Understanding Alcoholic Neuropathy

Understanding Alcoholic Neuropathy Addiction Alcohol Use Print Alcoholic Neuropathy By Heidi Moawad, MD facebook Heidi Moawad is a neurologist and expert in the field of brain health and neurological disorders. Dr. Moawad regularly writes and edits health and career content for medical books and publications. Learn about our editorial policy Heidi Moawad, MD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on June 11, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 03, 2020 monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images More in Addiction Alcohol Use Binge Drinking Withdrawal and Relapse Children of Alcoholics Drunk Driving Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery In This Article Table of Contents Expand Signs and Symptoms Effects Causes Diagnosis Treatment View All Back To Top Alcoholic neuropathy is one of the most common and least recognizable consequences of heavy alcohol use. If you have had a long history of alcohol abuse, you might experience pain, tingling, weakness or loss of balance as a result of alcoholic neuropathy. Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholic Neuropathy Signs and symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy can progress gradually, and they are usually subtle at first. Often, a person who drinks heavily might not recognize that the symptoms are related to alcohol or to neuropathy. Signs and symptoms include any combination of the following: Deceased sensation of the toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands or armsPain, tingling or other unusual feelings of the toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands or armsWeakness of the feet or handsLack of coordination of the feet or handsLoss of balance/ unsteadiness when walkingBruises, cuts, sores or infections of the skin on the toes, feet, or fingersDecreased pain from injuries, especially on the feet or handsDizziness, particularly when standing with your eyes closedTrouble walking a straight line, even if you have not been drinkingConstipation or diarrheaUrinary incontinenceSexual dysfunction Effects of Alcoholic Neuropathy Alcoholic neuropathy is a nerve disease caused by excessive alcohol consumption over a long period of time.?? The effects of alcoholic neuropathy are caused by nerve damage and fall into four main categories; decreased sensation, pain/hypersensitivity, muscle weakness, and autonomic. Decreased Sensation Alcoholic neuropathy damages sensory nerves, resulting in decreased sensation of the hands and feet.?? This may not sound like a terrible problem, but diminished sensation actually causes very serious consequences. Frequent Bumps and Scrapes: Among the consequences of reduced sensation include a diminished ability to feel pain that would normally result from everyday minor injuries. You might not detect an uncomfortable sensation that should normally happen when your toes or fingers bump into something, which essentially makes it more likely that you will bump into things. You might not notice painful sensations such as your shoes being too tight, or gently striking into a wall or a curb while walking.Infections and Bleeding: Because of the absence of normal pain and discomfort, you are unlikely to protect tender sores and wounds, which can cause even further injury. Eventually, your wounds may bleed or become infected,Diminished Sensory Skills: Another consequence of decreased sensation is the inability to properly balance and coordinate fine motor skills, such as walking and finger movements. We rely on the sensation in our feet to effortlessly walk without looking down at the ground. With di minished sensation, activities that you normally do without looking, such as walking, writing, and typing, can become impaired. Often, advanced alcoholic neuropathy can make you feel off-balance, particularly when you shut your eyes, as you would in the shower, and this can  lead to dangerous falls. Pain and Hypersensitivity The other prominent effect of alcoholic neuropathy involves painful and uncomfortable sensations.?? Alcoholic neuropathy can result in hypersensitivity to touch and/or resting pain. Light touch can feel exaggerated and painful, particularly in the fingers and toes. Constant pain in the hands or feet is one of the most bothersome aspects of alcoholic neuropathy. The pain can feel like burning, throbbing or sharp pins and needles. As the condition progresses, the pain may vary in intensity, sometimes diminishing for months at a time before worsening again. Muscle Weakness Severe alcoholic neuropathy may cause motor weakness due to nerve damage.?? Our muscles need to receive a message from nearby nerves in order to function. When this message is interrupted due to damaged nerves, the muscles cannot function as they normally would. This most often manifests with weakness of the hands and feet. Autonomic Neuropathy Autonomic nerves control functions of the organs of the body, such as the bladder, stomach, and intestines.?? Alcoholic neuropathy can weaken the autonomic nerves, causing impairment of bowel and bladder function and sexual dysfunction. Causes In general, it takes years for alcoholic neuropathy to develop, so a long-standing history of heavy alcohol