Opiate

The human mind is an incredible piece of artistry. It can calculate the finest of details instantly, create breath-taking works of art, and allows us to understand the great sorrows of Earth. The mind can grant insight into reality and allows for the ability to feel happiness well as pain and grief, “for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” (Hamlet 2.2). This complex paradox, between awareness through knowledge and ignorance, is explored by both Donald Justice in his…

What if we had to learn social rules that everyone else seemed to already know? What if we had to work at understanding complex emotions in others and ourselves? What if even this understanding didn’t help us to know what to do when we felt embarrassed, jealous or empathetic? What if no matter how much social interactions we learn, it keeps getting more complex every passing year? This is what it’s like to have autism. This is a horrible complex disorder that many people are force to adapt to…

I am applying to University of North Carolina Chapel Hill’s doctoral program in the Department of Behavioral Neuroscience. I hope that entering this program would allow me to advance towards reaching my doctorate. I am hoping that furthering my education through this program will allow me to study the neurobiology of substance use disorders what specific implications that they can have on the brain. I am also interested in possibly extending my studies to development of post-traumatic stress…

Elvis is Alive Madelon Harvey Year 11. January 8th 1935, the legend, an unforgettable figure, and the King of Rock and Roll was brought into the world. August 16th 1977, the same man died, or did he? Elvis Presley, to date, is one of the most iconic rock and roll artists of all time. More than forty years after his passing, Elvis Presley remains a global celebrity. A biographical film has been released about his life. The film focuses on all aspects of his life, including his wife of 6 years,…

The Dangers of Soda Taxation and its Impact on Society According to the CDC, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases related to the condition, is the leading cause of death for Americans. Public health officials have tried, and largely failed, to combat this epidemic. These efforts have for the most part included campaigns to increase the awareness of the importance of healthy living with wholesome diet and exercise. Further, the government has instituted subsidies to assist with the crisis. A…

Matthew Eichelberger, a 30-year-old biracial male, successful, married for 8 years and 4 children in their family unit, explains his addiction in detail and why it was hard for him to find sobriety. I come from a two-parent home and I have two siblings. My father drunk very heavily but my mom didn’t. Neither one of my sister’s drink but I use to drink heavily which led to my addiction. I would like to say that genetics played a major part but choice is what take precedence over genetics to me.…

n the last few months my levels of pain and exhaustion have hit a whole new high. This has left me pretty much bedbound most days. Then awake and restless at night. Alongside all that, my Gastroparesis has flared, meaning I’m nauseous almost all the time. My stomach feels full and bloated and eating, or even drinking, causes severe pain. When everything piles up like this it’s hard to cope. I found myself breaking down and sobbing on an all too regular basis. I’m already taking slow release…

A paradox existed in the Soviet Union in 1989, as the movement that led to the eventual overthrow of communism was really launched by the Soviet Union itself. Multiple factors led to this overthrow. In addition, there were three key people who contributed, at least in part, to the demise of Communism. Gorbachev was the Soviet premier at the time and had a hand in the dismantling of the Soviet power structure. While he was not the one who started the ball rolling, he did contribute to where it…

Many long lasting health issues continue to impact the prosperity of Native Tribes all over the United states. Sexual abuse in relation to an overuse of drug and alcohol consumption result in the highest suicide rate of any population in the United States. With the highest rate of both poverty and depression in the United States, it is common for Native Americans to look for drugs and alcohol as an escape from their suffering. In a study performed by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health…

The heaviest difference between the human race and all other creatures living on the face of the earth is our open-ended search for truth. We are not satisfied with the sole fact that we are here and that we exist. Deep inside the mind, or perhaps the heart of all men is a spirit that yearns for understanding his place in the universe. Ralph Waldo Emerson believed that the answers to these great questions could be found all around us. According to Emerson, all things under heaven are…