diseases of the brain" or personal failings (moral, willpower, etc.)? Feel free to discuss your own real-world observations and experiences. What about other issues, like depression?


In my opinion, alcoholism and drug addiction can sometimes be considered as "diseases of the brain". It is common to find families in which alcoholism is a genetic problem, and can be passed on to other family members. When people have alcoholism running in their families, it is harder for them to resist alcohol once they begin drinking. But, there are many people that do not have the willpower to stop drinking due to the fact that it serves as an anti-depressant for them. Some people drink excessively in order to numb the pain that they feel.

Drug addiction is similar to alcoholism since it can also be passed on to other family members genetically. If a child is born from a mother that has been addicted to a drug, they have an inborn inclination to be tempted to try that drug. On the other hand, people become addicted to drugs in order to escape the negative qualms of their everyday life. For example, teenagers are often inclined to try drugs at an early age because they are unable to handle their personal problems. Their addiction becomes more serious, and they then try to use more dangerous drugs, eventually leading to medical issues.

Career Fair Reflection

A. Rank your three favorite psychology career fields. Summarize what you learned about them, and explain why you personally would enjoy these fields in detail.

My three favorite psychology career fields after participating the career fair are 1) family psychologist 2) clinical psychologist 3) consumer psychologist. I learned that family psychologists meet with families in order to work through divorces and other issues that affect both the parents and children of a family unit. I would definitely want to pursue this sub field of psychology because I feel that helping families work through problems definitely has a positive effect of children, and creates a healthier environment for everyone to come home to. Also, clinical psychologists are responsible for conducting appointments with patients in order to listen and offer advice on serious issues going on in the person's life. They do not prescribe medicine, and therefore do not handle patients with serious mental illnesses that require medication. I have always been a good listener and love trying to enlighten people in order to lift them out of a dark place. In addition, consumer psychology interests me as well. Consumer psychologists are responsible for studying how consumers think, feel, reason, and select between different alternatives such as brands, products, and retailers. I also find it interesting that consumer psychologists conduct research on product positioning and branding, persuasion, consumer behavior, and public opinion sin order for their results to be applied to marketing, advertising, sales, and product development.

B. Do you think that you might consider majoring in psychology? Why or why not?

I definitely have considered majoring in psychology because I find the human mind so complex and interesting. I find myself constantly analyzing why people act the way they do, and pay close attention to people's expressions, attitudes, and physical movement. Also, I love learning about the various types of mental disorders that a person can be diagnosed with and how it is even possible to develop some of these illnesses. But most of all, I really want to be able to help others, and make a difference in someone's life someday by listening and offering the best advice that I am able to give.


C. In what ways do you think that the study of psychology is useful outside of work?

The study of psychology is important because it makes us all learn how to live a healthy and fulfilling life, and learn how to treat others with respect. This is because the more people learn about how complex the mind is, the easier it is to connect with others and really adapt to how other people think. It is eye opening, and really should be a requirement in school to take psychology class.

Questions About Me

1. How important have your early childhood experiences and relationships been in shaping who you are today?

My childhood experiences have greatly contributed to the person I am today. My personality reflects the free spirit that I was as a child; a child that would always ask questions and possess good intuition. An experience that I remember the best would be the birth of my younger sister when I was seven years old. At first, I was very unhappy with her entrance into my only-child world, but soon developed a healthy relationship with her. If I did not have her there as a child, I would never learn that the world does not revolve around me. The relationship with my sister has also taught me that cooperation and caring for others is an integral part of life itself. I have become a role model for her, and take that role very seriously since I want her to be able to follow in my footsteps.

2. Explain how the following factors have influenced who you are today: religion, ethnicity, gender, hometown/state, country.

Living in River Vale since I was five years old have greatly influenced who I am today. I feel as though I live in a bubble where I do not have to worry about finances or high crime or any other problems that are evident in other communities. As a young woman, my father thinks it is important for me to be very independent and pursue a career that will make me self-sufficient. He always tells me that I need to be independent in the future, but still rely on my husband for family support. There are not as many restrictions for the careers and decisions that women make nowadays; however there still tends to be inequality amongst the genders. Also, since I come from an Italian family, traditions are of extreme importance. We are all Roman Catholic so every holiday is meant to be celebrated with family and food. My uncles are extremely over protective of me because they hold very high standards for my future endeavors. They are very supportive of everything I do, and also tend to say exactly how they feel.

3. To what extent do you believe that you have made the important choices for yourself that have made you who you are today? To what extent do you feel that you are “the master of your own destiny?”

At this point in my life, I do not feel as though I have made many “adult decisions” just yet. Yes, I am in the process of preparing to further my education and pursue a career in my future, but I have not encountered a scenario where I have made a life changing decision. I do feel that I have a lot of control over my destiny because I am very driven as a person and will go after something that I want. But, I also think that fate cannot be controlled and causes things to happen for a reason.