use is typical.?? Some heavy alcohol users experience a faster onset and progression of alcoholic neuropathy than others, and it is not completely clear why some people are more prone to this complication than others. Alcoholic neuropathy is caused by nutritional deficiency related to long term heavy alcohol consumption, as well as toxins that build up in the body as a result of long-term heavy alcohol consumption.?? Alcohol decreases absorption of nutrients, such as protein and vitamin B12, and causes significant nutritional deficits that impact many areas of the body, including the nerves. In addition, alcohol alters the function of the stomach, liver, and kidneys in ways that prevent the body from properly detoxifying waste material, which then builds up and harms many regions of the body, including the nerves. The nerve damage typically affects the axons, which are the projections that send electrical signals from one nerve to another, as well as the myelin, which is the fatty coating that protects the nerves. Nerves do not have a resilient ability to regenerate if they are severely damaged, and the nerve damage of alcoholic neuropathy may be permanent if the damage has been taking place for a long period of time or if it persists.?? Diagnosis of Alcoholic Neuropathy The diagnosis of alcoholic neuropathy involves a combination of your medical history, your physical examination, and possibly blood tests or nerve tests such as electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCV). Physical Examination: If your doctor thinks that you might have alcoholic neuropathy, a complete physical and neurological examination testing your reflexes, muscle strength, a detailed examination of your sensation (including light touch, pinprick, vibration and position sense), and testing of your coordination would be completed at your doctor’s office. Usually, people with alcoholic neuropathy have diminished reflexes and diminished sensation. In very advanced disease, weakness may be present too.Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies (NCV): These tests examine nerve function in detail and characteristic patterns, such as decreased function in the hands and feet, low amplitude of nerve waves, and slowing of nerve function are suggestive of alcoholic neuropathy.?? The nerve tests do not identify the cause of neuropathy however, just the extent of nerve damage.Nerve Biopsy: In rare instances, a nerve biopsy may be needed, which can show a pattern of nerve damage consi stent with alcoholic neuropathy.??Other Tests: You might need to have blood tests, urine tests, or imaging studies of your brain or spinal cord to rule out other causes of your symptoms. Conditions That May Mimic Alcoholic Neuropathy There are a number of other medical conditions that can be confused with alcoholic neuropathy. The most common of these include: Diabetic neuropathyPeripheral vascular diseaseSpine diseaseMuscle diseaseMultiple sclerosisGuillain-Barre syndromeMotor neuron disease, such as ALS?? Treatment of Alcoholic Neuropathy There are several medical treatments that can be used to manage the pain of alcoholic neuropathy. These include: Pain medications  Antidepressant medications:  While not specifically approved for the treatment of alcoholic neuropathy, they are often prescribed to help control the pain.Anti-seizure medications:  As with antidepressants, these medications are not formally indicated for the treatment of alcoholic neuropathy, but they are sometimes prescribed as a way to manage the pain.Vitamin supplements: Nutritional deficiencies are partly to blame for alcoholic neuropathy, and supplementation with vitamin B12, folate, Vitamin E, and thiamine may be recommended.?? There are no medications that can help improve loss of sensation, strengthen the muscle weakness, or aid the coordination and balance problems caused by alcoholic neuropathy. However, some people notice an improvement in symptoms a few months after discontinuing alcohol intake. Sometimes alcohol causes such severe damage to the body that a liver transplant may be necessary. In that case, there may be some improvement in the symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy after the liver transplant,?? but often, the neuropathy is so advanced that there may be little, if any, improvement, even after a transplant. A Word From Verywell Alcoholism is a challenging disease. Most people who have successfully managed alcoholism did not do it alone. The medical community has recognized that addiction is a disease and that some individuals are born with a tendency to become addicted to substances. Thus, it is usually necessary to get medical help for managing alcoholism. Some of the symptoms of alcoholic  neuropathy can be partially reversed, but if the neuropathy becomes advanced, it might not be reversible. Medication can help in reducing some of the symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy. The most important strategy against alcoholic neuropathy lies in preventing the symptoms from getting worse by decreasing your alcohol consumption as soon as possible.

The Is A Simple Term Essay - 1308 Words

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Can Natural Medicine or Non-Medicinal Therapies Treat...

