“On the knife’s edge” is a term used to describe how people make irreversible mistakes that are often regretted moments after they are made. Scholars suggest that the reason why people find themselves on the knife’s edge is that they do not stop to think for a moment and remember why the confrontation is taking place (On the knife’s edge, 2017). Approximately fifteen years ago, I had an argument with my little sister that could have eventually turned into an adverse accident. When we were arguing, I threw a pillow at my sister when she was cutting bread with a knife. Seconds after I threw the pillow, an instant regret came because my sister could have gotten hurt with the knife. Fortunately, she only dropped the knife, and no one was hurt.
Physically, I am tired because I have been having sleep issues for the last two weeks. It has been challenging for me to fall asleep, but after I manage to, I often have dreams that cause worries and physical tiredness. Intellectually, I am busy thinking about my career – I have been working for almost two years at one place, but the future seems dim because I have not received a pay rise. Emotionally, I am slightly depressed about my current situation regarding work and family-related issues. This sadness is worsened by the fact that I could not accumulate any savings these past two years. Spiritually, I am feeling well because I regularly visit the church and systematically communicate with God. Expressing these four aspects allows a person to acquire a comprehensive picture of their current situation and understand what specific interventions may be needed to improve the case as a whole. For instance, finding a new job with favorable career prospects may solve all my issues – sleep issues and depression might be caused by the fact that I am always thinking about issues related to my current work.
Although the “Becoming a Man” (BAM) program was effective while it was running, participants stopped utilizing the strategies taught at the program after its conclusion. The reason is that people need to be constantly reminded in order for them to continue expressing particular behavior. For this reason, companies continuously conduct advertisement campaigns, even though their product is ubiquitous. Therefore, the content of the BAM needs to be transferred to television and social media as a form of advertisements and promotions. Also, the school curriculum should accommodate the BAM and provide students with the required assistance.
BAM is a behavioral therapy that targets participants from a psychological perspective assuming that biological and social factors do not influence them. However, BAM may not be as effective if there are biological factors to consider. For instance, an individual with an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is unlikely to perceive all information given at BAM sessions. Furthermore, a child that has robbed a store in order to feed themselves is unlikely to think of consequences when they are sure that no food is waiting for them at home because there are no parents to provide for them. Therefore, although BAM is effective, it should not be viewed as a sole method for preventing teen violence. Instead, it should be a part of a broader program that views teen violence as a result of biological, social, and psychological factors.
Reference
On the knife’s edge: Using therapy to address violence among teens. (2017). NPR. Web.