Addiction and the Aging Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Addiction and the Aging - Term Paper Example Challenges which professionals face in relation to these addictions shall also be presented in this paper. The management of such addictions shall also be considered for this paper, especially in relation to support and sober living facilities for the elderly. There are different types of addiction which are currently manifesting in the elderly population. Since the 1990s, experts have noted the rise of alcohol abuse among the older adults – the group which they refer to as the â€Å"hidden population† (Smith). They highlight the fact that among older adults, about 1.1 and 2.3 million citizens use alcohol in order to relieve their loneliness and their anxiety. The greater issue with this problem stems down from the fact that it is not given as much attention by the medical community. As a result, alcohol addiction among the elderly is rising and is not being addressed as a health issue. Consequently, studies point out that as much as 10% to 15% of health issues among elderly adults are actually attributed to alcohol abuse (Smith). It is also a difficult disorder to detect among elderly adults because it mimics other conditions which usually manifest in the elderly population. These conditions and symptoms may include joint a ches and pains, insomnia, loss of sex drive, depression, loss of memory, and anxiety (Smith). Many elderly adults also live isolated lives and have limited opportunities for socialization; as a result, their issue is often not noticed until it has turned into an addiction. Even then, it is difficult to undergo the process of rehabilitation among older adults because of their unwillingness to cooperate and because of their attitude against change (Smith). The fact that society is more likely to ignore the issue among older adults also exacerbates this problem. Drug abuse is also one of

Freezing Of Gametes And Embryos :: essays research papers

A Heated Issue Frozen in Time: The Controversaries within the Freezing of Gametes and Embryos   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Could you imagine freezing your eggs or sperm and a century after your death you are still mothering or fathering children? How about creating embryos and then freezing them until you are ready to have children? In today’s society, the freezing of gametes and embryos brings up several ethical and personal issue that are very controversial to people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ever since the day scientists and doctors discovered infertility existed they have been trying to find cures, or new methods, to work around this disability. The freezing of gametes and embryos just happens to be the new cure people are turning to. Sometimes couples’ egg and sperm won’t mesh together. The couple then turns to in-vitro fertilization and creates about 10 embryos. 3 out of the 10 embryos are inserted back into the woman’s uterus hoping that at least one would take. Now the question is what happens to the 7 embryos that are left? This is when couples usually turn to the freezing method. Before the freezing method existed the doctors would just create about 5 embryos and insert all of them into the uterus, which usually resulted in multiple births. If none of the embryos took the couple would spend around another $10,000 to do the process all over again. Once the freezing method came into play couples then froze the extra embryos f or later use instead of doing the process of making the embryos again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The freezing of eggs, sperm, and embryos tends to bring up a huge controversy among people. There are two different sides to this issue. There are the people who think that freezing gametes or embryos is unnatural and unethical while the other side begs to differ. The other side views the freezing method as a huge milestone in reproductive technology and should be taken advantage of generously.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As of right now, the freezing process is open to anyone that can afford it. The people who are against the freezing of gametes and embryos not only want limitations set on reproductive technology in general but they wish to get rid of the whole idea of the freezing method. They feel as though the freezing method is mostly used for a delaying purpose instead of its main intention, which was to help the infertile at a lower cost. An example of the delay situation that they are talking about is a woman who is 30, successful in her career, but hasn’t found Mr.