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Miss Lonelyhearts Free Essays

The focus of Miss Lonelyhearts begins with the American Dream and the frailty of the people whose lives have been spent trying to achieve the American Dream, only to have lost everything during the Depression.   West paints the American Dream as an illusion, one that seems unachievable, particularly after reading the many letters written to him.   The letters depress him. We will write a custom essay sample on Miss Lonelyhearts or any similar topic only for you Order Now    Miss Lonelyhearts starts to believe that there is no true happiness, no true love in the world. He seeks out companionship as a physical release, but nothing more.   This depression leads Miss Lonelyhearts to search for something that may bring good in the world, and turns to Christ.   Through Miss Lonelyhearts, West is addressing a central dilemma facing modern man; having abandoned God, where do people turn to for answers? Turning to Christ does not seem to provide resolve for Miss Lonelyhearts, as he even feels that he and the world fail at religion.   He initially turns to Christ when his boss, Shrike, mocks him by writing a prayer that compares Miss Lonelyhearts to Christ.   Miss Lonelyhearts thinks that perhaps Christ can help him to help these people, but knows that ultimately the suffering of others will be more than he can bear. He knows that he is not Christ, although he tries desperately to emulate the Christian faith, through the sacrifice of a lamb, which doesn’t work.   Miss Lonelyhearts is trying to find order in a chaotic world.   The world exists as one in which faith should have the ability to save people, but it won’t.   Miss Lonelyhearts creates this order in a manner to deal with the chaos and depression.   Miss Lonelyhearts believes that it is this very modern world that is killing itself. Miss Lonelyhearts does not attach emotion to people or relationships.   The other people in his life are there for a purpose.   Betty represents the order that he thinks that he and the world need.   Emotion is not something that Miss Lonelyhearts displays in any way other than when he is angry.   He appears to be trying to get himself out of his current situation, but the depression of his readers suggests to him that there is no hope, only despair.   Christ could not provide a way out for him and turns instead to sex.   His admission that he does not believe in Christ appears to come from his refusal to acknowledge the sin in his own life. Even with women and during sex, it is not as though he longs for their companionship or is even excited by their presence.   It seems as though it is just another task in his day.   It is a physical release.   The people who write to Miss Lonelyhearts did not represent a world where love could exist.   Rather, they represented a world where hearts get broken and dreams vanish. Miss Lonelyhearts lets the world beat him down.   His boss is never kind or reassuring.   His coworkers mock him and remind him that he must not be a man, given the position that he works in.   Even punched in a bar, he does not retreat, but barely even notices.   He is emasculated by Mary and others, as he retreats further and further into himself and his world. When all else fails, Miss Lonelyhearts removes himself to the country in one more attempt to free himself from this suffering.   His retreat is also to nature, as nature may help the world heal itself.   His suffering is revealed in his illness in the country.   As he endures his suffering it is reminiscent of Christ.   He endures the suffering and takes on the suffering of others.   In his illness, he realizes that even leaving his job would not relieve him of this suffering, because it is now part of him.   This suffering is leaving him numb.   He even begins to feel like stone. His three day illness is representative of the death of Christ. Miss Lonelyhearts returns to the city a stronger man, ready to face his battle.   He seems resigned to accept Christ into his life, seems to know that his suffering is nearly over.   His religious experience joins him with God and makes him faithful, ready to embrace life.  Ã‚   Miss Lonelyhearts decision to embrace God and life brings him the peace he needs that frees him from the suffering of his life. The Christian faith plays a major role in Miss Lonelyhearts.   Miss Lonelyhearts displays his obsession with Christ with the picture of Christ that is hung on his walls.   He takes the disorder of the world and tries to create a cross with it.   He tries to reproduce the sacrifice of Christ by sacrificing a lamb.   Ultimately, Miss Lonelyhearts fails his mission and he feels he has failed most of his life.   His failed sacrifice of the lamb represents the failure of religion in the modern world and the failure of Miss Lonelyhearts to live up to the Christian faith.   The stone, as used by Miss Lonelyhearts to sacrifice the lamb, is a repetitive theme in the novel. Miss Lonelyhearts speaks of the relevance of stone to him when he states that man breaks stones â€Å"desperately, almost as if they know that the stones would someday break them.†Ã‚   Stones and rocks are also used to illustrate the cold nature of the world in which Miss Lonelyhearts lives.   His emotionless state is like that of a stone.   When he returns from the country, feeling like a stone, suggests that he feels stronger than he has ever felt before. Miss Lonelyhearts relationship with women is detached as is his relationship to the world.   