The Behavioral Theory Of Depression

The Influence Of State Anxiety On The Relationship Between Depressive Symptomology And Poor Sleep Quality

The popular Disney film, Beauty and the Beast, the beloved character, Beast, seems to have the characteristics of depression, and learned helplessness. Martin Seligman began an experiment of shocking dogs in 1956. His study involved evaluating the reaction to a dog being allowed to escape during being shocked. Some of these animals were classically conditioned to associate the ringing of a bell to a shock given. Within the next few experiments, the dogs would either run away at the sound of a bell or show a fear related behavior. For some of the dogs used in the experiment, although get could escape the enclosure from a shock, they didn't, they just sat there and took the pain; Seligman explained this as being “Learned Helplessness”.

In this essay I will first of all explain the main principles and theories that underpin the behaviourist approach to psychology. I will subsequently outline how behaviourist theory can provide therapists with some insight into both the causes of maladaptive behaviour and how that behaviour might be sustained and maintained. Having discussed the main behaviourist principles and how they relate to maladaptive behaviour, I will then compare and contrast the behavioural approach with the psychoanalytic (Freudian)

Depression is a common and serious mood disorder. It’s more than just feeling down or sad in response to life’s struggles and setbacks, depression causes people to lose pleasure from daily life, can increase the risk of many health problems, and can even be serious enough to lead to suicide. The disease must be given more attention and treated as a global public health priority. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 7.6 percent of people over the age of 12 have depression in any 2-week period. Depression is also the second most common cause of disability worldwide after back pain,according to a review of research.

Beck (1967) provides a psychological explanation of MD from a cognitive perspective. He proposes a cognitive theory of depression that includes the primary negative triad in depression, which reflects “three major cognitive patterns” that depicts how depressed individuals view themselves, the world and the future “in an idiosyncratic way”. This theory focuses on negative schema and dysfunctional attitudes contributing to MD, which can be clarified as inflexible cognitive structures that negatively filter and bias information (Hankin et al., 2009). Support for this theory is demonstrated by Boury et al (2001) in the exploratory study monitoring student’s negative thoughts with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), where it was found that “BDI-II

Major depression is a commonly diagnosed psychological disorder affecting individuals’ ability to feel happiness and peace of mind. Those who suffer experience negative emotions, lack of motivation, changes in behaviour and dysfunctional cognitive symptoms. Depression is classified by the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5) as five of more of the listed symptoms present persistently over the same two weeks. One of these symptoms must be depressed mood or loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities. Depression causes disruption to typical daily life such as inability to maintain friendships and jobs. Other symptoms outlined by the DSM-5 include; insomnia, fatigue and recurrent thoughts of death. There is much debate over what exactly causes depression. Biological explanations question hereditary and neurotransmitter factors. While psychological theories include the cognitive ideas of Beck’s negative triad and hopelessness theory. This essay will focus on the ways in which psychological and biological explanations contrast and how their theories can overlap to better understand depression.

Psychotic depression occurs when a depressive illness also includes hallucinations, delusions or the patient feeling removed from reality. Psychotic depression affects approximately one in four people admitted to the hospital for depression.

Antidepressant medication is the most popular treatment for depression. Studies have suggested that cognitive therapy of depression might have a significant advantage over medication in preventing relapses or recurrences (Robinson, 2005). Despite the alarming prevalence of depression in society, there is yet no completely adequate explanation as to how or why it occurs (Robinson, 2005). The three major etiological models for understanding depression are cognitive models (based on the work of Beck & Ellis), biological models that link depression to variance in biochemistry (Robinson, 2005), and diathesis-stress models that view depression as the result of a complex interaction of contextual factors and intra-individual factors (Robinson, 2005). There is some evidence to suggest that once treatment-to-remission-from-depression is terminated that pharmacologically treated patients were twice as likely to relapse than patients treated with cognitive therapy (Miller, 1989). Many studies have reported evidence of negative cognitive patterns among depressed individuals. A self-deprecating style, negative attitudes toward the future and negative automatic thoughts frequently are associated with depression (Miller, 1989).

