The Process of Changing the Way of Thinking and Behavior or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Essay Example

Introduction Many situations we think about in life are believed to be the actual effects of our reactions. Nevertheless, these reactions too affect our thoughts and our feelings. Therefore, for anyone to live healthy life he or she must change her behaviour and the way of her thinking. The process of changing one’s ways of thinking and the behaviour is what is referred to as cognitive behavioural therapy (Corrigan, 1997). This paper represents my personal reflective awareness process for the experiences I had the entire semester. It entails a journal that I kept about the challenges I experiences, the process of identifying the challenges and the action or measure taken to deal with the issue. Emotional intelligence is one of the factors that greatly contribute to the human behavior. It refers to that personal ability of each individual to control, perceive as well as evaluate emotions. It has also been defined as the social intelligence subsets involving people’s abilities to monitor their very own as well as other people’s emotions and feeling to make a difference and be in a position to make use of the information gained in guiding their actions and thoughts. According to the research that has been carried by a number of people; some claim that it is inborn while other argues that it can be strengthened through teaching. Problems identified My course is a very demanding cone and as usual, I like keeping a record of all the things happening during the semester so that I can have a good record of accomplishment and be able to follow up on my progress. During the semester, I was keeping journals as usual. In my journal contents, as I was reviewing my journal at the mid of the semester, I realized that I had three problems which were a serious bother to me since they were interfering with my behaviour in a very great way. There were three main issues, which were of very great concern as far as I was concerned. The first main problem was lack of confidence during presentation. In my records, I had recorded several times about some disgracing moments, which happened to me during a presentation. Another problem was shyness in class. This problem raised a number of times during the semester. I realized that many are the times I could not even have the guts to stand before the class to make an announcement. Finally, I realized that I was losing carriage to face my exams. During all the exams that I took that semester, there is none that I took confidently. Effects of the problem to my behaviour My course entails a lot of class or group presentation. Whereby, one is required to write a research on a given topic and then present it in front of the class. The work could be done in a group but one member to present it. I realized that many of times on getting in front of the class I would seriously stammer. At times, I would even find myself sweating so much and on top of that most of the times, I would really feel so embarrassed by the whole situation. This issue had really affected my behaviour so much. I had totally lacked self-esteem and actually, I realized that anytime I we would be having a presentation in class I would make up an excuse of not turning up for the lesson. Actually, I had even developed behaviour of lying. Many are the times I lied that I was not feeling well to get an excuse for not attending the lesson. The issue of shyness too had really initiated a behaviour change in my life. I realized that I could not even look straight into people’s eyes and say something to them. This had also led to a very embarrassing situation whereby, I would find myself not in a position to finish a statement once I started it. I felt that no body believed in me anymore or rather everyone who was listening to me found me so boring. I felt unwanted and not appreciated. As a result, I had attained a tendency of segregating myself. I also started avoiding all of my friends. This was very serious since the people I was avoiding, are the same people I needed most in my academics. I no longer participated in discussion groups, there are days we would go for the discussion and I would without saying a word. My mind was withdrawn and there was no interest in anything anymore. The fear of exams was yet another blow. I could not understand myself anymore because all ever sudden I started fearing exams. It does matter what kind of the exam it was. I was even afraid of taking my continuous assessment test as well as practices. It was very disappointing at times because I could give out my answer sheet after hardly writing anything. This was because in some occasions everything I had read would mysteriously disappear out of my mind. I would find myself very blank with nothing to write at all. In some other occasions, before I even start the paper, I would find myself severely shaking uncontrollably. Holding a pen would be such a hard task for me to do. At the juncture, I realized that the problem was very serious and I need help. This is because, I was stressed almost through out the semester and my concentration level was completely down. Many are the times I would attend a lesson but in actual sense, my mind was elsewhere while my body was in class. Apart from the behaviour of avoiding people, I noticed that I had developed another, tendency of being so hostile to people. Many of my friends complained about the whole issue of my character change and personality change. Some mistook me to be so proud while other thought that the course had become too hard for me such that I could not handle it anymore. This whole situation on, affected my moods in that I would be so gloomy through out. On top of that, I physical suffered some effects. My weight all over sudden went down. It is actually very funny that I would for some days go without food. Generally, my health started to decline. I also started suffering from some issues of hormonal imbalance. I once visited the college gynaecology because my menstrual flow had become so irregular and she claimed