Miss Lonelyhearts’ brutal assault on Mrs. Doyle’s face, â€Å"He kept hitting her until she stopped trying to hold him, then he ran out of the house.†Ã‚   Miss Lonelyhearts Christian mission is obscured by the oppression of those he tries to help.   His brutality towards Mrs. Doyle is the result of his repressed emotions and her voicing of his unspoken sexual feelings.   Mrs. Doyle had called Miss Lonelyhearts a fairy, again emasculating the man he was supposed to be. Miss Lonelyhearts is repulsed by individuals he views as grotesque, and finds himself driven toward violence in their presence.  Ã‚   His response to these individuals reveals the violence that he feels toward those that mock him or bully him.   The way in which they mock him, calling him a â€Å"leper licker,† leaves him feeling unsuitable for human kind. The manner in which female writers are discussed, as though they should be raped to teach them a lesson, combined with Miss Lonelyhearts’s name, continuously remind us of his   emasculation. Miss Lonelyhearts is virtually a female writer himself, by name and his position as an advice columnist.   Miss Lonelyhearts is not treated like a male.   Even the women in his life can be cruel and overbearing.   Miss Lonelyhearts continued emasculation contributes to his anger and depression. Miss Lonelyhearts’s job was considered to be a joke, an effort to laugh at the expense of   the victims of the world.   Miss Lonelyhearts considers himself to be a victim also.   He feels that he has been victimized professionally.   Because of Shrikes strong willed nature and his mockery of Miss Lonelyhearts faith, he feels that he is unable to provide any meaningful answers to the people who write to him for help.   This makes him the loneliest of all. The environment undergoes many transformations, as Miss Lonelyhearts reveals himself. Initially, Miss Lonelyhearts maintains a sterile environment, always seeking order in his world. The reveal shows a man who is struggling more than his writers would have known.   His is not a sinless world.   He was always seeking redemption from something and seeking redemption for others who suffered.   Miss Lonelyhearts is representative of the disillusionment that can be found in the American dream and the broken promises of religion, and society as a whole. The victims who write to Miss Lonelyhearts have dreams and wishes of a better life.   They have no resources to accomplish their dreams and no ability to work toward them, and their condition weakens.  Ã‚   He asserts that even their faith cannot help them, as his Christ dream could not help him.   His redemption, in the end, seems as simple as giving up as it does finding his faith. In an attempt to offer salvation to the crippling throng of humanity that writes him daily in the advice column of a big city newspaper, Miss Lonelyhearts became a self-anointed crucifixion figure, who dies tragically at the hands of someone he tried so desperately to help.   Having abandoned God, the newspaper has replaced traditional modes of seeking solace and compassion. Weighed in the balances of human suffering, the newspaper is found wanting. Religion that once provided man with some sense of security has been replaced by a hollow media. How to cite Miss Lonelyhearts, Essay examples

Who is a True Christian Essay Example For Students

Who is a True Christian? Essay It appears that Jane has had a strong belief in God, but sheseems to have a more wholesome and wholehearted beliefthan some other characters in the novel. In the beginning ofthe novel young Jane is painfully rejected by her aunt, aswell as her son and daughter.She is unable to alter the dailypattern of abuse and neglect. This makes it obvious that shedid not live as a member of a truly Christian family, but shewas mature enough to develop her own beliefs throughdaily prayers and biblical readings. Further in the story, she meets Mr. Brocklehurst for thefirst time and interviews Jane about sin, hell and the Bible. At one point in the conversation he asks her if she knowsany psalms, she replies that Psalms are not interesting(Bronte,490). This proves to Mr. Brocklehurst that she hasa wicked heart, and must pray to God to change it and giveher a new and clean one. Why must Mr. Brocklehurst beso harsh with such a young child? Would a truely Christianman ever be so quick to condemn someone he doesntknow anything about?Eventually Jane moves to Lowood Institution, an old,drafty, dreary place. It is there that Jane comes to realizethat although Mr. Brocklehurst was able to put on a goodshow at Gateshead Hall about his religious beliefs, he islacking in basic human necessities. The meals that wereserved were meager portions; during some occasions itwas burned. Her knowledge of the shortcomings atLowood were supported when she over heard the teacherswhisper Abominable stuff! How Shameful!(Bronte,499). We will write a custom essay on Who is a True Christian? