The Decisions We Make In Social Work Social Work Essay

The Decisions We Make In Social Work Social Work Essay How do we make ethical decisions in social work? Discuss the process illustrating your arguments with specific case examples.    Ethical awareness is a fundamental part of the professional practice of social workers. Their ability and commitment to act ethically is an essential aspect of the quality of the service offered to those who use social work services. It is an inevitable process that social workers will find themselves within the dimension of ethical issues which will no doubt challenge the individual and bring about some critical reflection of action. Some of the problem areas where ethical issues may arise include; The fact that the loyalty of social workers is often in the middle of conflicting interests. The fact that social workers function as both helpers and controllers. The conflicts between the duties of social workers to protect the interests of the people. With whom they work and societal demands for efficiency and utility. The fact that resources in society are limited. Beckett and Maynard (2006)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This assignment will address some of the areas where a social worker may run into conflict. To begin this assignment will examine the importance of values personal, professional, societal and organizational; it will further examine the vital need for a shared core base of professional values within social work. It will begin to discuss the complex nature of social work and the guidance found in the code of ethics when social workers face ethical dilemmas. It will support this concept with a case scenario. The assignment will then discuss another area where an ethical dilemmas can arise, in risk assessment, and will discuss using a case scenario how risk can be managed ethically. The core of the assignment will briefly outline an approach to how an ethical decision can be made and will draw on two theoretical aspects within ethical decision making. To finish this assignment will look at ethics within partnership working where a brief scenario will support the impo rtance of anti-oppressive practice and ethics within organisations. The assignment will then conclude with a summary detailing the need for ethical awareness within social work. Every day social workers are faced with stressful, even traumatic situations, such as domestic violence, child abuse, the homeless, family tension, mental illness and suicide. Therefore it is fair to say social workers work with the most disadvantaged groups and vulnerable individuals in society. Clark, (2000) p1 says The service that is provided is seen as the most contentious of all the human service professions. It is because of the nature of the job, social workers often find themselves dealing with tough decisions about human situations that involve the potential for benefit or harm. Whilst underpinning the decision process is the strong expectation that social workers must be able to balance the tension between the rights and responsibilities of the people who use services and the legitimate requirements of the wider public. They must also be able to understand the implications of, and to work effectively and sensitively with, people whose cultures, beliefs or life experiences are different from their own. In all of these situations, they must recognise and put aside any personal prejudices they may have. According to Pinker, social work is, essentially, a moral enterprise Pinker, (1990) p14 whilst Beckett and Maynard, (2006) p189 states Almost all of the important decisions that are made by social workers have a value component. According to Banks, (2006) p6: Values are particular types of belief that people hold about what is regarded as worthy or valuable.   Values of the client, profession, organisation and society are an intrinsic part of decision making. Traditional values of social work was first introduced in the early 60s by Biestek. His principles outlined the basics of traditional social work and were constructed of a seven-point scheme. The principles consisted of Individualism, Purposeful expression of feelings, Controlled emotional involvement., Acceptance, Non-judgmental attitude, User self-determination, Confidentiality.Biestek (1961). Many of Biestek beliefs were very traditional and were criticised for their diversity in their interpretation. Controversies relating to different principles caused many problematic conclusions, for example individualisation and confidentiality. Individualisation could not be possible in the fast moving modern world, people lose their identity and individualis ation is not respected. Confidentiality has its limitations to be enforced for example; If a user shares information where someone will be harmed, the social workers duty is to share it as a right to other individuals. It was clear these key issues had to be developed and advanced to help social workers. Furthermore it was considered that there must be guidance on values and ethics for social workers, as they play a major part in their work. Banks, (2006) p150 says; There is recognition that personal and agency values may conflict and that the worker as a person has a moral responsibility to make decisions about these conflicts. Therefore the social work profession is guided by the shared values that underpin its practice set out in the (GSCC 2002) code of conduct. The code is criteria to guide practice standards and judge accountability from social care workers. The work load of social workers deals with individuals who are disadvantaged in some form or another so it is important to have a shared value system to reflect the ethical problems and dilemmas they face.   Working from a professional value is a guide to professional behaviours that maintain identity and can protect service users from malpractice. Parrott, (2006) p17. On their own personal values will be of limited use. Beliefs and good intentions will not give the professional the knowledge and skills they need to make sense of a practice situation and inter vene in it. The difference between personal and professional values include, professional values can be distinguished from personal values, in that personal values may not be shared by all members of an occupational group, for example, a person who works as a social worker may have a personal belief that abortion is wrong, but this is not one of the underlying principles of social work. Banks, (2006), p 7. The GSCC codes of practice contain a list of statements that describe the standards of professional conduct and practice required of social care workers. They are as followed; protect the rights and promote the interests of services users and carers, strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users and carers, promote the independence of service users while protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm, Respect the rights of service users while seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people, Uphold public trust and confidence in social care services and Be accountable for the quality of their work and take responsibility for maintain and improving their knowledge and skills GSCC (2002) It is then hardly surprising