Psychological abuse

There are many types of abuse. Many of them are obviously cruel. Emotional abuse is more subtle. Such abuse goes unseen, as even the victim does not recognize that she is being abused. What is more, psychological abuse does not leave black eyes or visible bruises. It damages self-esteem. Quite often psychological abuse goes together with physical and sexual abuse. So in short, emotional or psychological abuse involves any behavior, verbal or nonverbal, that negatively impacts another person’s emotional or psychological well being.

So first of all, I would like to speak about causes. One of the reasons, that psychological abuse could be a way to show your power that you can control other person. Person who is abusing, may be feeling and powerless. Other reason may be perpetrators were often emotionally abused as children, but not all emotionally abused children become abusers. Third reason, emotional abuse occurs, because of traditional male-female roles, where woman is like a man’s property. Also, physiological and sexual abuse cause emotional once.

Secondly, I would like to speak, how to recognize emotional abuse. There are physical and behavioral indicators. Physical indicators are: significant weight loss, stress-related conditions, including elevated blood pressure. Behavioral indicators are: victim has problems with sleep; exhibits depression or confusion; is emotionally upset, agitated, non-responsive, exhibits unusual behavior and so on. What is more abusers often try to isolate victims from outside world. Try control victims where she goes, whom she speaks to and what she does. Perpetrators can forbid for the victim to use telephone, communicate with friends or visit her family. Many abusers say that such their behavior is proof of their love. However, they only want to isolate victims to feels secure themselves.

How can victims help for themselves? If person doe not know exactly is she abused, she can talk with friends or relatives, whose opinion he trust. Also, remind yourself that you have the right to a life free of abuse. Take activities that you enjoy. Try to become independent of abuser: have a separate bank account, try getting a job.

References: http://www.preventelderabuse.org/elderabuse/psychological.html
http://www.calss.utoronto.ca/pamphlets/emotional_abuse.htm

Stress and coping

Everybody experienced that unpleasant phenomena - stress. It is a part of our life that we can not avoid. In short, stress is a physical and emotional reaction that everyone experiences as he or she encounters changes in life . This reaction can have positive and negative affects.
First of all, I would like to speak about stress affects. Most of people think that stress has only negative consequences, but is not true. Stress has positive affects when it makes us deal constructively with daily problems and meet the challenges. Accordingly scientists, stress is our body reaction to sudden changes in environment. When person face with stressor, many physiological reactions start in the body: an increase in heart rate and muscle tension, higher blood pressure. Such physical and emotional reactions help us by increasing our concentration and other bodily functions in order to prepare for challenge. This type of stress is called “challenges”; “good stress”; “acute stress”.
On the other hand, stress also has and negative consequences, when situations that cause physical and emotional stress reaction are non-stopping or perceived a non-stopping. The body never gets a chance to relax. This type of situation is called “bad stress” or “chronic stress”.
What is more, never ending stress can cause many diseases: high blood pressure, which can cause heart problems such as heart attacks; also can cause migraine headaches; back pain and sometimes cancer. Several studies have associated stress with a weak immune system.
So when there is so difficult situation, people need try to manage stress. When person is unable to identify the source of his stress or anxiety and if condition continues or comes and goes, person have seek medical care.
There are many ways how to manage stress:
The first step is to learn to recognize when you are feeling stressed. The next step is to choose a way to deal with stress. One way is avoidance of stressor, but it is not always possible. A second way is to change how to react to stress.
Finally, I would like to say that the best medicine, that reduce stress, is smile more and positive view at life. So smile more!!!

Reference : http://www.emedicinehealth.com/stress/article_em.htm

Listening online to podcasts

I have chosen tasks for listening from bbc website, because , in my opinion, it is responsible and high level news website. I listened two podcasts: ”Why processed meat might be linked to cancer?”; “Money: BP Fined – 26 Oct 07”. I listened both texts two times , because it helped to seek complete understanding. When I listened first time, I didn’t understand all words and catch only main idea of a text, so I wrote down unknown words in my notes and found translation in dictionary. So, when I listened the next time podcast, it was easier to understand everything. Unfortunately, there weren’t transcripts of listening tasks, however, were summaries of both texts. I have read summaries before listening, so it was easier to understand texts. In both podcasts level of English were advanced, speakers accent were British, so it was easier to understand, because I best know British English. Speaking about rate of speaking, it was on average, speakers did not speak too fast or slowly, it was not difficult to follow speech.
What is more, I would like to compare both listening tasks. The firs listening was easier, it takes 11 minutes, so it was not very long. Also. this text was about link between eating meet and cancer, so there were not a lot of difficult or some special area words. Also it was not difficult to follow speaker’s speech. Speaking about second text , “Money: BP Fined - 26 Oct 07”, it was more difficult then first one. First of all it took more time – 23 minutes. Also the text topics was more difficult and less familiar for me. It considered from three parts: about BP which has to pay £261 million in fines for a series of US law violations including price manipulation, site leaks in Alaska and the Texas City explosion; a report that suggests house prices could climb even further if new builds do not start sooner ; and about Miami Dolphins plans for world domination. There were many unfamiliar and unknown words but after second listening I understand more about what was spoken. What is more, it was easier, that there were three different topics, so it did not make boring to listen all 23 minutes podcast.