Looking into the literature of the world from the most primitive to the most modern one, it becomes evident that man has studied thousands of subjects, has worked out in respect of countless topics, made wonderful discoveries, and introduced magnificent inventions regarding science, history, geography, mathematics, biology and much more. But he did not make a serious effort in studying his own self and human behavior till the 19th century.
It is in the 19th and 20th centuries that man started looking into human psychology and its systematic study applying modern methodology and using research techniques. Human behavior is a complex phenomenon and required a complete and comprehensive process to be understood. Theories were articulated and researches were conducted in order to get acquainted with human nature, action, reaction, attitude, and behavior and solve the social, psychological, and cultural problems faced by the individuals. Case history, group discussion, interview-conducting, questionnaire, controlled group observation, and others are the forms of modern techniques of valid human behavior studies.
Case history is an imperative method to observe human behavior. It is a technique through which the questions hidden in the subconscious and concealed from the individual himself can be estimated by a professional researcher as well as a therapist that can assess the real problem faced by the individual or group under study. Case history is a detailed account of the facts affecting the development or condition of a person or group under treatment or study, especially in medicine, psychiatry, or psychology. (Free dictionary.com)
The study of human behavior and personality development are exceedingly complex phenomena. Several theories have been articulated on the question of how a personality passes through different phases of growth from childhood to adolescence, and what are the components which determine transformations in a child from premature years to maturity. Also, theorists analyze whether the deviant behavior in people is a learned one or man’s behaviors are due to uncontrollable genetic impulses.
Also, variation in the intensity of aggression and violence among people is due to differences in their hormones. “The only influence”, Cervone views, “which parents would have on their children’s personality is a biological one. They pass their genes on to their children. According to the trait theories, parents’ interpersonal interactions with their children would exert little effect on the child’s personality development.”(2001).
Using Case History to Study Behavior
Person-centered and Psychodynamic approaches have won significant recognition in respect of psychoanalysis treatment methodology in contemporary times. Both these approaches maintain similarities and differences from each other and are applied while treating patients suffering from mental disturbances and disorders. A case study is one of the most important techniques to assess human behavior. Case history or person-centered counseling signifies the therapeutic technique that facilitates the patients for attaining personal growth by maintaining close relations between the patient and the counselor to explore the facts regarding motivations being developed in the mind of the patient.
The psychodynamic approach, on the other hand, focuses on healing the unresolved conflicts in early life. The unresolved conflicts, according to Freud, might be found in non-psychotic and personality disorders, but to date, there is a lack of convincing evidence concerning its superiority over other forms of treatment.
Carl Rogers is said to be the first psychological theorist to build up person-centered therapy in a children’s clinic, though this type of counseling has not been planned for a specific age group or gender only. He lays interest in the fact that if there exist intimate relationships between two people, it becomes far easy to provide better treatment to the patient. Rogers discovered Kovel (1991) notes, an actualizing tendency that’ is inherent in all organisms – this is the basic drive towards wholeness of the organism and actualization of its potentialities.
The person-centered approach concentrates on core conditions, empathy, positive regard, congruence, and the actualizing tendency, while the psychodynamic approach lays stress on the unconscious, including transference, counter- transference, and defenses. The former approach obtains a sympathetic attitude towards the patient in order to soothe his worries and depressions, while the latter one seeks unconsciousness as a source of relieving the patient’s sufferings by finding out the hidden complications in the thick curtain of sub-consciousness.
The psychodynamic approach states the very fact that an individual’s personality growth as well as liking and disliking etc lie on the foundation of past experiences. Freud is the father of modern psychoanalysis theory. He opines the reality that man acts and reacts according to the commands hidden in his subconscious. These may be unfulfilled desires and longings as well as his deprivations and disabilities.
Psychodynamic Theory, Freud states, is laid on the foundation that human behavior and relationships are fashioned by both conscious and unconscious effects. These effects support shaping the personality. Psychodynamic counseling more emphatically concentrates on the impact of past occurrences on an individual’s development and his performance while behaving with others. These memories of past experiences remain present in man’s subconscious, which remains pricking him setting his mind and developing the personality traits. Freud is of the view that none of the human behaviors is accidental at all.