giving the complex nature of the professional role a social worker may find them self when making decisions within ethical areas facing an ethical dilemma. Theà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯ethical dilemma arises when there are; two equally unwelcome alternatives which involves a conflict of moral principle and it is not clear which choice is right Banks (2006). When social workers struggle to reach a decision they can be then guided by the code of Ethics. The primary objective of the Associations code of Ethics is to express the values and principles which are integral to social work, and to give guidance on ethical practice. BASW (2001). Loewenverg and Dolgoff (1996) state that Ethic are designed to help social worker decide which of the two or more competing goals isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯correct for their given situational . However alongside ethical awareness you have to be aware of the publicly stated values of your agency and make skilful judgements based upon your accumu lated knowledge and experience. Ethical considerations are rarely the responsibility of one worker; however, agencies policies and structures of accountability offer both guidance and a standard against which your practice can be measured. Accountability, therefore, is the process through which employers and the public can judge the quality of individual workers practice and hold them responsible for their decisions and actions. (Derek Clifford Beverley Burke 2005) Competing values and multiple-client system are two areas where a social worker may find themselves facing an ethical dilemma. Weather it is the social work values that is competing against agency values or within each a confliction of values, which will leave the social worker in need to decide which value will take priority. Also deciding which role the social worker must take in order to reach the right decision can lead to the dilemma of role confliction. Beckett and Maynard (2006) suggest that the role of a social worker can be put into three groups: Advocacy, Direct Change Agent and Executive. The advocacy role can be either direct or indirect. Direct change agent being counsellor or therapist, mediator, educator and catalyst, with executive role as almoner, care manager, responsibility holder, co-ordinator and service developer (Beckett and Maynard 2006 p8). The GSCC (2002) code of conduct  says As a social care worker, you must strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users and carers (s2), which includes Respecting confidential information and clearly explaining agency policies about confidentiality to service users and carers. Consider the following scenario; whilst on placement a client disclosed sensitive information to a trainee social worker regarding the well-being of her neighbours children. After clarification that social worker would have to pass this information on to their manager, the client did not wish to consent to the information being passed on. When the supporting relationship had ended, the social worker had to then make a decision based on where there priorities lay. As they were supporting the client who disclosed, they had a responsibility to uphold the standard of respecting her confidentiality. However they also had a responsibility to the wider society which in this case was the ch ildren who were at risk of harm.   When making the decision they assessed all the information and weighed up the outcomes. Do they withhold the information in order to maintain the trust and respect of the client or do they prioritize the needs and risk of the children? They then turned to the agency safeguarding policy and the code of ethics for social workers which clearly states; we must not promise to keep secrets for or about a child or young person Agency safeguarding policy, (2010) p10 and further states; We aim to safeguard children at all times, by delivering our services safely and by sharing information when there is a concern.p9. Clearly the value of life outweighed the needs and wishes of the client in this circumstance. However to whom did the social worker owe responsibility and which role should they take in this situation. Banks (2006) p48 clarifies this conflict by suggesting : Yet while the social worker may be able to focus largely on one individual service user and take on the role of advocate for the service users rights, often the social worker has to take into account the rights of significant à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯others in a situation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯In the interests of justice it may not always be morally right to promote the service users rights at the expense of those of others The social worker if doubting her judgement, would address the BASW (2001) code of Ethics to guide the outcome of her decision, the code states; Social workers will not act without informed consent of service users, unless required by law to protect that person or another from risk of serious harm. (4.1.4 p8) Furthermore it guides us by stating; In exceptional circumstances where the priority of the service users interest is outweighed the need to protect others or by legal requirements, make service users aware that their interests may be overridden. (4.1.1 b p8) As you can see the code of ethics guided the social worker to the right course of action that they should take. They were duty bound by law to act on behalf of the individuals who were at most risk. According to Parrot (2010) p86 Risk refers to the likelihood of an event happening which in contemporary circumstances is seen as undesirable.   It is when facing issues involving risk that values become of central importance in enabling practitioners to manage risk. Consider the following scenario; a social worker visits an elderly lady in her home after a referral is made by the ladies niece. The niece is concerned for the safety of her aunt after a recent decline in her aunts mobility and health which resulted in a nasty fall. The niece lives quite far away and cannot provide regular care for her aunt. The lady values her independence and does not want to be put in a residential home which her niece thinks would be for the best; however there is a concern able risk that if some form of intervention is not in place the lady is at serious risk of hurting herself further. The social worker is faced with a dilemma. The lady has a right to autonomy and self-determination however ther e is a risk of potential harm happening. The social worker must risk assess the potential outcomes and measure the risk involved. Which on one hand the individual faces residential care involving losing much personal freedom and autonomy; on the other hand to leave a person in their own home to face social isolation and to be potentially at risk of physical danger may also be unwelcome. Social workers have to look to the consequences of their actions and weight up which action would be least harmful / most beneficial to the user, and which action would benefit most efficientlyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯ Parrott (2010) p51 While Kemshall (2002) p128 argues, risk management cannot guarantee to prevent risk. It can attempt to limit the chances