Macbeth †Victim or Villain? Essay

As the scenes of ‘Macbeth’, is slowly scene by scene revealed to the audience; Shakespeare wittily shows Macbeth’s personality as two different characters, the victim,to Lady Macbeth and the witches and as the villain, througout the play; but with both characters clearley portrayed so that one from the audience may say Macbeth is a victim to greater powers; Lady Macbeth, the witches and his own greed, wheras another may say Macbeth is a villain, who was happy of committing all the bad deeds doing so with his own free will, with various points to confirm their views. Initially, right from the start we hear of Macbeth’s goodness before we even meet him; â€Å"good and hardy soldier† and † Brave cousin† all show how brave Macbeth is and how he is patriotic, which obviously a villain wouldn’t be, caring, loving or doing anything for their country; they would be caring for themselves and their needs, someone who loves their country will not try and kill the king of the country, especailly a king like Duncan; who was always thinking of the country’s needs and views first. Secondly, the fact that Macbeth wasn’t so sure on the plan that Lady Macbeth suggested; because even though he had suggested killing Duncan, right before the murder he was thinking about how bad the deed is,he was very confused and he decided not to the deed but it was under the influence of Lady Macbeth’s greed that he gave in and committed the inhuman act; † And live a coward in thine own esteem,† which attached Macbeth’s masculinity and so therefore Macbeth becomes so angry that he doesn’t really do the deed with his own free will, anger drove him to do it. Furthermore the fact that he actually thinks and lists the positive and the negative sides of doing the deed or not shows unlike villains he does have a ‘human’ side and that he does care and know about right and wrong; as he thinks to himself † He’s here in double trust; First as I am his kinsman and his subject Strong both against the deed; then as his host Who should against his murder shut the door, Not bear the knife himself.† This shows that he feels guilty about this; and because of this, he decides that he wouldn’t kill Duncan, but Lady Macbeth persuades him, which further proves that he is a victim. Macbeth was also under the influence of the three witches; because they appeared so inhuman and magical, † Speak if you can What are you?† that when Macbeth heard the predictions he thought as the first prediction † All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Glamis.†, and the second prediction † All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor,† both seemed and came true, so Macbeth thought why wouldn’t the third † All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!† come true? Did not the witches speak words of wisdom before with the other two predictions? Don’t they seem magical? So Macbeth was victim to the witches throughout the play, thinking about their encounter. If the witches and Macbeth hadn’t met, Macbeth wouldn’t have killed Duncan, Banquo and nor would he have committed all the bad deeds he did. The fact that Lady Macbeth, to add on to Macbeth’s lack of manliness gives an example as to what she can do if she’s promised to do something † Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this.† She says this to make him angry and feel ashamed of lacking masculinity so therefore in order to prove he isn’t to himself and to Lady Macbeth he becomes determined and does the deed. Moreover at the end, when Macbeth dies you can see clearley he is a victim who has lost everything, power, family,life the fact that Macbeth is totally disheartened shows he is really upset and (to the audience) seems like a victim. On the other hand, Macbeth can also be thought of a villain, there are many points in the play as to how this is proven. When the three weird sisters are making their last prediction † All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter† his villainous mind quickly starts thinking of the possibilities of becoming king and how to reach this; he immediately suggests this plan to his wife, when she suggests the plans Macbeth immediately agrees to it also when she asks him to leave everything upto her † Leave all the rest to me† he agrees to it all. Furthermore if Macbeth wasn’t a villain he wouldn’t have been persuaded so easily to kill Duncan; even though women in shakesperean time were supposed to be weak and lesser then men Macbeth chose to listen to his wife, which in Shakesperean time men wouldn’t do. Additionally, after Macbeth killed Duncan instead of learning from and not sinning anymore he carries on to think and plan about killing Banquo his close friend; because Banquo was starting to suspect Macbeth and the fact that Banquo’s sons would be kings. It is a villainous deed to kill or attempt to kill your best friend and his son. Macbeth’s courage becomes so great he doesn’t even inform his wife Lady Macbeth when planning to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Mostly when ‘good’ people have a special power or belonging they try to be satisfied with it and not to want more, especailly if the way to achieve it isn’t good, wheras Macbeth through his actions constantly shows that he wants more power and that his greed is unstoppably growing, therefore proving he is a villain. Macbeth constantly tries to fight and control fate; instead of leaving it, enjoying and appreciating what he already has he goes to the witches the second time himself instead of avoiding them, † I conjure you, by that which you profess, However you come to know it, answer me† here he is clearly due to his greed desperate for some sort of ‘sign or miracle’ to happen from the witches so fate is on his side again. Similarly like a general villain, Macbeth instead of worrying for his wife, Lady Macbeth, when the doctor tells him that Lady Macbeth is in need of a priest, Macbeth doesn’t ask for details he changed the subject to Scotland being in need of help; to add on to the point when Seyton brings the news that Lady Macbeth has finally died, Macbeth says â€Å"She should have died hereafter, There would have been a time for such a word† this is one of the most cruelest responses anyone can give to a friend’s death let alone a wife’s, it just shows how like other villains Macbeth is cold hearted and he has also started to be carried away with his power and greed that he actually states she should have died later in a more appropriate time; which further proves he really has no feelings, which relates to him being a villain. Consequently, I think that overall Macbeth is both a victim and villain; as there are many points to prove both views but isn’t definitely one (a victim or a villain) but a mixture of both. The fact that at the end Macbeth is so sure of the witches’ predictions show that he is a victim; and a villain for believing what three weird sisters have said, for no proof of what they are but only because they’ve said something beneficial to him. Without one victimised deed he wouldn’t have done a villainous deed and the same the other way round, Macbeth is both a victim and a villain just like some animals who can both be predator and prey.

