I’m presently taking advantage of psychology to help me understand myself, my reactions to certain things, my personality and how I socialize, and also prepare in my career as a (CASAC) Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor. It is truly amazing how your life can benefit from the understanding of human behavior, whether it be about socially communicating, motivating your feelings, or managing decisions. It is a considerable benefit to become familiar with different forms of human behavior and the mind. I learned by studying psychology that your biological make up and your experiences have an extreme impact on your feelings and your reactions. When my mother and sister were brutally attacked by dogs a long time ago, it was traumatizing, so it isn’t likely to find me playing with a German Shepherd or a Pitt Bull for that matter. So I see the relevance of using psychology in terms of understanding my own feelings in reference to my past experiences. My past plays a great deal in how I react to things today. I’m usually slow to speak, I’m more observant, and withdrawn than I was when I was younger. I believe this was due to a history of being hurt, mistrust and being betrayed by family, friends, love ones and even myself. I proceed with caution when making connections with people. I’m somewhat of an introverted type person now. But I accept why I’m this way. Psychology has helped me understand that I use this yielding type of attitude as a self defense mechanism to protect myself from re-entering any type of unhealthy relationships. And the many events in my past have contributed to my attitude in the way I distance myself from unpleasant thoughts, feelings and people. I plan to use Psychology daily to help me understand and counsel individuals, women and men who struggle with addiction. I want them to understand how they ended up in the grips of this lifestyle and to be confident that there is a way out. I b