Object Relations Theory is determined to explore that man is in constant contact with the memories of his childhood and therefore, psychoanalyses are developed to absolutely focus on an individual’s past memories. The childhood bonds, Fairbairn argues, remain forever in mature as well as old years of man in his personality. (Quoted in Grotstein, 1994: p 135).
Both the therapies support individuals undergoing depression, anxiety, alcohol disorders, cognitive dysfunction, and personality disorders. In addition, these are applied for the treatment of addictions, obsessions, jealousy, and lack of self-confidence. Person-centered counseling discusses internal resources. The person-centered approach, Dr. Greg Mulhauser notes, maintains that three core conditions provide a climate conducive to growth and therapeutic change. These are unconditional positive regard, empathic understanding, and congruence. (Quoted in counsellingresource.com).
Humanistic or Person-centred therapy looks to authorize the person through the procedure of self-actualization. Self-actualization denotes the person’s concentration while interacting with his environment. On the other hand, psychodynamic counseling analyses are exercised while healing the unresolved conflicts in early life. The unresolved conflicts, according to Freud, might be found in non-psychotic and personality disorders, but to date, there is a lack of convincing evidence concerning its superiority over other forms of treatment. Freud is the father of modern psychological theories. He opines the reality that man discloses all in his unconscious that is hidden in his subconscious.
These may be unfulfilled desires and longings as well as his deprivations and disabilities. Psychodynamic Theory, Freud states, is laid on the foundation that human behavior and relationships are fashioned by both conscious and unconscious effects. These effects support shaping the personality. Psychodynamic counseling more emphatically concentrates on the impact of past occurrences on an individual’s development and his performance while behaving with others.
These memories of past experiences remain present in man’s subconscious, which remains pricking him setting his mind and developing the personality traits. Freud is of the view that none of the human behaviors are accidental at all. Object Relations Theory is determined to explore that man is in constant contact with the memories of his childhood and therefore, psychoanalyses are developed to absolutely focus on an individual’s past memories. The childhood bonds, Fairbairn argues, remain forever in mature as well as old years of man in his personality. (Quoted in Grotstein, 1994: p 135).
It has aptly been said that man is frail by nature. He undergoes countless rejoicing as well as gruesome moments in life. Happiness drives his instinct towards getting indulged in revelries and celebrations. In the same way, one seeks escape in intoxication in a state of misery and depression. In order to forget troubles and avoid tensions, though, for the time being, people use alcohol and get the support of chemicals.
So many domestic, emotional and financial crises drag man towards the consumption of drugs and liquor, which is awfully damaging for man’s mental and physical health. Substance enslavement serves like slow poisoning and leaves man in a precarious situation of uncertainty and weakness. Craving for the use of chemicals not only haunts both the young and the old but also teenage children fall victim to chemical consumption too. Doweiko (2006) has also discussed the problem in the twenty-third chapter of his famous book “Concepts of Chemical Dependency”. He has analyzed the problem among the adolescents and suggested the therapy for the cure.
Modern civilization and technological advancement are also responsible for drug addiction among children. Doweiko also assesses drug addiction in this scenario. According to him, child abuse is one of the most significant causes of chemical codependency among adolescents. Further, the decline in a family relationship has also paved the way in this direction. As the family is the basic unit of society and plays a primary role in the nourishment and socialization of the young generation.
Decline in family bondage and giving up observing ethical values and moral obligations result in the deterioration of the youth of society. The same is the case with young Brittney. Brittney, a young girl of fourteen years only, had been a very bright and graceful student at school.
It was surprising for the whole family when she was recommended by her teacher, to a rehabilitation program after being found a drug- user. She was referred to the Alateen, the rehabilitation institute that deals with the cure of adolescents consuming alcohol and other intoxication. It is the platform that offers the young fellows to give vent to their ideas and relate as well as share their life experiences that help the therapist getting acquainted with the original cause that led the children towards intoxication and use of drugs and chemical substances.