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This situation along with the dreadfully cold sleepingquarters show that Mr. Brocklehurst althoughknowledgeable in biblical psalms and parables had noconcern with the conditions these children lived in. Also,when Jane accidentally breaks her slate he punishes her bymaking her stand on a high stool as punishment. From thispoint onward in the novel, it is clear that Mr. Brocklehurstsymbolizes hypocrisy and insensitivity. In particular, Mr. Brocklehurst was complaining aboutholes in stockings and expounding the virtues of a goodChristian, he is interrupted by his fashionably dressed wifeand two daughters. Their ostrich plumes, beaver hats andfalse French curls contrast with the cold, underdressedchildren huddling over a fire to keep warm. Obviously mostof the donated money is used to spoil his family, and notbeing used for what it was given for. Is this the behavior ofa true Christian? Jane doesnt not think so, but she is smartenough to disregard things she can not change and is ableto find a few role models that influence her development. Janes relationship with Helen Burns seems to strengthenher belief in God. Helen tells Jane that she is happy, andthat she doesnt want Jane to grieve her death. By dyingshe is escaping great sufferings, and that she has strong faithin God. Helen also tells Jane about her beliefs in heaven. She says, I am sure there is a future state; I believe God isgod; I can resign my immortal part to him without anymisgivings. God is my father; God is my friend: I love him; Ibelieve he loves me(525). After Helen tells her this shefeels dearer to her, the reader can feel an emotional bondbetween the two girls and the sense of a developing ofstrong faith. Eventually, Jane meets a man named St. John Rivers whotakes her in as a poor, helpless woman. Later they feel anattraction toward each other that must be avoided becausethey learn that they are distant relations. She notices that St. .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 , .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 .postImageUrl , .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 , .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96:hover , .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96:visited , .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96:active { border:0!important; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96:active , .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96 .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc64af9ef90d9138f2e17000df2bc9c96:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Most Dangerous Game EssayJohn is a good-hearted, caring man with strong faith inGod. She appreciates those qualities and almost falls inlove with him. St. John asks her to join him on a religiousmission in India. Think that she was not a woman with amind of her own he tries to convince her by saying Godand Nature intended you for a missionarys wife Amissionarys wife you must-shall be. You shall be mine: Iclaim you-nor for my pleasure, but for my Sovereignsservice.(749)She almost accepts but comes to realize that he wants herto be his wife not his companion to spread the word ofGod. She feels a brotherly bond with St.John which wouldmake marrying him a seem an incestuou s activity whichmaybe a condemnatory offense in the eyes of God whomshe does not want to offend. Also she begins to realize thathis religious missions are not done from the heart, he feels itis his job. She is confused that a self- proclaimed man ofGod could overlook such a situation.Jane makes it clearthat she does not want to be a part of his proposal. After comparing these two characters the reader can seethat there are major differences in their belief or beliefs inGod. Both Mr. Brocklehurst and St.John Rivers have avery narrow-minded view of God. They believe thatmemorization and recitation of psalms and Scripturereadings will get you to heaven, but they dont realize thathuman neglect is looked down upon by God. While Janeon the other hand has a more worldly, open-minded viewof God. That not only must a person be knowledgeable ofwhat He has done and what He expects of us, but that wemust care for each other as we care for ourselves. Janebelieves that God accepts people by what is in their heartHe will not be fooled by the masks or religious fronts thatpeople wear and build. Also, note that she does not hate them because of theirhypocritical ways she hopes that their eyes open to whatthey are doing, and chooses not to get to involved. Jane isa very intelligent woman, and though she has had a hard lifeshe still knows to lead with her mind and love with herheart.She exemplifies a true christian. Religion

Beauty Advertisements Psychology Essay

Beauty Advertisements Psychology Essay Beauty Advertisements Psychology Essay Example Beauty Advertisements Psychology Essay Example In the contemporary world, the mass media, specifically advertisements in magazines and newspapers, greatly influence the everyday lives of people. The most dangerous effect of the mass media is that it imposes societal beauty ideals. In most cases, beauty advertisements negatively affect young girls and women. In fact, such type of advertisement may undermine mental and physical health of a person, thereby lowering their self-esteem and developing depression. Moreover, the mass media can distort womens understanding of beauty. While many celebrities are perceived as role models by the consumers, the latter may take radical measures such as plastic surgery in order to be like their ideals. In this respect, victims of beauty advertisements, specifically teenagers, can hardly differentiate reality from fantasy. Media Imagined Beauty For Us Thus, commercials greatly manipulate people’s consciousness, forcing them to waste their money and purchase unnecessary products. Although there are some examples of beauty advertisements that do not humiliate or control women’s minds, there still exists a possibility of harm they may cause. Therefore, while advertising creates unreachable beauty standards that appeal to womens