Learning Theory, Health, and Wellness

Learning Theory, Health, and Wellness
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Learning Theory, Health, and Wellness
Throughout this course, I have learned a lot of things that will continue to impact my life. First of all, the health issue I chose resonated with me because news of depression and suicide rates among teenagers is becoming rampant with every passing day. Young people are resorting to suicide and doing away with their futures with the hope of finding peace. As most of the studies indicated, social media platforms and drugs and substance abuse are some of the major factors that contribute to depression and suicides among teenagers. I came across worrying statistics in my research on suicidality among teenagers. It has prompted me to consider actions to reduce this problem, cutting so many young lives short. The change initiative project was a personal idea of bringing change to my community and preventing these preventable deaths. While some of these strategies are already in mainstream society, their implementation has not been taken as seriously as they should. So, a burden has been created in my heart through this project, and I intend to pursue it once I leave school. I intend to try and reach out to as many teenagers as I can. I may not be able to save everyone. However, I know the two or three I will reach out to will pay it forward by becoming advocates of mental health among teenagers.
Which theory resonated with you most
The theory that resonated with me the most was behavioral learning theory. While social constructivism and cognitive learning theory are just as influential, behavioral learning theory resonated with me the most, especially when understanding the issue under study. The simplest explanation of behavioral learning theory is that it offers the clarification that behavior is influenced by one’s environment. This means that our behaviors are influenced more by our environment and surrounding than by our inherent characteristics. Having this understanding can help shed light on the issue of suicides and depression among teenagers. For example, as indicated in the stats above, suicide rates increased among teenagers from 2000. Looking at the changes that have taken place since that time, one notices that coincidentally, social media platforms have increased in number. Their infl...