During the therapy, Brittney disclosed the very fact that she started consuming alcohol after the death of her father. It so happened that her mother got too much involved in running the family business and her siblings also accompanied their mother during the course. Brittney felt extremely lonely and looked for something that could relieve her tensions and loneliness. Thus, she tried to drown herself in the thick stream of liquor and adopted the way of perversion out of her loneliness.
She felt no fear or hesitation due to the fact that she had witnessed her late father and brother drinking. Also, she had to become prey to the criminal assaults of both of the family members in intoxication. In addition, she had observed her mother taking liquor time and again. She misconcepted it as a source of relief, therefore she also adopted the same patterns as she observed the majority of her family. “The effects of drug use not only on drug users themselves”, observes Marina Barnard, “but also the feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety, shame and loss that are commonly experienced by their extended family.”
Children are the most innocent stratum of society. They try to imitate the footprints of their elders and mold the structure of their life as they observe the senior members of the family. Drug-addicted families have to bear social and emotional costs. They not only lose physical and mental health but also are deprived of the recognition of respect for the honor and prestige of the family and its members, as the father and brother of the young addict tried to commit incest during intoxication.
They forgot altogether how worse effects their act could leave on the innocent mind of the small girl who was their blood relation and honor of the family too. The effects of drug use on family dynamics and relationships are really horrible that may cost the solidarity of the whole society. A large preponderance of the addicts longs for leaving the curse of drug addiction, though it becomes very hard for them to refrain from this awful habit. Drug consumption tells upon the reputation, honor, prestige, and respect of the family.
Not only people are deprived of physical fitness and substantial power, but also there are chances of drop out of financial stability too. The trend of chemical support is seriously spreading its ugliness in the young community. If parenting is strong enough to offer the child emotional support, he can become out of nausea. Otherwise, professional help and medical therapy are required to save them from the curse of addiction. The advancement in technology offers a variety of treatment plans that give complete and swift rehabilitation to the patients. For this purpose, many governmental and non-governmental organizations are working.
Psychiatrists and counselors are specially trained and appointed to provide services to the patients. The role of family and parents is the most significant one in this respect. They must provide the complete case history of the child addict and give the details of the chronicle of events leading him towards the path of substance abuse. It may help the counselor while offering complete counseling services and psychoanalysis of the patient to protect it from a mental and physical disorder.
Among the ethical obligations and moral duties of the counselor include that he must pay due heed to the patient, and never display such behavior that can create feelings of shame and humiliation in his mind. Further, a counselor should analyze the situation in which the patient uses drugs and seeks emotional support. The counselor must ask the members of the patient’s family to reveal and everything regarding the mental situation and habits of the patient.
A child usually involves in addiction, which belongs to a broken family, or a family who is either contains addict members or obtains criminal background. The counselor can guide the child on the basis of morality. Many theories have been articulated and schemes have been devised regarding detoxification and comprehensive treatment. In Brittney’s case, the counselor applied group therapy that healed the girl to return to her normal health and routine work.
Brittney’s case is a highly precarious one. She had been a brilliant student and paid attention to her studies. In the life of her father, she must have been attended to properly by the family. Therefore, she remembered her deceased father. Somehow, his sexual advances during intoxication badly told upon her delicate nerves, which is hard for her to forget. Further, the parents must be aware of the company as well as the activities of the children so that any untoward event could be avoided.
The education and training of the young ones is one of the most critical procedures and demands unabated, unconditional, and comprehensive attention from family, friends, peer groups, teachers, tutors, and society.
The therapist must be careful of the case because the girl had to suffer an extremely uneven condition when her own father should have been a source of constant relief, affection, and protection. In the same way, her brother also proved himself completely lost while taking alcohol and followed the same patterns as committed by his father. Thus, it is fact beyond doubt that substance consumption and drug usage completely damage man’s mental health and cause grievances, humiliation and hatred for him in society.
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