that I was suffering from some hormonal imbalance caused by stress. Control measures taken What made me take so much interest in what was happening to me was the fact that I was so forgetful. My parents complained a number of times that I was no longer calling them. At that time, I was also experiencing some excoriating headaches and irregular manses. Therefore, I took an initiative of visiting a doctor. The doctor, run on me all the necessary tests to check what was happening to me. My attention was caught by the fact that I was not sick. All the diagnosis was negative so the doctor suggested I consult a psychiatrist who would help me out. The psychiatrist, questions we all targeted on my behaviour in the last one month. I was also presented with a questionnaire that I had to fill up. The doctor after doing his analysis he advised me to take seriously the therapy I was to go through since it was what mattered to me. He further explained that each of my problems would be solved differently, however the efficiency and of the therapy depended on my cooperation. The first assignment I was given was to write down every activity that I took place in during the day in my diary including my emotions, feelings and reactions towards them all. I was so determined to do anything am told to improve myself. For the issue of shyness, the doctor suggested that I needed to do a number of things. First, I was required to write down all of my strengths and weakness down. This as the therapist explained was to help me raise my self-esteem that was very low at that particular time. To my great amazement, my strengths outnumbered my weaknesses. Actually that in it self really boosted my confidence but mainly because the analysis did not just come me but from my friends who knew me better. I was advised to always believe in myself since that could be the reason I do not contribute in the discussion group (Paul, 1997). Another step I took was the issue of getting enough time to prepare my presentations. I this helped me gain more confidence on myself. I was also determined to walk with friends who helped build my character as well people who celebrated me and not the ones who were diminishing me. During the presentations, I was advised to get the right posture and to give my audience eye contact to ensure I flow with what I am saying. Another therapy that I was given to put into practice was the act of role-playing or rather rehearsing my presentation before I went in from to present. I very well did all that and I was amazed that in two weeks time I had eliminated the problem of shyness. On top of that, I had also regained a lot of confidence in myself. The issue of fear of exam was too tackled in a very good was and amazing way. First and for more most, I realized that feared exams due to insufficient preparation. This could have been caused by the fact that I was missing so many classes in the semester or because for most lessons I attended I grasped nothing because I was simply absent minded. Therefore, I had to do a lot of revision to catch up with the rest of the class as well as attend so many discussion groups, which actually were of very great help. Another thing I had to do was to have enough sleep before the exam. I was also advised never at any time panic when going to do a paper. When I applied all these rules and guidelines, I noticed that the tension I used to have when during the exam period was drastically decreased. As I applied all those corrective measures, I realized that I could actually somehow manage to do a presentation in front of the class without having to stammer at all. On top of that, I realized that the problem of shyness had been eliminated and at that particular time, I could confront any situation without having to fell any fear in me (Yates, 1990). Actually before, the therapy was even finished I felt that at least I had recovered part of my own self. The issue of mood swings was no longer there. Actually a started enjoying other people’s company instead of what used to happen earlier. A crime refers to the act committed that is against the laws or rules of a governing authority in an organization. Different societies describe or define crimes differently. It should be noted that commitment of any crime is violation of law but not each and every law violation is referred to as a crime. A crime is also termed as any offence committed against the state or the public. A tort is a crime that is committed against a private sector causing some public havoc. Authorities employ varieties of mechanisms so as to prevent or allow some kind of behaviors. In an effort to prevent crimes, different policies as well as practices are put in place. On the hand there is a system called a criminal justice put in place so that the can be justice to whom crimes are committed. There are so many negatives effects to crimes which have caused different reaction of the society toward any given crime. One of the greatest reactions of the society after any crime happens is great fear and terror. This may cause fear of so many things depending on the type of the crime witnessed. For instance, in a society where robbery is so prevalent, the people there may be so afraid of acquiring any form of wealth. Also the society may turn into committing worse crimes. For instance, there could be need to protect themselves hence, they ends up in possession of illegal fire arms in the name of self defense. Another reaction of the society is rejection of the criminal for example, a rapist at whatever cost can hardly be accepted back in the society. To the society he or she will always be an outcast. Reference Christopher, G. (1997). Science and practice of cognitive behaviour Therapy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.  Corrigan, P. (1997). Behavior therapy empowers persons with severe mental illness. Behavior Modification. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Paul, G. (1997). Psychosocial treatment of chronic mental patients. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Yates, A. (1990). Behavior therapy. New York: New York Wiley. Read More