of risky situations tuning into dangerous ones or reduce the consequences of such situations. As she suggests, minimization rather than reduction is the key. In other words to approach this situation the social worker will identify the social work values that is embedded in the their practice which is; As a social care worker, you must respect the rights of the service users while seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people. (GSCC 2002 s4). For further guidance the social worker will identify with the code of ethics   which states; we may limit clients rights to self-determination when, in the social workers professional judgment, clients actions or potential actions pose a serious, foreseeable, and imminent risk to themselves or others, but it also tells us that we are to promote clientsself-determination Code of Ethics (1.02). Weighing up the outcomes of the individual the social worker will be committed to allowing the individual choice and empowerment. And work with the elderly lady to ensure her self-determination remains able whilst also advocating on the ladies behalf to ensure she is able to a ccess services which will allow her to live a safe independent life. Thompson (2005,p170) cited on blackboard says it is the social workers role to enable service users and carers: to gain power and control over their own lives and circumstancesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..to help people to have a voiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..so that they counter the negative effects of discrimination and marginalization whilst Hatton (2008, p145) cited on(class PowerPoint 2011) sees social workers role as active change agents to create: an empowered and active group of service users and carers who hold us to account, share in our decision making and participate actively in the way we deliver services Social work decisions span a wide range from safeguarding through to allocation services and advising clients and families on courses of action to improve their lives. As we can see some decisions may involve a breach of confidentiality and assessment of high risks such as a vulnerable adult in need of services to improve their quality of life and prevent harm even death. It is important therefore for social workers to be able to justify their actions.   Social worker therefore must draw upon a variety of professional knowledge such as law, policy, research, theory, standards, principles and practice wisdom to inform complex and sensitive judgements and decisions in uncertain situations where harm may ensue. Much of what social workers do concerns decisions about future courses of action, which puts decision making at the heart of social work as a core professional activity. Banks (2006) p9 This assignment will now examine how the ethical dilemma can be resolved  by discussing  an approach to guide the process of ethical decisions in practice. We have identified that social workers are expected to critically examine ethical issues in order to come to a resolution that is consistent with social work values and ethical principles. However how is the social worker able to organize all the components relevant to the decision and outcomes. One example of a model to help assist the social worker reach resolution is Mattison (2000, p.206) His model offers a framework to analyse ethical dilemmas such as: Define and gather information; Once the social worker has identified an ethical dilemma, they begin the process of making a decision by fully exploring case details and gathers needed information to understand holistically the clients current circumstances. Supporting this is Horner (2005 p97) who says that social workers are to engage holistically with both the person and their circumstances whilst at the same time recognizing the processes of power dynamics at the play in the helping relationship It is then important for the social worker to distinguish the practice aspects of the case from the ethical considerations (so separate practice from how you have learned to think about ethical issues). Identify value tensions The social worker must refer to the professional code of ethics to help clarify obligations and identify the principles that have a bearing on the dilemma The social worker projects, weighs, and measures the possible courses of action that seem reasonable and the potential consequences of these The social worker after weighing up options must select an action for resolving a dilemma. This involves determining which of the competing obligations are we going to honour foremost (this may mean at the expense of others). The social worker reaches the resolution stage and this means being able to justify the decision. To further this ideas of influence on decisions It is also vitally important for social workers to take time to reflect on their practice and own values. This is a vital point because although guides and frameworks can be developed to offer social workers a logical approach to the decision making process, to some extent, the use of discretionary judgments is evitable (Mattison, 2000). The value system and preferences of the decision maker ultimately shape the process of working through dilemmas and so it is important for social workers to be ethically aware of their character, philosophies, attitudes and biases. Furthermore, philosophers have argued that elements of deontological and teleological thinking operate in and influences decision making in ethical dilemmas. A deontological thinker is grounded in the belief that actions can be determined right or wrong, good or bad, regardless of the consequences they produce and so adherence to rules is central. Once formulated, ethical rul es should hold under all circumstances (Mattison, 2000). On the other hand a teleological thinker is ground in the belief of consequences and so weighing up the potential consequences of proposed actions is central to this way of thinking (Mattison, 2000). So a social worker following a deontological way of thinking will differ in their approach to ethical decision making compared with a social worker following a teleological way of thinking. As part of the profession social workers often find them self-working collaboratively with other professionals such as doctors, police, nurses, teachers and probation officers to name but a few.   Considering the variety of different professions merging to reach possible outcomes it is not surprising that partnership working becomes a complex problem. Mainly because of the assumptions that we are all working towards a collective aim. Bates cited in Parrot (2010.) Different values, ideologies, ethics and culture of working can too lead to confliction of interests.  Ã‚   Effective partnerships require sustained relationships, shared agendas built up over time and a commitment to shared problem solving. When different professional groupings come together in collaboration then they bring with them their own ways of working, organisational cultures and attitudes, their particular practice experience and their own ethical codes Parrot (2010) Consider the following scenario; a social work student commitment to anti oppressive practice is clearly challenged whilst on placement.   