Weekly Journal

     

                Submit your weekly journal entry in Canvas

 

The purpose of this Self-Awareness Journal is to have you reflect in 1-2 paragraphs on how the material from this week applies to your life in some way. You are NOT required to disclose any private, personal information, though you may do so if you wish. Please keep in mind that if you do choose to disclose personal information, as your instructor, I am required to report to the university any instance of physical or sexual violence towards you, even if it happened during your childhood. Otherwise, only I (the instructor) can you view your responses.

 

Each journal is due by midnight on Sunday (each end of the week). You will earn the full 5 possible points as long as your journal entry: (1) is submitted by the deadline, (2) is at least 1-2 paragraphs in length, and (3) at least loosely addresses one of the possible prompts. You will not receive points if the entry is plagiarized. You may receive partial points if the entry is shorter than 1 paragraph (3 full sentences), does not use complete sentences, or is very difficult to understand. Otherwise, it will not be graded for grammar or spelling.

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Prompt ideas

Below are some ideas of things that you could write about, but please feel free to be creative in reflecting on how the material from this week applies to your life. You do not need to answer all or any of the questions below to earn the full points for the assignment.

 

Stigma

Please reflect on whether you have encountered stigma (a mark of disgrace) towards the topics covered this week. How was your (or your family’s or the media’s) understanding of this week’s topic different than the scientific understanding of the topic?

 

Influence of identity/culture

Do you think that any aspects of your individual identity (such as gender, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation) or your culture (such as religion, socioeconomic status, nationality) influence the way that you perceive the topics covered this week? Why or why not? 

 

Media

How do you think the media, such as television, movies, and social media, has influenced your (or your family’s or our society’s) understanding of the topics covered this week? Explain whether you think the media has been a mostly positive influence, a mostly negative influence, or somewhere in between.

 

Care/Treatment

(Probably not relevant the first few weeks)

What types of care or treatment would you want if you suffered from a mental disorder covered this week and why? Or, what types of care or treatment would you recommend to a loved one suffering from a mental disorder covered this week and why? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this care/treatment?