consciousness and affect their choices, this issue has to be addressed due to the harmful impact commercials make on womens lives. Today, media marketing impacts the consumers in many different ways. For example, beauty commercials cause harm to mental and physical health. Thus, advertisements may undermine persons self-esteem and, in turn, cause depression and feeling of insecurity. While advertisements usually create unrealistic images of beauty, many women tend to become anxious about their bodies and appearance. Apparently, the popular media created the trend of a thin body as an excellent example for women to follow (â€Å"Technology and media,† n.d.). Consequently, looking at advertisements in the modern media where most models are thin, young girls and women who do not fit this ideal may torture themselves by diets and even suffer from hunger in order to be like their idols. Furthermore, such commercials support formation of low self-confidence as well as low self-esteem in many women (Britton, 2012). The reason is that while contemplating magazine models or celebrities with perfect bodies, teenage girls try to emulate them. According to Grabe, Hyde, and Ward (2008), â€Å"Approximately 50% of girls and undergraduate women report being dissatisfied with their bodies† (p. 460). In this respect, women are more focused on the fact how they look than on their occupations and character. In fact, beauty commercials are strongly connected with the creation of insecurity. For example, when young girls or women are shown images of models advertising products such as clothes, shoes, cosmetics, and perfume, there is likelihood that they will be dissatisfied with their bodies as well as find themselves less attractive (Trampe, Stapel, Siero, 2011). Therefore, beauty advertisements negatively influence womens vision of themselves. At the same time, commercials may cause development of depression as well as anorexia nervosa. When women see thin bodies on the screen, they take these fictitious images as role models. In fact, a major target of such advertisements is young girls because they are inexperienced consumers. The reason is that the adolescents only start learning their values and roles, as well as developing their self-esteem. While all adolescents are likely to be influenced by the messages that advertisements send, the products provide them with what they want. Thus, a cigarette or a can of beer is a symbol of independence, while a pair of jeans or fashionable shoes represent status (Kilbourne, 1999, p. 129). When young girls see images of women, usually in unreal scopes, they perceive it as a standard, which they should reach when they will mature. According to the report provided by the American Psychological Association, girls are greatly exposed to images shown in advertisements, and thus they are more susceptible to depression, low self-evaluation, and eating disorders (Aneja, 2014, p. 25). From the early years, girls risk becoming victims of many illnesses, and one of them is anorexia (Frisby, 2004, p. 330). According to Harrison and Cantor (1997), anorexia nervosa is a dangerous disorder that threatens human life (p. 45). It is described by the refusal to consume food in order to maintain appropriate body weight. Talking about people who suffer from anorexia, they tend to be afraid of gaining weight that, in turn, may cause depression. Swinson (2011) stated that â€Å"one in four people is depressed about their body, and almost half of girls in a recent survey think the pressure to look good is the worst part of being female†. Thus, a beauty advertisement triggers the development of illnesses in young girls and women. Moreover, beauty commercials mislead women and provide them with false images of beauty, forcing them to be perfect. Britton (2012) stated that in 2007, 11.7 million of cosmetic surgical products depicted in beauty advertisements greatly raised the number of cosmetic surgeries. The obsession with perfect models bodies, skin, and hair evokes the desire of consumers to search for a quick fix of their imperfections. As a result, paying great attention to appearance, many women do cosmetic surgeries in order to look younger and more sexually attractive (Kilbourne, 1999, p. 72). More importantly, these advertisements influence the way women perceive themselves. Commercials make consumers feel that they are not attractive enough compared to the advertised ideal images. Thus, advertisements create role models for women that usually remain unreachable. Consequently, women are not confident and happy with their appearance and body because every day in beauty commercials they are told that the y do not fit the established idea of beauty. The idealized shape and size make women feel miserable and abandoned. Furthermore, older women are under pressure from beauty commercials when young and thin 20-years-old models are presented. Unfortunately, women can hardly comprehend that models in advertisements are photoshopped in order to possess stereotypical norms of beauty. Thus, women make futile efforts to follow the role model portrayed in the advertisement, ignoring the natural beauty of their years (Aneja, 2014, p. 22). While advertisements increase the interest of consumers in beauty products, they lower their self-evaluations, forcing to perform ill-considered and risky acts. In fact, beauty advertisements manipulate human consciousness, making people buy unnecessary products. Apparently, commercials affect peoples preferences, choices, as well as perceived needs. Frequency