The voluntary organisation which they are placed with worked in partnership with the crown court. One day as they were waiting for an expected family, to whom they were supporting, they are then approached by an usher (a worker of the court justice system). He commented on the family jokingly saying;  Oh no not that family again they are low life Jeremy Kyle watching scroungers, they bring the trouble on themselves.   This use of stereotypical language discriminated and negatively challenged the whole purpose of the organisations aims which is to value diversity, whilst also conflicting with section 5 of the core values of the GSCC You must not discriminate unlawfully or unjustifiably against service users, carers or colleagues (GSCC 2002 5.5) Parrot (2010 ) suggests There is no appropriate way at which a social worker can condone such langu age weather they choose to confront the issue at hand or make a formal complaint. Parrott (2010) further states; what is the point in partnership working with fellow professionals only to result in the dilution of the social workers value base and the demeaning of service users. The point of partnership working is not to deliver appropriate services to service users only to have them undermined by some partners exhibiting discriminatory attitudes. What if in the scenario discussed above, the discriminatory attitudes and beliefs of the usher, was an unconscious influence to the social workers approach when working with the individuals involved in the scenario. This could result in an already marginalised group becoming oppressed further.   Thompson, (2005 p34) describes oppression as; Inhuman or degrading treatment of individuals or groups; in hardship and in justice brought about by the dominance of one group over another; the negative and demeaning exercise of power. Oppression often involves disregarding the rights of an individual or group and this is a denial of citizenship. Thompson further suggests that oppression can act at three levels, these levels of oppression offers a framework for looking at how inequalities and discrimination manifest themselves. Personal level which relates to an individuals thoughts, feelings, attitudes and actions. Cultural level which looks at shared ways of seeing, thinking, and doing. Structural level relates to matters such as policy. Thompson (2005 p21 -23) Abramson 1996 cited in Mattison (2000) supports this by saying The process of the decision making is forged by the prejudice and prejudgement brought to the decision making process by the decision maker. Therefore social workers as agents of change attempt to alleviate inequalities and oppression within societies and need to be aware of the values underlying their work by referring to the code of ethics. By adopting values and anti-oppressive practice such as advocacy; social workers will be able to make informed decisions in addressing aspects, which relate to the p rovision of services to individuals who may have differing needs. Parrott (2010 p23) describes Anti oppressive practice (AOP)  as a general value orientation towards countering oppression experienced by service users on such grounds as race, gender class age etc. AOP are also values of working in partnership and empowerment. Social workers and their employers have an ethical duty to ensure that the organisations they work for operate in a just manner Parrot (2010) Social work organisations therefore must uphold the portrayal that social work is something worthy and the operation of its organisation will lead to positive outcomes. The commitment to social justice ensures public organisations work under legislation to eliminate unlawful discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups.   Expectations of the social care employee are prompted by the GCSS code of conduct.   For example in the case scenario discussed above if the attitudes of the usher was another social worker within an organization the social worker would act on guidance on policy procedure and ensure the commitment to social justice was withheld. If the other social workers attitudes towards service users resulted in unfair treatment and inequality of services than they are not upholding the ethical principles of effective practice stated in the IFSW (1994)   Social workers should recognise and respect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the societies in which they practise, taking account of individual, family, group and community differences. S4.2.2 Therefore the other social worker would have a responsibility to Challenging unjust practices Social workers have a duty to bring to the attention of their employers, policy makers, politicians and the general public situations where resources are inadequate or where distribution of resources, policies and practices are oppressive, unfair or harmful.s4.2.1 If the other social worker is ethically aware and challenges injustice it is their moral obligation to bring to the attention of the organisation the other social workers behaviour. The social worker would participate in whistle blowing Parrot (2010) p154 defines whistle blowing as   The disclosure by an employee, in a government agency or private enterprise, to the public or to those in authority, of mismanagement, corruption, illegality or some other wrongdoing.   The organisation will then deal directly with the moral character of the social workers discriminatory attitudes. In conclusion social work can be a challenging subject and one that will actively push the boundaries of all social workers on a personal level and professional level. It is agreed within social work that ethics, morals and values are all an inescapable part of professional practice and Ethical awareness is a necessary part of practice of any social work (IFSW, 1994).à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯ However as this assignment has discussed guides can be provided but inevitability it is up to the social workers discretionary judgement of the circumstances. Arguably It is therefore important as a social worker to be aware of the code of ethics, and to talk, discuss, debrief and debate with colleagues and supervisors about dilemmas they may be struggling with. Finally, the onus is on social workers to be reflective about themselves and how self influences practice and decision making. To finish we have to be critically aware of personal beliefs and biases, bringing them to light so they do not unconscio usly influence our practice decisions, leading to injustice and unfair distribution and access to services. Service users must be put at the heart of social work practice and it is our duty as social workers to take any necessary steps within our organisations to ensure mistreatment and inequality is brought to surface. We can therefore improve public trust within the social service profession and encourage service users to work in partnership to empower their lives. References Agency Safe guarding Policy, (2010) Banks, S., (2006). Ethics and Values in Social Work .3rd Ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, BASW (2001) The Code of Ethics for Social Work, Beckett, C. Maynard, A.,( 2005). Values and Ethics in Social Work: An Introduction, London: Sage Biestek,F. (1971). The Casework Relationship, 7th Ed Unwin: University Books. Clark, C. (2000) Social Work Ethics: Politics, Principles and Practice. Basingstoke: MacMillan Class PowerPoint, Values and Ethics, Blackboard (2011) Clifford, D Burke, B, Anti-oppressive Ethics, Social Work Education, Vol. 24, No. 6, September (2005), pp. 677-692 GSCC (2002) Codes of Practice for Social Care Workers and Employers, London: GSCC Horner, N. (2005) What is Social Work? Context and Perspectives. Exeter: Learning Matters International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) available at; http://www.ifsw.org/p38000324.html, accessed on 12/05/2011 Kemshall, H and Pritchard, J (1996) Good Practice in Risk Assessment and Risk Management. