Respond to the following classmates posts in 100-150 words:
1)Addiction starts with initial use. Once addicted, it is tough to stop. I feel that children need to be educated on the use of drugs and alcohol before being presented with the opportunity to experiment. Some children will see their loved ones “enjoying” alcohol and drugs and immediately think, “Hey, if they’re having fun, I want to do that too.” They do not see the behind-the-scenes of the use of alcohol or drugs. We need to create a universal prevention program for all children who have not experimented and the adults caring for them.
Our Boards of Education and Suffolk County Legislature are where I would start advocating for this prevention program.
My biggest takeaway was learning about the ecological model. I always knew that our surroundings make us, but I did not think deeply about it. After reviewing the tree figure, I kept returning to it after reading each chapter. Knowing our own and our client’s microsystems is a great starting point when recommending prevention or treatment programs to our youth and their families.
2)Adolescents and young adults in recovery or at risk of developing a substance use disorder can visit the Youthful Minds drop-in facilities for support. This program will offer a variety of services to help people get back on their feet, including peer support, skill development, community involvement, educational assistance, recreational activities, prosocial activities, family involvement, and health and wellness sessions. For young people whose lives have been shattered by addiction, Youthful Minds will offer them a safe, non-clinical atmosphere in which they may connect with others who are in the same situation. Peer-driven services and supports will be the foundation of my program, which aims to aid young people in their recovery by promoting an anti-drug lifestyle among them.
This course has taught me when working with any population, organizations and programs cannot use a “one-size-fits-all” strategy. Every person has their own unique set of wants, needs, and capabilities, as well as varying degrees of drive to attain their goals. It’s important to create a case plan that focuses on the areas where the client is most in need of help and most motivated to make positive changes, after assessing their requirements, risks, and strengths. In this step, many intervention principles are compiled. Treatment and oversight of offenders are both included in interventions in the criminal justice system. Interventions in the criminal justice system include both treatment and oversight of offenders. Most “disconnected” high-risk youths don’t have family or a strong support system that can help guide them; their lives may be filled with danger and marked by drugs, sexual exploitation, violence, living on the streets or in an unstable family; and they typically have difficulty trusting adults and believe that they are alone in the world.
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3)Social media has an array of communities for people to get involved in and people join these communities because we are able to connect with others that share the same ideas and interests as ourselves. Those who are a part of these communities do have a sense of belonging as well. That’s what fandoms are; they are platforms and communities where fans can interact with others and “they allow fans to publicly share and express things that were once shared in private” (Stever, et al., 2021, pg. 192). Fans can discuss a particular artist, such as Lady Gaga, Harry Potter books, Avengers movies, and the list can go on. Artists, books and movies such as these have an impactful influence on their fans. So much so that many fans will dress up like the characters or artists, attend conventions, and even encourage fans to donate money to the same charities that these artists donate to or are a part of.
There are numerous purposes why people are a part of fandoms. Many fandoms can form support groups, which can help us express ourselves in such a way that can build our self-esteem, reduce depression, anxiety and stress. Yes, there are both negatives and positives attributes when it pertains to social media and fandoms can also be a place for others to escape and “transportation can be a way to escape” (Stever, et al., 2021, pg. 186). Many people live through these characters because they feel they can relate to them on a deeper level and “feel connected with fictional characters” (Stever, et al., 2021, pgs. 186, 187). Fandoms can create camaraderie, unite people and we’re able to have a greater understanding of others through self-expression.
It’s important to develop and maintain healthy social networks, and relationships, and be a part of supportive groups as they are necessary for one’s overall health and mental well-being. However, we need to be realistic and make certain that these platforms, networks and relationships don’t deviate into unhealthy addiction(s). No matter the fandom, it’s equally important that it doesn’t become addictive and interfere with the person’s ability to function (Hatch, 2019).
References:
Stever, G., Giles, D., Cohen, J. D., & Myers, M. E. (2021). Understanding Media Psychology. New York, New York: Routledge.
Hatch, R. (2019, August 1). Fans of fandom: Psychology faculty break down the passion and persecution of fans. Retrieved from https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2019/08/fans-of-fandom-psychology-faculty-break-down-the-passion-and-persecution-of-fans/
4) The psychology behind fandoms is very interesting. Media and fan studies are relatable, and the goal is to draw in the viewers. How do they keep us entertained? Media understands the impact of the attention from audience and their interactions together. It has developed techniques of programming which amplify the effects to have people who watch something to a higher level. To make it seem as if what people are viewing via television, smartphone and even video games almost reality.
Star Trek is a prime example of popular movie series where a great deal of fans in society become so engaged with the actors/actresses that they ultimately dress exactly like them. People attend big events where many fans demonstrate their “identification with these characters through costuming, cosplay” (Stever, 2022). This captures the thrill of fans. Not only do people dress alike the characters from Star Trek movies they also hold dearly onto autographs, memorabilia and even connect with other people in fan clubs.
Reference
Stever, G., Giles, D., Cohen, J. D., & Myers, M. E. (2022). Understanding Media Psychology. Routledge.