Melissa Rivera
Psychology Research Paper “Depression”
A psychological disorder is a disorder of the mind involving thoughts, behaviors, and emotions that cause either self or others significant distress. Significant distress can mean the person is unable to function, meet personal needs on their own, or are a danger to themselves or others. There are many different psychological disorders, but the disorder I am choosing to focus on is Clinical Depression. Depression ranges in seriousness from mild, temporary episodes of sadness to severe, persistent depression. Clinical depression is the more severe form of depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder. It isn 't the same as depression caused by a loss, such as
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When it comes down to what causes depression, it isn’t completely known but there are many factors that may make someone more prone or subjected to clinical depression. One important factor that may increase someone’s chances of developing this disorder is inherited conditions. Another factor may be an environmental factor. Alcohol or drug abuse are factors also and can create emotional imbalance which can place someone at risk to developing the two forms of clinical depression. Another factor that can put someone at risk is brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that likely play a role in depression. Recent research indicates that changes in the function and effect of these neurotransmitters and how they interact with neurocircuits involved in maintaining mood stability may play a significant role in depression and its treatment (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2016).
Clinical Depression can be treated with many or a combination of methods. First method of treatment would be through medication. Antidepressants are a medication used to alleviate depression, there are many different types to tackle on the different forms of depression. Second form of treating a condition of clinical depression is with psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is a popular choice of treating depression and
Like symptoms, there are a variety of causes that can lead to depression. However, the main causes haven't been pinpointed, and are just speculated. Among these, biological factors are thought to be one of the main ones. Physical changes to the brain and hormonal imbalances are some major issues that could play a part biologically. Depression can also be passed genetically throughout your family, with even unborn babies at risk from getting it from their mother while in the
There are several factors that may contribute to depression and depending on the individual can be rooted from a single or multiple reasons. If one has a family history of the illness it increases the likelihood to develop it along with environmental influences that also aid in its progress (CITE-2). Also biological issues such as neurotransmitter imbalances in the brain can contribute to depression, for example at the pre and post-synapse of a neuronal cell (CITE-2). A pattern of pessimistic thoughts and low self-esteem can proliferate the illness, as a study conducted exhibited that affected individuals did not improve perceptions of their depression even after a neurotransmitter imbalance explanation (CITE-4).
Depression is technically a mental illness, but it also affects your body and well-being. The person you are and the traits you possess can be altered dramatically if these symptoms persist and affect our life substantially. The most common symptoms of depression include:
Clinical Depression is a serious common neurological disorder that can affect anyone from the adolescents to the elderly. Clinical Depression affects the mood, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and symptoms could become severe if left untreated. Clinical Depression is widespread and common, but also misunderstood and we should be well informed on the causes, effects, and treatments of depression.
There is a recent debate is on the different treatment methods for depression and which are the most effective. The
Depression is a disorder that can be caused by many factors. Stress, medication, other medical illnesses, and personality traits can all contribute to depression, but the most common cause, however, is heredity (yahoo.com 1). These are all theorized guesses as to what causes clinical depression. The actual cause has not yet been resolved (yahoo.com 1). It is considered that usually more than one factor causes the disorder (yahoo.com 2).
There will be many topics covered as you continue to read that are related to depression. Clinical Depression is a very serious disorder that affects millions of people in the United States every year. There are many reasons for depression and there are also many signs and symptoms that can help you to identify depression that is affecting someone close to you. Depression can be treated in different forms weather it is through the use of anti depressants, coping, cognitive-behavioral and psychotherapy. There are many situations that can cause each person to get depressed for different reasons and may affect everyone in different ways and have different severities.
Depression is the leading cause of emotional and physical problems. So what do people do to treat this disorder? Anti-depressants are most commonly used amongst patients suffering from depression. “Second only to antibiotics, anti-depressants are the most commonly prescribed class of medication.” This is concerning because patients become dependent on these medications. In many cases, SSRIs can have an opposite effect on patients, resulting in thoughts of suicide and other physical symptoms. Safer alternative treatments include treating depression through therapy without use of medication. “Depression is much more than just sadness.” Some patients describe depression as living in a dark empty space, dealing with the lack of energy,
A psychological disorder, also known as a mental disorder, is a pattern of behavioral or psychological symptoms that impact multiple life areas and create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms. These symptoms are characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual 's cognitive, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental process underlying mental functioning. Mental disorders are usually associated with significant distress in social, occupational, or other important activities. Approximately 26 percent of American adults over the age of 18 suffer from some diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. (Cherry)
Psychotherapy helps the client understand their illness, by talking through their behavior, stressors, etc. through counseling strategies. Evidence-based methods are more common to treat depression because the health insurance companies can demand how the individual will be treated. There are several therapies clinical psychologist utilizes when treating depression but the most common are cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and problem-solving therapies. Instead of focusing on how medication can change depression symptoms, these therapies are an alternate life approach. How can
When an individual has no other choice but to rely upon another for their own livelihood, feelings of inadequacy may begin to tear at his or her mental well-being. These emotions could cause him or her to see his or herself as nothing more than a parasite harming the people that care about them. Accordingly, this thought process could then lead toward severe depression. Though one may go throughout the day dealing with emotions that make them feel ?depressed,? and these emotions may only last for a few days, this state is not true depression. Depression is not a feeling, but rather
Depression is an intense and long-term illness, brought on by stressful situations, that have damaging effects on a person’s emotional, physical and cognitive state on a daily basis. It reduces a person’s ability to function physically and socially. Effects include loss of interest, negative thinking, irritability and fatigue. The effects experienced in each state may sometimes overlap with those from another hence intensifying the degree of depression.
One of the most common treatments for depression is medication. Another common treatment for depression is therapy or counseling. Specific treatment for depression will be determined by your physician based on age, overall health, and medical history, extent of the condition, type of mood disorder, tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies and expectations for the course of the condition. Many people with mental illness do not believe in taking medication so therapy proves to be a better treatment for these individuals. There are other forms of holistic treatment and even herbal therapy has been helpful for the treatment of depression. Antidepressant medications, especially when combined with psychotherapy has shown to be very effective in the treatment of
The exact cause of depression is not known, but there are several factors that play
Depression is a psychological illness, much like bulimia or anorexia. It affects the mind as much as it does the body. Depression is directly related to many other disabilities: eating disorders, low energy levels, and social difficulties. Scientists have found that depression is the result of imbalances in the way the brain metabolizes chemicals called neurotransmitters.