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Loewenberg, F. and Dolgoff, R. (1996) Ethical Choices in the Helping Professions. Ethical Decisions for Social Work Practice, 5th ed., Illinois: Peacock Publishers: Mattison, M. (2000) Ethical Decision Making: The Person in the Process Social Work Vol.45(3), pp.201-212. Parrott, L, (2010) Values and ethics in social work practice 2nd ed, learning matters: Exeter Pinker, R. (1990) Social Work in an Enterprise Society, London:   Routledge. Thompson, N, (2005). Understanding Social Work: Preparing for Practice. 2nd Ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Internet Addiction Disorder

Theme : Science and Technology Topic : Internet Addiction Disorder Good morning, everybody. I’d like to show you a presentation about Internet Addiction Disorder. Let’s start. First of all, ask yourself â€Å"without your computer or the Internet what would you do? † In the world of quickly advancing technology, it is hard to ignore the Internet which is becoming more and more important in lives of users worldwide. But the ugly truth is that the Internet is as addictive as it is useful. IAD is a speculated mental disorder made and introduced by Ivan Goldberg in 1995. With the increased role of the Internet in society and business, some of its users have become addicted; these addicts show a set of symptoms that are accompanied by a variety of negative consequences. Internet addiction could be categorized into individual groups. Each group has their unique and distinct characteristics. For effective treatment it is essential to diagnose the correct type of Internet addiction. Soule, L. C. , Shell, W. & Kleen, B. A. in their article â€Å"Exploring Internet addiction: Demographic characteristics and stereotypes of heavy internet users† describe types of IAD (2003). They are Cybersexual Addiction, Computer Addiction, Net Compulsion, Information Overload, Cyber-Relational Addiction. Let's look at some types in more detail. Firstly, Cyber-Relational Addiction. People who suffer from an addiction to chat rooms or social networking sites become over-involved in onli ne relationships or can participate in virtual adultery. Online friends quickly become more important to person often at the expense of real life relationships with family and friends. In many cases, this will lead to a marriage disagreement and family instability. Authors say that Net Compulsion is an addiction to online gaming, online gambling. It is quickly becoming new mental problems in the post-Internet Era. With the instant access to virtual casinos, interactive games, addicts loose excessive amounts of money and even destroy other duties connected with work or essential relationships. Let me turn now to causes of IAD. Release of graphic intensive online games has lead to innumerable teenagers getting addicted with the Internet. Blogging and Youtube are also some of the temptations that many individuals find difficult to resist. However, these are just the obvious reasons. There are much more than it seems at first sight. Jennifer Ferris in article â€Å"IAD: Causes, Symptoms, and Consequences† describes several causes of IAD (2005). Firstly, it’s Psychodynamic and Personality. Psychodynamic and personal opinions explain addiction through emotional shocks through childhood which has left a person with problems as an adult, together with other personality attributes and/or other disorders, and inherited psychological characters. Certain people, because of set of the reasons, are inclined to developing an addiction, such as heroin, gambling and sex. For example, even if a person only sometimes drinks alcohol, he may develop an addiction to alcohol if he increases consumption continuously. The same hypothesis remains for Internet addiction. Given the right combination of time, person and case, addiction can take place. The next cause is Cyber-relationships. In almost 75% of cases, Internet addicts use applications like chat rooms, instant messaging, or online gaming as a safe way of establishing new relationships and more confidently relating to others. This is because some people may have lack the social skills that would enable them to meet people in person instead of online; hence they prefer to make friends without direct contact to people. In addition, they get rid of any stranger or people who they don’t want to chat with just by â€Å"blocking† them. Another causes are anonymity, hunger for knowledge and convenience. I'd like now to say about consequences of IAD. Kimberly Young in her article â€Å"Internet addiction: Symptoms, evaluation, and treatment† says there are several consequences of IAD. The first is Familial Problems (1999). Dr Kimberly Young discovered that serious relationship problems were reported by 53% of Internet addicts surveyed. Marriages, dating relationships, parent-child relationships, and close friendships have been noted to be heavily damaged by Internet. The second is Academic Problems. Survey has shown that 86% of responding teachers, librarians, and computer coordinators are convinced that the use of the Internet by children does not raise quality of academic performance. The next is Occupational Problems. Employees who are addicted to the Internet, can be fired, if they aren’t able to suppress the desire and are caught using network resources of companies for their own entertainment. Let's look now at treatment of IAD. Kimberly Young gives some types of treatments. Firstly, Practice the Opposite. A reorganization time is a major element in the treatment of the IAD. For example, if your habit involves you checking your e-mail or the Net first thing in the morning, try taking a shower and breakfast first instead. Then, make yourself a positive reminder card. Write a list of the five major problems caused by your addiction to the Internet. Next, write out the five major benefits of reducing your Internet use. This simple reminder will help you subconsciously. Next treatment is Family Therapy. It will be necessary for addicts whose family relationships have been destroyed under influence of Internet addiction. A strong feeling of family support can help patient to recover from Internet addiction. To sum up, everybody should remember that Internet Addiction is a very real thing. It will not only continue to be a problem but it will become more popular as technology develops and becomes more widely used. However, despite of negative consequences of the Internet, it is very useful thing. The Internet is not bad just because people become dependent on it, Internet has many important and necessary advantages.