Have You Touched Liquid Mercury

Mercury is a heavy, liquid metal. It used to be common in thermometers and other equipment. Have you ever touched mercury or been exposed to it? Were you fine or did you experience symptoms or exposure? Did you shrug it off or seek medical attention? Here are responses from readers: Info is exaggerated Mercury does not absorb through your skin instantly. Elemental mercury does absorb through your skin, but at a very slow pace (I really mean very slowly). As long as you dont expose your skin to the metal too much and you wash your hands after then you would be fine. If any mercury did absorb through your skin then because the amount will be so small then you would urinate it out leaving no mercury in your body meaning it wont build up to harmful amounts. In fact you could absorb more mercury by eating a can of tuna. Im not trying to build up a false sense of safety with this material, as its not something you should have out all the time. If you kept exposing yourself everyday even in small amounts could build to harmful amounts in the body, while if it you did it a couple of times a month then it wont build up. And as for the vapor, when the mercury is at room temp then the evaporation rate is only 0.063 ml per hour per cm squared of surface area exposed of mercury. — chris Played with Mercury My dads dad was an inventor type, and I once found a little bottle with mercury. I poured some out and was amazed. I had a hard time getting it picked up off the counter. I told my dad I found it and he told me not to mess with it and that it is toxic if exposed for a prolonged time. Mercury is dangerous, and you need to be cautious not to be exposed to it directly for long periods of time, but simply handling it is not going to make you drop dead. Its like cigarettes; deadly over long periods of exposure, but you arent going to die if you walk into a smoky bar and have a drink. — Marcus Things mess up!! When I was in primary school my science teacher told us that we should not touch mercury and do not break the thermometer. Instead she was the one who broke it and the mercury was spilled exactly on me all over my hands and maybe face, Im not sure as it happened too fast. I was too shock to take immediate action and so all Ive done is wash my hands thoroughly. Im not sure if that is enough. — croc beauty The Mercury Risk I have touched mercury back in the day, before it was regulated. It is fun stuff. We all know better now, but I do need to chime in on the actual risks. The risk from elemental mercury is ingestion and inhalation. Ingestion is a normal risk, similar to other toxic chemicals and cleaners, and it should not be eaten. The vapor pressure of mercury is so low at room temperature that there is very little risk of inhalation. If you wash your hands after handling, risks are very low. But if you drop a bit, it could become atomized, and inhalation risks go up considerably. Also, if it is heated, as in artisanal gold mining, the risks are high. So, I agree, when mercury is dropped or vaporizes, evacuate the building. The more problematic and more toxic form of mercury, methylmercury, bioaccumulates and can have serious health consequences, especially for the young and unborn. According to the Blacksmith Institute, 1/3rd of the mercury in the environment is due to artisanal gold mines. — jbd People once thought Hg was an elixir. Jack London used to rub it on himself in belief that it would cure him of illness. Needless to say, he did develop mercury poisoning, but that was over many years. So, I am sure touching it once wont hurt you at all. — Chris Hell ya It was probably the funniest thing I ever did and Im not brian damajed. — Player I did touch liquid Mercury It wasnt intentional or planned but when one of our thermometers in the lab was broken, we found it the right time to get the experience while we were trying to collect the small pieces. The experience of seeing the tiny pieces turned into a big one and break them again into tiny pieces was kind of interesting, if not amazing to us during our freshman year. — Elizabeth Kentucky I cant imagine there would be so many stupid people whom believe touching mercury would kill them. When I was in high school we spilled a pint bottle of mercury in the floor. We got down with notebook paper and scraped it up into pile and scooped it up and put in back in the bottle. None of us died, In fact most of us are now very well and over age of 75. Our local school broke a thermometer and the school was evacuated, closed and a chemical response team called in to clean up the mercury. It is ironic how fear mongering by the press and those out to make a dollar from unneeded actions has influenced the masses to leave their brains on off and look to a corrupt government for their salvation. — oldfellow Beautiful interesting element I played with it as a kid and in high school, but was never around fumes. Im now in my 60s, healthy and teaching. — crazylablady Loved those magical little beads! In grade school during the early 60s we were given mercury as a hands on experiment. Touch it and it bursts into