of beauty advertisements on TV and in magazines has formed peoples conception of the particular product. Moreover, advertisements force consumers to better remember and recognize brands. As a result, even if a woman does need one more lipstick or sweater, she will probably purchase it because of the images created by the advertisement in her head. In most cases, commercials do not simply show rational arguments in favor of a product, but rather attempt to affect womens emotions. Being guided by emotions, women are more likely to make unnecessary purchases. According to Beauty at Any Cost (2008), â€Å"The YWMCA reported that $7 billion is spent each year on cosmetics† (as cited in Britton, 2012). In most beauty advertisements, female bodies, sexuality, and seductive images are u sed in order to draw mens attention to the products. In addition, sexually depicted celebrities and models in advertisement are viewed as unattainable ideals for young girls. Hereby, such commercials promote the need for women to look sexy. To look more attractive, women waste their money on goods they actually do not need. Thus, impacting womens thoughts and attitudes, the advertisement achieves its main target that is to earn more money by selling a particular product. Although the above-mentioned arguments show that advertisements have a harmful impact on womens mental and physical health, there can be found counterarguments to prove their beneficial effect. For example, there is a thought that advertising helps to improve the economy. Nowadays, people meet advertisements everywhere, namely on the streets, in movies and magazines, and on the Internet. Thus, the more successful advertising industry is, the more money to the economy of the country it may bring. Moreover, advertisements make some products cheaper as well as provide specific ideas and information about them (Plumer, 2012). On the contrary, too much beauty advertisements in newspapers and magazines can be very dangerous. While advertisements promote images, values, vision of wealth and beauty as well as concepts of love and sexuality, they might be very harmful. Thus, beauty commercials show people how they should look like and what they have to wear in order to be accepted by the mode rn world. In some cases, advertisements may trigger addictions that, in turn, bring many problems to the consumers. Moreover, people pay a lot of money for advertisements as well as risk their health. At the same time, the income of advertising companies has grown during the last years (Kilbourne, n.d.). Commercials provide billions of dollars for different companies across the world (Kilbourne, n.d.). Although advertisements inform people about a particular product, the majority of them can be harmful. Watching too many advertisements, people tend to want excessive amounts of things that they do not need or even can hardly afford (Samson, 2013). Ide (2011) noted that too much beauty commercials might make people feel inadequate when they do not have something they want. While the advertisement brings economical success to the industry, it has a harmful impact on its audience. At the same time, there are advertisements which depict average size women. For example, â€Å"Dove Real Beauty† Campaign that has been conducted almost ten years ago portrays women of all races and sizes to demonstrate female beauty. The particular advertisement does not have any hint on pressure or manipulation that the other commercials usually have. In fact, there are no digitally manipulated images of extremely thin models, making women feel unattractive or fat. Thus, the aim of the campaign is to let consumers feel confident. The advertisement depicts women with the average size, natural faces, and of different age, who are satisfied with their appearance. The rebuttal of this counterargument is the fact that this campaign might be more harmful to women and girls than any regular advertisement. While advertising has taught women to compare themselves to the ideal images they recently saw, this potentially might lead them to make comparisons with the images of real women (Celebre Denton, 2014). In this regard, â€Å"Dove Real Beauty† Campaign as well as its audience remains in a risk zone. Therefore, in one way or another, the advertisement influences self-esteem of women, forcing them to compare themselves with the presented women’s body or appearance. Therefore, an advertisement creates an unreal and dreamlike world where all people are thin, beautiful, and perfect. Beauty commercials depict the way in which humans should look, causing many problems to them. The ideals imposed by beauty advertisements surround young girls and women every day. Advertisements create the entire world view, pressing women to take actions that they would never do under other circumstances. To gain a profit for their products, companies refer to advertisements that constantly affect womens self-esteem in a harmful way. Commercials make women feel that they are not attractive enough, pushing them to make plastic surgeries, torture themselves by diets, and spend a lot of money on unnecessary products. Moreover, young girl and women risk suffering from depression and stress due to their appearance. Although there are some advertisements aimed at exposing the falseness of stereotypical views on beauty, they do not forbid their consumers to follow the images they represent. Therefore, beauty advertisements have a negative impact on womens perception of themselves, body, health, and self-esteem.

