Major Depressive Disorder: A Case Study

One disorder that really strikes a nerve with me is Major Depressive Disorder. After being incorrectly treated and misdiagnosed for several years, I have finally found relief in SNRI form, after many failed attempts with SSRI drugs.

The following essay is a case study of a client named John who is suffering from major depression and was sent to see me for treatment by his concerned wife. I will provide brief background information about John then further discuss interventions and strategies I believe can be applied in each session with my client in order to make John's life more manageable. In the essay, I will be writing as the therapist, and the sessions are based on a ten week period.

As a disorder that is predicted to affect 9.5% of the US adult population in any given year, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mental illness that can last for long periods of time if left untreated (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). The symptoms associated with MDD vary from person to person, but the most common include a depressed mood, lack of energy, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, irritability or guilt, fatigue, lack of interest in hobbies and activities that used to be pleasurable, weight fluctuations, suicidal thoughts, and having trouble focusing and making decisions (National Institute of Mental Health).

Major depression is categorized as a mood disorder. There are consistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest. Emotional and physical problems are normally associated with major depression disorder or MDD. Feelings and behavior are changed due to this mood disorder. Activities of daily living and even carrying on with life period may be a struggle for those who suffer from MDD.

Major depression disorder (MDD) is a common mental disorder in the United States and a leading cause of disability throughout the world. The disorder can affect anyone at any time and any age. The onset of MDD is often due to, low self-esteem and self-worth, a chemical imbalance or a stressful event in one’s life. Many people with depression usually have symptoms that are severe enough that they recognize there is a problem with doing day-to-day activities and their relationships with others. Episodes of MDD can occur during or after a pregnancy, only during the winter months or after a stressful life event. Although not all medical professionals agree on how to define the forms of depression they do agree that the patent must experience

Excessive weight or obesity; pain and physical illness; alcohol or substance abuse; anxiety, panic disorder, or social phobias; family conflicts, relationship difficulties, and work or school problems; social isolation; suicidal feelings, suicide attempts, or suicide; self-mutilation such as cutting; premature death from other medical

Major Depression: Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects millions worldwide and is the most common psychiatric disorder (Singh & Gotlib, 2014). Symptoms of MDD can include: loss of appetite, lack/loss of energy or pleasure, fatigue, disturbed sleep patterns, and suicidal ideation. Depression is considered a disabling disease as all aspects of the individual’s life are affected by the illness (Milanovic, Erjavec, Poljicanin, Vrabec, & Brecic, 2015). The underlying cause or mechanism of depression has many theories that stretch from biological (chemical imbalances) to psychosocial (socio-economics) (Roy & Campbell, 2013).

Major depressive episode (MDE) is a single experience of these symptoms over a 2 week period while MDD is a chronic disorder in which multiple MDEs. The main symptom that must be present for a diagnosis is either a depressed mood or loss of interest in activities that were once considered pleasurable. Children and adolescents may be observed having irritability rather than sad mood and display outward signs of anger. The patient may also have feelings of hopelessness, helplessness or worthlessness. Appetite can increase or decrease which may cause weight fluctuations; children may not be gaining weight as expected. Sleeping problems such as insomnia or too much sleep can occur. The patient may complain of fatigue or loss of energy and

diagnosing MDD and GAD per the DSM V and the ICD-11 (Bernet, 2010) According to

I, Peter McJessy, have been struggling with dramatic changes in my mood and behavior. I noticed these changes beginning sometime in August of this year, and they are present now in late October. I suspect that I am struggling with depression, irritability, and insomnia. These mood changes have affected my relationship with my wife, Nicole, and our two daughters, as well as my job performance at Hardy Incorporated. In the following email letter written while I was on vacation at Davis, North Carolina, I apologize to Nicole for my seemingly uncontrollable negative attitude, while attempting to understand my situation.

Client “B” has struggled with major depression for over 30 years- unable to work, poor hygiene,

Thus far, I have learned that Depression is a serious illness that affects a person’s interpersonal and occupational functioning which includes working, eating, sleeping, studying, or enjoying friends and activities. On occasion, everyone has feelings of sadness, being down, or feeling “blue”; however, depression is marked by chronic lack of functioning on a daily basis with no resolve. For this paper, I will thoroughly examine the etiology, prevalence rates, and symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder. In addition, I will explore Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for treating MDD. By examining the findings of CBT and MBCT studies for treating MDD, I can be more knowledgeable and better prepared for treating clients with MDD in the future.

It was times like these when I thought about Josh’s lodge ---- oak roof, white sheets, but without a strange woman who dyes her hair in seven different colors lying on the platform bed. She is young, skinny, pale, and charming in a weird way. She wasn’t willing to tell anyone what her last name is, so I called her “Nubby,” due to she was nuts and she had flabby behaviors.

Depression has become more and more common throughout the years with Major Depressive Disorder ranging from 4 - 8 % (Carter et al., 2015) and 20% of adolescents experiencing at least one episode of major depression before they reach 18. Carter et al. (2015) states that exercise has been shown to improve an individual’s mood, self-esteem, self-worth, anxiety, and depression in adults. According to Carter and colleagues, some possible explanations for the relationship between depression and physical exercise are the distraction hypothesis, the idea that physical idea serves as the distractor to whatever may be bothering the individual (Craft & Perna, 2004); the self-efficacy hypothesis; and the mastery hypothesis. Although there are so many

Depressive disorders are among the most common psychological conditions affecting individuals in the Westernized world, some 4% of men and 8% of women suffer from a clinically significant depressive disorder (Kessler, 2003) and larger numbers experience some symptoms of depression (WHO, 2012).