tiny balls, round them up and they meld into one larger one. Im 56 and pretty darn healthy! I also remember getting a tube of gunk that you could squeeze out a blob, blow it up into a balloon and pinch shut. Probably was full of lead! How did we survive such unhealthy childhoods! — Ruthe For sure! When I was a grade-schooler, I belonged to an informal science club. We used to study various science topics and run low-cost experiments. One member had some mercury in a bottle that we put into a bowl and played with using our fingers, splitting it into smaller drops and then reuniting. We didnt realize then it wasnt a good idea! Maybe could account for some of my digestive problems now....? — Steve Mercury, lead, asbestos etc. I rubbed mercury on coins, made lead soldiers, and our home water pipes were lead. When I worked in a large lab for two years in my early twenties we mixed asbestos, flour, and water to insulate our equipment. The inside of our noses were white with asbestos. A friend of mine who had a similar background died two years ago from a heart attack unrelated to mercury. I am 80 with no known health problems. — Nomar Thermometers When I was a kid, back before there were spirit thermometers, the various oil companies and insurance companies used to mail out desk calendars with little thermometers on one side. I would collect as many as I could, break them open, and chase the globs of mercury around for hours, rolling it around in my hand and across the floor. I had amassed a sizable amount of Hg from several years of multiple calendars. The only warning I ever got was mom saying, Dont eat that stuff. — Rouxgaroux Mercury I am 80 so of course I touched mercury in chemistry lab. It was a great way to make silver dimes new and shiny. — C Bryant Moore A thief got it in the end. In high school chemistry, I accidentally got in on a blue birthstone ring that was gold. It turned it silver. It stayed like that until a thief stole it when I was in college. Luckily, it was not a very expensive ring nor something I wore much. We were playing with the mercury on our desks at our teachers suggestion when this occurred. There were no warnings about toxicity at the time (a long time ago). —NANCYJMG Mercury Yes, in fact I knew a guy who was trapped in a vessel of Hg up to his waist! His wellingtons where full and he could not move, before I helped to rescue him he fell over in 3 foot deep Hg. He didnt drown. He was fine after this, but his mercury urine levels where well over the safe limits. — david bradbury In Middle School I had some in the palm of my hand for about five minutes when I was in middle school. Knowing nothing about it I had no idea why my hand turned red. — Edgar Have I ever touched Mercury Darn betcha. It was every science teachers toy after blowing up magnesium in water. The danger in mercury is long term exposure to its vapor. Most chemistry rooms have a bead of Mercury flowing around their mop boards. Pull them up and wow, if the environmental agency saw that. I use to float a shot put in a half gallon of mercury until they sent in the boys from hazmat took my toy away. Now I just blow up magnesium. Anyone know where I can get some phosphorus? —epearsonjr Link Between Mercury and Depression? In primary school we each had some on our desk ALL the time to play with. When I worked in the University of Newcastle as a research Assistant in Chemistry I spent 3 years using Anodic Stripping Voltametry in researching certain compounds. I was always cleaning mercury, cleaning up small spills and a few times arrived in the lab in the morning to find the seal on the mercury storage container on the machine had broken and the floor of the lab would be covered with a fine layer of mercury -- all of which I had to clean up. This was quite a few years ago before all the new OHS laws, and this lab was completely internal with no exhaust fans. Yes I am still alive at 62 years old, but I do have a rare form of depression for which there is only one form of medication to keep it under control. I have lost my sense of smell, and so taste. Not sure if this is a result of that or working in chemicals laboratories all my life. — Pamela Played with mercury As a middle school age boy we had an old oil burning boiler removed and in the removal was about a pint of liquid mercury. I asked for it and was given it. for months we poured it over our hands and arms, soaked our pennies in it so they looked silver, etc. I ended up majoring in chemistry in college as a result and taught it for 30 yrs. No known ill effects so far and I am nearly 60. — Jon Sure Did When I was about 10, I broke a thermometer and cleaned it up with my fingers. I was also exposed to other poisons as part of university agricultural research. Now I have MS. Im sure the poisons turned on my MS gene. — Jean Sure, lots of times Like a couple above, we used to push it around. Mostly on our desks at school. I cant remember where / how we got it but I think it was in some sort of bottle and not a broken thermometer. We didnt smear it on pennies. That seems odd. We smeared it over dimes as that kept the same color