Through my research I wanted to learn about exactly what anti-depressants do chemically . I also wanted to determine what role genetics, heredity, environment, and biological factors play in depression. Though I was not able to answer all of these questions, I learned a lot about depression and even developed some theories of my own. For a long time, I have thought of some forms of depression as a weakness. I truly believed that in many cases it could be controlled by the depressed person themself. I also felt that environmental and personal factors played were the basis for depression. However, through what we have learned in class and from my research, I have come to realize that this theory is not completely true. Mood is a generalized control mechanism like sleep. Eating also exhibits many characteristics of generalized control mechanisms. Mood can be affected by sensory input and the I-function, but it is also autonomous in that it can vary independent of sensory input. This internal variation is pharmacologically dependent. Changes in a persons pharmacological makeup can cause mood changes, sleep disturbances, and even depression. The I-function influences mood manipulation but cannot determine mood. Though you may want to be in a good mood, make a conscious effort to think RhappyS thoughts, and may not have serious stressors in your life, you may still suffer clinical depression as a result of a chemical imbalance in your system. Depression can be physical and

Chapter Thirteen of the textbook discussed psychological disorders (Licht, 2014). Depression and anxiety are just a few common ones. A subsection in the chapter analyzed the psychological roots of depression - one, of which, was the intriguing concept of ‘learned helplessness.’ “According to researcher Martin Seligman, people often became depressed because they believe they have no control over the consequences of their behaviors” (Licht, 2014).

Include extreme or repetitive behaviors; changes, events or specific trauma, which have impacted progress in treatment areas; special achievements; other comments etc.

There are several different explanations that fall under the psychodynamic "umbrella" that explain why a person develops depression. Psychoanalysts historically believed that depression was caused by anger converted into self-hatred. Children who develop depressive symptoms typically are raised by neurotic parents who are inconsistent, lacking in warmth, inconsiderate, angry, or driven by their own selfish needs. These behaviors lead to the them feeling alone, confused, helpless and ultimately, angry. But, out of fear, love, and guilt, they repress anger toward the parents and turn it against themselves so it becomes an anger directed at him or herself. Caught between the belief that he or she is unacceptable, and the imperative to act perfectly to obtain parental love, they become prone to experiencing exaggerated anxiety and feelings of depression. They also feel that he or she is not good enough, no matter how hard he or she tries. Now, this sort of treatment and environment can evolve into more severe depression and anxiety disorder as an adolescent and adult. (Pshychodynamic Theories, 2007)

Have you ever wondered what really causes depression? Or how people are even depressed and not just sad? The reason I chose this topic is because I have depression. Not only that but I only know a limited amount of this disorder, and also considering the fact that depression runs along side both of my mom’s and dad’s side of the family. My curiosity grows as I wonder, what does this really mean? Why was i diagnosed with depression? Is depression permanent or can it be cured? How? Where does depression come from? On this journey as i take you into the world of mental health knowledge, you will also get to know a little bit about depression, and maybe answer some of your questions.

Depression have become a major problem in our society today. People who haven’t experience depression will not understand how it feel and what it can do to a person. Many people also doesn’t understand what depression is, or how it can related to suicidal ideation. In fact, studies have documented that the majority of young suicide victims had depression at the time of death and most suicide survivors were diagnosed with symptoms of clinical depression at the time of their attempt (Mojs, Biederman, Głowacka, Strzelecki, Ziemska, Samborski 2015). It can affect anyone, from young adolescents to college students to the elderly people. There are many reasons that can make someone have major depression. Such as financial problems, family problems, social problems, school, work, etc. These stressors in our daily life can cause anxiety which can increase our stress level significantly, which then can lead to depression. A research said that anxiety disorder have a high comorbidity with depression and that anxiety occur prior to the onset of depressive disorders in many individuals (Batterham, Christensen, Calear 2013). People who experience depression must find way to cope with depression and know how to get help in order to prevent suicidal ideation. The people surroundings, friends and family, must also find ways to recognize the symptoms of depression, and show understandings in order to help those suffering. This research project will help people understand more about

The severity of depression has been supported through scientific evidence that indicates that depression has a biological basis in the brain of a depressed person along with psychological and social implications. Whilst there are many catalysts in a person’s life that can be identified as a possible root cause of depression, such as stressful life events or the death of a loved one, the issue is far more complex, as the biological triggers of depression are not as easily expressed, such as faulty mood regulation in the brain, vulnerable genetics in the DNA, and other medical problems. Many things are altered in the brain of the depressed person. Firstly, what most understand to be an imbalance in the levels of chemicals that regulate emotions, is in reality far more elaborate. The true issue surrounding the many chemicals involved inside and outside of the nerve cells that undergo numerous chemical reaction which make up the dynamic system that is responsible for mood, perceptions, and the way one experiences life you experiences life can be altered in different ways that affect how one lives. Along with the brains chemicals, the connections between nerve cells called neurons decrease and deteriorate, meaning the