The Battle of the Alamo 1836 - Texas Revolution

The Battle of the Alamo 1836 - Texas Revolution Battle of the Alamo -  Conflict Dates: The siege of the Alamo took place from February 23 to March 6, 1836, during the Texas Revolution (1835-1836). Armies Commanders: Texans Colonel William Travis Jim BowieDavy Crockett180-250 men21 guns Mexicans General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna 6,000 men20 guns Background: In the wake of the Battle of Gonzales which opened the Texas Revolution, a Texan force under Stephen F. Austin encircled the Mexican garrison in the town of San Antonio de Bà ©xar. On December 11, 1835, after an eight-week siege, Austins men were able to compel General Martà ­n Perfecto de Cos to surrender. Occupying the town, the defenders were paroled with the requirement that they forfeit the majority of their supplies and weapons as well as not fight against the Constitution of 1824. The fall of Cos command eliminated the last major Mexican force in Texas. Returning to friendly territory, Cos provided his superior, General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna, with information about the uprising in Texas. Santa Anna Prepares: Seeking to take a hard line with the rebelling Texans and angered by perceived American interference in Texas, Santa Anna ordered a resolution passed stating that any foreigners found fighting in the province would be treated as pirates.   As such, they would be immediately executed. While these intentions were communicated to US President Andrew Jackson, it is unlikely that many of the American volunteers in Texas were aware of the Mexican intention to forego taking prisoners. Establishing his headquarters at San Luis Potosà ­, Santa Anna began assembling an army of 6,000 with the goal of marching north and putting down the revolt in Texas. In early 1836, after adding 20 guns to his command, he began marching north through Saltillo and Coahuila. Fortifying the Alamo: To the north in San Antonio, Texan forces were occupying the Misià ³n San Antonio de Valero, also known as the Alamo. Possessing a large enclosed courtyard, the Alamo had first been occupied by Cos men during siege of the town the previous fall. Under the command of Colonel James Neill, the future of the Alamo soon proved a matter of debate for the Texan leadership. Far from the majority of the provinces settlements, San Antonio was short on both supplies and men.   As such, General Sam Houston advised that the Alamo be demolished and directed Colonel Jim Bowie to take a force of volunteers to accomplish this task. Arriving on January 19, Bowie found that work to improve the missions defenses had been successful and he was persuaded by Neill that the post could be held as well as that it was an important barrier between Mexico and the Texas settlements. During this time Major Green B. Jameson had constructed platforms along the missions walls to allow the emplacement of captured Mexican artillery and to provide firing positions for infantry. Though useful, these platforms left the upper bodies of the defenders exposed. Initially manned by about 100 volunteers, the missions garrison grew as January passed. The Alamo was again reinforced on February 3, with the arrival of 29 men under Lieutenant Colonel William Travis. A few days later, Neill, departed to deal with an illness in his family and left Travis in charge. Travis ascent to command did not sit well with Jim Bowie. A renowned frontiersman, Bowie argued with Travis over who should lead until it was agreed that the former would command the volunteers and the latter the regulars. Another notable frontiersman arrived on February 8, when Davy Crockett rode into the Alamo with 12 men. The Mexicans Arrive: As preparations moved forward, the defenders, relying on faulty intelligence, came to believe that the Mexicans would not arrive until mid-March. To the surprise of the garrison, Santa Annas army arrived outside of San Antonio on February 23. Having marched through driving snow and foul weather, Santa Anna reached the town a month sooner than the Texans anticipated. Surrounding the mission, Santa Anna sent a courier requesting the Alamos surrender. To this Travis responded by firing one of the missions cannon. Seeing that the Texans planned to resist, Santa Anna laid siege to the mission. The next day, Bowie fell ill and full command passed to Travis. Badly outnumbered, Travis sent out riders asking for reinforcements. Under Siege: Traviss calls went largely unanswered as the Texans lacked the strength to fight Santa Annas larger army. As the days passed the Mexicans slowly worked their lines closer to the Alamo, with their artillery reducing the missions walls. At 1:00 AM, on March 1, 32 men from Gonzales were able to ride through the Mexican lines to join the defenders. With the situation grim, legend states that Travis drew a line in the sand and asked all those willing to stay and fight to step over it. All except one did. The Final Assault: At dawn on March 6, Santa Annas men launched their final attack on the Alamo. Flying a red flag and playing the El Degà ¼ello bugle call, Santa Anna signaled that no quarter would be given to the defenders. Sending 1,400-1,600 men forward in four columns they overwhelmed the Alamos tiny garrison. One column, led by General Cos, broke through the missions north wall and poured into the Alamo. It is believed that Travis was killed resisting this breach. As the Mexicans entered the Alamo, brutal hand-to-hand fighting ensued until almost the entire garrison had been killed. Records indicate that seven may have survived the fighting, but were summarily executed by Santa Anna. Battle of the Alamo -  Aftermath: The Battle of the Alamo cost the Texans the entire 180-250-man garrison. Mexican casualties are disputed but were approximately 600 killed and wounded. While Travis and Bowie were killed in the fighting, Crocketts death is a subject of controversy. While some sources state that he was killed during the battle, others indicate that he was one of the seven survivors executed on Santa Annas orders. Following his victory at the Alamo, Santa Anna moved quickly to destroy Houstons small Texas Army. Outnumbered, Houston began retreating towards the US border. Moving with a flying column of 1,400 men, Santa Anna encountered the Texans at San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Charging the Mexican camp, and yelling Remember the Alamo, Houstons men routed Santa Annas troops. The next day, Santa Anna was captured effectively securing Texan independence. Selected Sources The AlamoBattle of the AlamoTexas State Library: Battle of the Alamo