Analysis of Labor and Capital Tensions in Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City

The â€Å"devil† of Erik Larson’s gripping The Devil in the White City is not just the murderer Henry J. Holmes, who serves as the terrifying counterpoint to architect Daniel Hudson Burnham’s efforts to conceive and construct the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Instead, Larson explores many different devils that plague Chicago as a whole. Larson paints a portrait of a city besieged by economic and labor struggles, the stress of technological development, a flood of immigration, and crime.Chicago, perched at the end of the Gilded Age, is an American city not only trying to establish an identity, but desperately trying to hold itself together against the ever-widening rift between labor and capital. As presented by Larson, Chicago is a city that exploits this rift, giving rise to a battlefield between the two. Larson comments that â€Å"the thing that entranced me about Chicago in the Gilded Age was the city’s willingness to take on the impossible in the name of civic honor† (393).This â€Å"civic honor† is the heart of The Devil in the White City, revealing a great deal about the city’s nature and determination to carve out an identity for itself. The downside of Chicago’s ambitions to stage a six-month world’s fair, Larson suggests, is that it threatens to undo an already-tenuous social structure. Chicago, however, is full of pride following the Great Fire of 1871. â€Å"They had not merely restored it; they had turned it into the nation’s leader in commerce, manufacturing, and architecture† (Larson 16).Chicago, in the last nineteenth century, barrels forward in the name of progress and is resolved, almost blindly, to come out from under the shadow of New York City. The Devil in the White City, while it follows architect Burnham and murderous doctor Holmes on their antithetical missions, is much more concerned with the American dream. That is, the dream that Larson (as well as many h istorians) feels America has abandoned. Historian Jack Beatty, in his book Age of Betrayal, traces how the dream of â€Å"free soil, free labor, free men and free land† (14) has been traded for the favor of big corporations.During the Gilded Age, Beatty sees an America corrupted from within. The disparity between the rich and the poor has never been greater, he says, with a virtual elimination of the middle class. The dream established by Lincoln during the Civil War is submarined by a partnership between government and business—one that is, at the time, questioned by very few Americans. Chicago is an excellent lens through which to view the fall of the Gilded Age, mainly because of the city’s â€Å"explosive growth† (Larson 23). It is a city that cannot keep up with itself in many ways.As the skyscrapers grew taller and transportation became more effective, Chicago â€Å"also grew dirtier, darker, and more dangerous† (Larson 28), pointing toward t he dark side of progress. There are prices to pay for progress, which forms an ever-present undercurrent of unease in Larson’s depiction of Chicago. Ambition informs Chicago’s â€Å"civic honor† of staging the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. The fair, when completed, would cover over 600 acres of land, complete with new buildings, European architecture, and exhibits from cultures from around the world.Everything about the fair was designed to â€Å"out-Eiffel Eiffel,† referring to the Eiffel Tower, which was introduced at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris. This speaks to an overwhelming desire for the world’s immediate recognition of greatness. For example, when plans were being drawn up for the fair’s multitude of exhibits and wonders, the ideas were driven by size and stature. The fair, being America’s first, was steered in the direction of not only being memorable, but so grand of vision as to be intimidating.Im possibly large towers were proposed, even from Gustave Eiffel himself, until George Ferris came up with the idea of a spinning wheel, which would become the first â€Å"Ferris wheel. † The Chicago World’s Fair was a forced reflection of great amount of ingenuity and innovation that occurred during the Gilded Age. Chicago, however, was still beset by the problems of all growing big cities. In fact, the city’s ambitions to compete with New York City brought on unexpected (and unwelcome) parallels:[New York journalist Jacob] Riis had toured Chicago’s foulest districts and announced them worse than anything he had seen in New York. In his talk he noted the fast approach of the exposition and warned his audience, â€Å"You ought to begin house cleaning, so to speak, and get your alleys and streets in better condition; never in our worst season have we had so much filth in New York City† (Larson 212). Through the Gilded Age and Larson’s book, Chic ago constantly struggles to maintain its identity against New York City.In Blair A. Ruble’s insightful book, Second Metropolis: Pragmatic Pluralism in Gilded Age Chicago, Silver Age Moscow, and Meiji Osaka, Ruble explores the plights of three cities that are the second-largest ones in their countries. Ruble posits that all three cities, near the turn of the twentieth century, were the fastest-growing, most innovative ones. He argues that each city, such as Chicago, faced insurmountable challenges, such as how to manage the growing disparities between the working class and the cultural elite.The ways in which the elite handled each problem, Ruble believes, said something about their fate. In Chicago’s case, Ruble focuses on the rapid expansion of the city against its inability to create an effective transportation system. Chicago was not only flooded with immigrants, but it was markedly overcrowded. It was practically bulging at the seams. Ruble focuses on mayor Carter Henry Harrison, who in Larson’s book was noted for â€Å"establish[ing] Chicago as a place that tolerated human frailty even as it nurtured grand ambition† (213).Ruble credits Harrison for being a true visionary and keenly aware of the problems his city faced. However, Ruble’s notion of â€Å"pragmatic pluralism† plays into his ultimate assessment of Chicago (and Harrison) at the turn of the century. For Ruble, Chicago demanded a leader who understood and applied â€Å"pragmatic pluralism†: a unique (and rare) ability to satisfy everyone’s interests. It is a talent for balancing the interests of the wealthy and the poor, as well as making compromising for the sake of the city’s future development.