Advantages and disadvantages of technological advances in psychological treatment
Select One topic below to write your initial discussion post. (due to posting this late, you are not required to respond to 2 peers and the due date has been extended)
Is anxiety ever helpful? What about worry?
What does it mean to say that someone is mentally ill? What criteria are usually considered to determine whether someone is mentally ill? Should we use these criteria and are these methods appropriate for diagnosing mental illness?
What might be some advantages and disadvantages of technological advances in psychological treatment? What will psychotherapy look like 50 or 100 years from now?
What are some of the issues surrounding prescribing medications for children and adolescents? How might this be improved?
Sample Solution
While anxiety often gets a bad rap, it can surprisingly be beneficial in certain situations. Let's explore the positive and negative aspects of anxiety and worry.
Anxiety: A Double-Edged Sword
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Positive Effects: Anxiety can serve as an alarm system, alerting us to potential threats and motivating us to take action. For example, feeling anxious before an exam can focus our attention and improve performance. It can also promote caution and prevent risky behavior.
Full Answer Section
- Negative Effects: When excessive or persistent, anxiety can be debilitating. It can manifest as physical symptoms like racing heart, shortness of breath, and muscle tension, leading to avoidance behaviors and hindering daily activities.
- Worry as Overthinking: Constant worry about hypothetical situations or future events can be unproductive and drain mental energy. It can lead to rumination (fixating on negative thoughts) and interfere with problem-solving abilities.
- Worry as Planning: However, some level of worry can be a helpful form of mental rehearsal. It allows us to anticipate potential challenges and plan solutions, promoting preparedness and reducing the risk of negative outcomes.
- Can you share an example from your own life where anxiety was helpful or unhelpful?
- How can we differentiate between productive worry and unproductive worry?
- What strategies do you use to manage your anxiety or worry?