Pysch Essay

Psychology 200 Course Reflection Paper

November 20, 2013

Prior to enrolling in a psychology class, I was terribly interested in the subject. I, myself, have struggled with anxiety and depression for years and been surrounded by others that have dealt with similar issues, so to study the root of various problems and be able to find a solution has always been intriguing to me. I also have three close friends that have gone on to study clinical psychology, so that with a mixture of years of therapy, I’ve always been interested in the field. After having nearly completed the course, I now know that the field includes a lot more than I could have ever envisioned from dealing with children with learning disabilities to studying basic cognitive functioning. If I had to describe the class and the field itself in one word it would be: expanding. One thing I find incredibly fascinating about any scientific field is that it is constantly changing and evolving, as humans do.

From a personal stand point, I like discussing the psychological issues such as anxiety and depression; how others perceive us and how we perceive the world. If I were to go into psychology as a major I would most likely follow this study path. However, being a nursing student, this most significant criteria in our course to me has been Module 3, discussing the brain. Alzheimer's and Multiple Sclerosis, two diseases covered in the module, are two of the more common diseases that I will encounter in the nursing field, therefore have this working knowledge of symptoms, and ways to deal with different diseases, I feel it will only help me as I research it further in the upcoming semesters. However, I think the most significant learning experience I’ve had during the course dealt with Cognitive Psychology, again based on personal experiences. It helped me understand the broader spectrum with dealing with social illnesses such as anxiety, pertaining to stereotypes, social interactions, etc.

What I enjoyed...