â€Å"Pragmatic pluralism† speaks to the best, long-run interests of everyone, not the short-term interests of a few. Ruble charges Harrison with doing well at managing certain crises, but losing sight of the goal line. He is portrayed not as a failure, but a victim of economic and social circumstances that befall other cities of rapid expansion and developmental growth. Chicago, just like Moscow and Osaka, failed to deliver on its promises and further reflect the American dream. Chicago’s idealism, Ruble says, had been corroded by a relationship between business and government (213).This tension between labor and capital plays itself out in The Devil in the White City in many fascinating ways. Larson is particularly good in crafting a book that underscores these tensions in both highly dramatic and skillfully subtle ways. First and foremost, he tells twin stories of the fair, focusing on the fair’s architect (Burnham) and the calculating doctor (Holmes)—two stories that run contrary to one another. Larson portrays both of them as brilliant men in their own regards—geniuses at accounting for every detail, anticipating every contingency, and staying one step ahead.Larson’s book l ays out all of the obstacles that stand in the way of Burnham and Holmes’s ambitions. The impossibilities that both men overcome is almost as staggering as the fair itself—a dreamlike world populated with characters as diverse as Buffalo Bill, Thomas Edison, and Frank Lloyd Wright. It is easy to get swept up into the unreality of it all, of which Dora Root wrote â€Å"I should never willingly cease drifting in that dreamland† (Larson 253). This dreamlike quality, echoed by others in the book, is used by Larson to offset the harsh reality of the world beyond it.The fair’s eventual end seems to echo the end of the Gilded Age in many ways—a symbolic shift from the ideal to the real. When columnist Teresa Dean says, â€Å"It seems cruel, cruel, to give us such a vision; to let us dream and drift through heaven for six months, and then to take it out of our lives† (335), one gets the feeling that Larson is using her quote to comment on the collap se of the American dream itself. Labor and capital disappear against the World’s Fair, their tension ceasing to exist in the unreality of it all, but rear their head in another fundamental way.While some could argue that the inclusion of Henry H. Holmes in The Devil in the White City is nothing short of a marketing ploy, Holmes is actually central to the power of Larson’s book. Burnham and Holmes should be viewed as symbols, rather than historical figures: the idealist versus the opportunist, the laborer versus the capitalist. Burnham believes that all things are possible, even when faced with the challenge of staging a fair where â€Å"failure was unthinkable† for fear of the nation’s honor being â€Å"tarnished† (Larson 33). He is a man who believes in himself and those around him.Burnham is the laborer, working to sustain the American dream and keep it alive. He is, quite literally, the architect of America’s future. Holmes, on the other hand, has a completely different agenda. Holmes is the capitalist, looking to exploit weakness and profit for himself: Holmes understood that powerful new forces were acting upon Chicago, causing a nearly miraculous expansion. The city was growing in all available directions, and where it abutted the lake, it grew skyward, sharply increasing the value of land within the Loop. Everywhere helooked he saw evidence of the city’s prosperity. †¦ Holmes knew— everyone knew—that as skyscrapers soared and the stockyards expanded their butchery, the demand for workers would remain high, and that workers and their supervisors would seek to live in the city’s suburbs†¦ (Larson 44-45) As such, Holmes seized upon the idea of the â€Å"World’s Fair Hotel,† which was actually a crematorium and torture palace. He could essentially bend young women to his will, take their money and their trust, and have an endless supply of them visiting his hotel d uring the fair.It is almost an unthinkable series of crimes, especially in Holmes’s ability to evade suspicion, though the Chicago Times-Herald notes that his story â€Å"tends to illustrate the end of the century† (370). This quote informs the entire book and the Gilded Age at once: opportunism and evil masquerading as something benign and trusted. Closely recalling Holmes’s demeanor, the government—entrusted by the people to lead them—sold itself to the corporations. Both Holmes and the government are complicit in failing to deliver the American dream to the people and, instead, employing it for their own gains.The Gilded Age seems remarkably similar to the contemporary world. In fact, many parallels could be drawn between then and now. Presidents and politicians are controlled by the lobbyists and those who have funded their campaigns. The money that has helped put them in office will continue to shape policy and determine our country’s c ourse of action. In light of these realities, Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City is not just a fascinating piece of history, but it is a cautionary tale that seems more relevant than ever before.

Biography of Queen Anne, Britains Queen Regnant

Queen Anne (born Lady Anne of York; February 6, 1655 – August 1, 1714) was the last monarch of Great Britain’s Stuart dynasty. Although her reign was marred by her health problems and she left no Stuart heirs, her era included the union of England and Scotland, as well as international events that helped Britain rise to prominence on the world stage. Fast Facts: Queen Anne Full Name: Anne Stuart, Queen of Great BritainOccupation: Queen regnant of Great BritainBorn: February 6, 1665 at St. Jamess Palace, London, United KingdomDied: August 1, 1714 at Kensington Palace, London, United KingdomKey Accomplishments: Anne confirmed Britain as a power on the world stage and presided over the unification of Scotland with the rest of what is now the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Quote:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I know my own heart to be entirely English. The Daughter of Yorks Early Years Born on February 6, 1655, Anne Stuart was the second daughter and fourth child of James, Duke of York, and his wife Anne Hyde. James was the brother of the king, Charles II. Although the Duke and Duchess had eight children, only Anne and her older sister Mary survived beyond early childhood. Like many royal children, Anne was sent away from her parents’ household; she grew up in Richmond along with her sister. Despite their parents’ Catholic faith, both girls were raised as Protestants on the orders of Charles II. Annes education was otherwise quite limited – and was probably not helped by her lifelong poor eyesight. However, she did spend time at the French court as a young girl, which influenced her later in her reign. King Charles II had no legitimate children, which meant that Annes father James was his heir presumptive. After Anne Hyde’s death, James remarried, but he and his new wife did not have any children who survived infancy. This left Mary and Anne as his only heirs. In 1677, Annes sister Mary wed their Dutch cousin, William