PCOS

Summary:
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder that results from abnormal levels of certain hormones. It results in giving female hirsutism(male pattern facial hair) irregular mentrual cycles, high cholesterol, ovulation irregularities, obesity, and causes insulin regulatory problems. Insulin is a hormone that plays a very important role in PCOS. Insulin controls the body's use of sugar(glucose). Patti has PCOS and has a hard time losing weight, getting pregnant, and having regular periods. She could end up getting Diabetes from her insulin being irregular. She is trying to reduce her sugar intake and exercise. She has been drinking diet drinks instead of regular soda. Her body is trying to fight against this new behavior but she is not going to give up.




Relation:

She used operant conditioning to help make herself healthier. She was able to help lower her risk of getting diabetes through this behavior. When she substitutes a sugary treat for a diet drink or low sugar food, she gets candy or ice cream. If she eats sugary treats, then she doesn't get her favorite treat.





Personal Interview April 17, 2010

Addiction

Summary:

Charlie is a 68 year old male who has been addicted to alcohol for most of his life. In his younger years, liquor was his drink of choice. It made him very mean and selfish. He had been in rehab serveral times but still didn't want to quit. His family tried to help him, but he just wouldn't give it up. At the age of 66, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. After surgery, he was still drinking and taking medication. His doctor told him if he wanted to live, he had to stop drinking. The realization of what he was doing to himself finally set in and he no longer drinks.

Relation:

This is an addiction to alcohol and a behavior modification by him going to rehab. The stimuli has to be willing to give something up in order for the behavior to change.

Personal Interview April 18, 2010

Medium

Summary:
Allison meets a girl named Jennifer who was in a car wreck and flew through the windshield. She survived and her parents didn't. She was given a blood transfusion and the blood was from a serial killer. Jennifer began seeing through the killers eyes when she dreamed. The killer would take pictures of the families he was about to kill. He would drain their blood and pose them like his pictures. Between Jennifer and Allison's dreams they finally caught the killer. He shot himself and Jennifer was finally free of him.






Relation:
Allison has a gift to be able to see what is going to happen before it really does. She uses this gift to help solve murders and other crimes.






Medium April 9, 2010

Ghost Whisperer

Summary:
Melinda can see ghosts and she is haunted by a clown in this episode. The clown ended up being a private investigator and was protecting Ms. Parks. She won the lottery and didn't want anyone to know so she ran away. Her long time boyfriend asked her to marry him and she said nothing and thought it was because she won the lottery. She met another guy and was about to marry him, but Melinda stopped them and told her the truth about him. He had found out about the money, but tried to make it seem like he was rich. He pawned his mother's diamond out of her wedding ring and replaced it with cubic zirconia. She later got back together with her long lost boyfriend and the clown that was haunting Melinda went into the light.



Relation:

Melinda is gifted. She helps people (ghosts) tie up loose ends that have caused them to stay behind until they feel they can move on.

Ghost Whisperer April 9, 2010

ADD

Summary:



My friend's son has ADD and he tends to misbehave a few times a week at school. She is trying to teach him that if he misbehaves then there are consequences. If he misbehaves he doesn't get to watch his favorite tv show, but if he is good then he does. She is using operant conditioning to change his behavior. If she fixes his misbehavior now at the age of 9, it will be easier then later when he is older. She not only makes him behave at school but it also carries on at home. He is now acting better due to the operant conditioning.



Relation:



ADD is a behavior disorder. This disability can cause people to have bad behavior. One way you can encourage good behavior is by modifying that person's behavior. Medication is sometimes a neccessity to control outbursts.







Personal Interview April 15, 2010