but made the dime really shiny. This was back in the 50s and I dont remember anyone thinking it was dangerous. I also remember tossing sodium into water and taking phosphorus (?) out of water and letting it ignite as it dried. — spokey Broken thermometer As a kid I loved playing with mercury I remember pushing the small spheres together to make a larger sphere. I was a child of the 60s and we were unaware of the dangers. I do not remember any warnings about mercury until maybe the 70s. I do not remember any problems that occurred at the time or since that time. — Ann M Yes Ive played with it! As a grade school kid back in the 1950s we always played with mercury. Loved dropping it on the desk into many tiny beads, then push them all together to form a bigger bead. Nobody told us it was bad. —chuckles11 Mercury form drives toxicity Mercury exists as a vapor (gaseous elemental Hg), as a liquid (elemental Hg), as a reactive species (Hg2) and as organic methylmercury (MeHg). Form dictates toxicity. The most toxic is inhaling gaseous mercury. It goes straight to the brain and causes insanity. Ingesting liquid mercury is not very toxic. Any basic environmental chemistry text will say about 7% stays in the body, while 93% is excreted. Even if mercury continues to be ingested, it will not cause insanity but it could cause kidney failure. Popping a few balls of Hg from a thermometer into your mouth isnt a good idea, but its not likely to hurt you. Bacteria transform inorganic mercury into MeHg, which accumulates up the food chain. Eating a lot of highly contaminated seafood can cause nervous system problems in a fetus and infants. It is unlikely to harm adults. Inorganic and MeHg are metabolized, with half life of about 70 days. Except for inhalation, only massive and continuous doses are toxic. — Kendra_Zamzow Mercury I work on mercury for preparation of their salts, it is poisonous and its salts are corrosive. 1st time i touch mercury when i am in class 6 from medical thermometer it is running like a ball like a small dew, mother says dont touch it is poisonous but i touch many times. — drashwani Forgery In school chemistry lessons we used to clean pennies with nitric acid and then silver plate them with mercuric chloride solution by rubbing the solution on with our fingers. It made them appear to be half crowns (yes its a longtime ago) so we could then go into the newsagent after school, buy ten cigarettes and still get change. So mercury and cigarettes from age 12 and Im still here (I did give up smoking a long time ago). —houghtong Have you touched liquid mercury? When I was a lot younger, we would take mercury and place a drop on a penny, then with our fingers, spread the mercury on the penny until the penny was entirely coated giving it a silver appearance. This was done several times by my brother and me. My father was a chemical engineer and he showed us how to do this. I never had any reaction either topically or systemically to the mercury. I did this about 60 years ago. I also love swordfish steaks, which are reported to have high Hg content. On another idea, I also made my own black powder and cannon (small 1/2 inch shot used). And I remember using DDT as an insecticide. Still alive and kicking. —gemlover7476 oops Several times during my childhood a mercury thermometer would break and my mother let me push the minute beads of mercury together (from all over the bathroom floor) and watch them eat each other and grow. It was fascinating. So now Im brain-damaged? — CRS When I was a kid... We used to take the mercury out of thermometers and put it into a glass bottle. We would turn the bottle and watch it move around and thought it was cool. We were around 6-12 in a group of kids that just hung out together. Back in the early 70s nobody cared what we were doing as long as we werent fighting or in the grownups hair. When I got into high school I found out how dangerous it is. We knew it was poison but to us that meant we shouldnt eat it. — Knittykitty Sure! As a child, of course! My mother even let us touch it, thinking it was a good science learning. And once in a class at school. But then, Im old and nobody knew better then. My kids got the dont touch it lecture. — Jone Lewis Mercury is Deadly Hi, Ive always been warned since childhood not to touch mercury, so never have. Over a decade ago science professor at US Davis passed a way from over exposure to Mercury in the lab. Also a very dear Doctor of chiropractic passed away in 2003 from having eaten sea food tainted with Mercury. It was very sad to see a once robust individual who had helped to restore my own health, waste with away with declining health over a period of 18 months. Still saddens me to think of him. — Sukhmandir Kaur Why? Im sorry, but I dont see why anyone would ever touch the stuff! People have known it is toxic for a long time. Seems like anyone alive who touched it must be terminally stupid. Thats my opinion, anyway! — Bea Yes, Ive touched it! I had a gold ring on one time and accidentally touched the mercury drop with the ring. The gold and mercury reacted, permanently discoloring the ring. — Anne