of Orange. The match was arranged by the Earl of Danby, who used the marriage to a Protestant nobleman as a way to curry favor with the king. This was in direct conflict with the Duke of Yorks wishes – he wanted to cultivate a Catholic alliance with France. Marriage and Relationships Soon, Anne also married. After years of rumors as to who she would marry – with her cousin and eventual successor Georg of Hanover as the most prominent candidate – Anne ultimately wed a man supported by her father and and her maternal uncle: Prince George of Denmark. The wedding took place in 1680. The marriage pleased Anne’s family, who hoped for an alliance between England and Denmark to contain the Dutch, but it frustrated William of Orange, her Dutch brother-in-law. Despite an age gap of twelve years, the marriage between George and Anne was reported to be fond, even if George was described by many as deeply boring. Anne became pregnant eighteen times during their marriage, but thirteen of those pregnancies ended in miscarriages and only one child survived infancy. The competition for influence between their husbands continued to strain Anne and Mary’s once-close relationship, but Anne had a close confidante in her childhood friend Sarah Jennings Churchill, later the Duchess of Marlborough. Sarah was Anne’s dearest friend and most influential advisor for much of her life. Overthrowing her Father in the Glorious Revolution King Charles II died in 1685, and Annes father, the Duke of York, succeeded him, becoming James II of England and James VII of Scotland. James quickly moved to restore Catholics to positions of power. This was not a popular move, even amongst his own family: Anne vehemently opposed the Catholic Church, despite her father’s attempts to control or convert her. In June 1688, James’ wife, Queen Mary, gave birth to a son, also named James. Anne had resumed closer correspondence with her sister, so she was aware of plans being made to overthrow their father. Although Mary distrusted the Churchills, it was their influence that helped Anne finally decide to join with her sister and brother-in-law as they plotted to invade England. On November 5, 1688, William of Orange landed on English shore. Anne refused to support her father, instead taking the side of her brother-in-law. James fled to France on December 23, and William and Mary were hailed as the new monarchs. Even after years of marriage, William and Mary had no children to inherit the throne. Instead, they declared in 1689 that Anne and her descendants would reign after both of them died, followed by any children William might have if Mary predeceased him and he remarried. Heiress to the Throne Although Anne and Mary were reconciled during the Glorious Revolution, their relationship soured again when William and Mary attempted to deny her several honors and privileges, including housing and her husband’s military status. Anne turned again to Sarah Churchill, but the Churchills were suspected by William of conspiring with the Jacobites (supporters of James II’s infant son). William and Mary dismissed them, but Anne publicly continued to support them, causing a final rift between the sisters. Mary died in 1694, making Anne the heir apparent to William. Anne and William reconciled to a degree. In 1700, Anne suffered a pair of losses: her final pregnancy ended in miscarriage, and her sole surviving child, Prince William, died at age eleven. Because this left the succession in question – Anne was not well, and she was of an age where more children were all but impossible – Parliament created the Act of Settlement: if Anne and William both died childless, the succession would go to the line of Sophia, Electress of Hanover, who was a descendant of the Stuart line through James I. Becoming Queen Regnant William died on March 8, 1702, and Anne became queen regnant of England. She was the first queen regnant who was married but did not share power with her husband (as her distant relative Mary I did). She was quite popular, emphasizing her English roots in contrast to her Dutch brother-in-law, and became an enthusiastic patron of the arts. Anne was actively involved in affairs of state, although she attempted to sidestep partisan politics. Ironically, her reign saw the gap between the Tories and the Whigs widen even further. The most significant international event of her reign was the War of Spanish Succession, in which England fought alongside Austria and the Dutch Republic against France and Spain. England and its allies supported the (eventually losing) claim of Archduke Charles of Austria to the Spanish throne. Anne supported this war, as did the Whigs, which increased her closeness to their party and distanced her from the Churchills. In Sarah’s place, Anne came to rely on a lady-in-waiting, Abigail Hill, which further alienated her relationship with Sarah. On May 1, 1707, the Acts of Union were ratified, bringing Scotland into the kingdom and establishing the unified entity of Great Britain. Scotland had resisted, insisting on the continuation of the Stuart dynasty even after Anne, and in 1708, her half-brother James attempted the first Jacobite invasion. The invasion never reached land. Final Years, Death, and Legacy Anne’s husband George died in 1708, a loss that devastated the queen. In subsequent years, the Whig government that supported the ongoing War of Spanish Succession grew unpopular, and although the new Tory majority had little interest in continuing to support the claim of Charles (now Holy Roman Emperor), they also wished to halt the ambitions of the French Bourbons. Anne created a dozen new peers in order to get the necessary majority in Parliament to make peace with France in 1711. Anne’s health continued to decline. Although she vehemently supported the Hanoverian succession, rumors persisted that she secretly favored her half-brother. She had a stroke on July 30, 1714, and died two days later on August 1. She was buried beside her husband and children in Westminster Abbey. Because Electress Sophia had died two months prior, Sophia’s son and Anne’s long-ago suitor George of Hanover took the throne. As queen regnant, Anne’s reign was relatively short—less than fifteen years. In that time, however, she proved her worth as a queen who maintained her authority even over her own husband, and she participated in some of the defining political moments of the era. Although her dynasty ended with her death, her actions secured the future of Great Britain. Sources Gregg, Edward. Queen Anne. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001.Johnson, Ben â€Å"Queen Anne.† Historic UK, https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Queen-Anne/â€Å"Anne, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland.† Encyclopaedia Brittanica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anne-queen-of-Great-Britain-and-Ireland