Psychologists, through intensive research, endeavor to figure how biological and or psychological dysfunctions can alter the cognitive skills and behavior of an individual. Specifically, the alteration of both phenomena will be made through a character analysis. The psychological character analysis will evaluate the leading character Luz from the film, The Virgin Suicides. After a throughout review of the film, Luz clearly exhibits major depressive symptoms. Thereby, a brief overview of the disorder will first be made. Consequently, the symptoms which Lux exhibits will be review. Lastly, a treatment outline will be made.
Depression, according to the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder,” fifth edition, is a versatile disorder which is composed of “disruptive mood dysregulation, major depressive disorder (including major depressive episode), persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), premenstrual dysphoric disorder, substance/medication-induced depressive disorder, and unspecified disorder” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Although depression houses many subcategories, major depressive disorder is the classical condition amongst them all.
Major depressive disorder is distinguishable since it pertains to having a depressive episode for approximately two weeks (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). These depressive episodes involve exhibiting five or more symptoms during the two-week period. At least one of the symptoms is depressed mood or loss of pleasure (anhedonia) or interest (Major Depressive Episode). When the individual is experiencing depressed mood, the symptom typically last most of the day consistently throughout the whole day. Apart from feeling depressed, the individual also experiences lack of or diminishment of interest or pleasure (Bressert, 2017). Similarly, to depressed mood, this sense of anhedonia last most of the day, nearly every day (Major Depressive Episode). Insomnia and or increase in sleeping excessively is also another symptom (Mume, 2010). Furthermore, the individual may experience agitation and intense slowness or sense of retardation (Mash, 2015). This can then lead to a feeling of fatigue or an energy drop. Consequently, these
A major depressive episode is not a disorder in itself, but rather more of a description or symptoms of part of a disorder most often depressive disorder or bipolar. A person suffering from a major depressive episode must have a depressed mood or a loss of interest in daily activities consistently for a minimum of a two-week time span (Psych Central, 2013). In diagnosing the mood must reflect a change from the person’s normal mood. A person’s daily activities and functions, such as work, social routines and friends, education, family, and relationships must also have been negatively impacted by the change in their mood. A major depressive episode is also identified by presence of five or more of the following symptoms. The patient can show signs of significant weight loss or weight gain even not dieting or trying to lose or gain weight. The patient will also display a change in appetite almost everyday, either with an increase or a decrease in their normal eating habits. The weight change is typically set at an increase or decrease in weight of more than 5% per month. The patient will display a depressed mood almost the entire day and this sadness, emptiness, loneliness, crying, and distant is observed by others or indicted by the patient, is typically
Major depressive disorder, we all have probably heard of it, but do we really know what is it is ? Major depressive disorder is “a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest… major depressive disorder or clinical depression, affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems”(Mayo Clinic Staff). Having this disorder puts you in a very unstable position because you are constantly feeling depressed so it affects the way you think and feel and that can be very dangerous. Sometimes this happens to a person for one day, but put yourself in the shoes of someone who experiencing this for more than two weeks? When you have major depressive disorder, the signs of depression disorder can last for two weeks or more(myers646). This dis order must be treated immediately because “depression may make you feel as if life isn 't worth living”(Mayo Clinic Staff). Feeling this way can lead you to doing things that you can not take back such as committing suicide and sadly that can happen when you have major depressive disorder. Kiyohara and Yoshimasu conducted a research that showed that 90% of suicides have were dealing with major depressive disorder(qtd. in The World Health Organization). Throughout this paper I will be discussing the causes, symptoms and treatment when dealing with major depressive disorder.
Mental disorders can be diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence. Major depression is a lost of interest or pleasure in all activities. People with major depression experience symptoms such as a change of appetite, restlessness sleep, decreased energy, feeling of worthlessness, difficulty concentrating, and/or suicidal thoughts. A major depressive episode can lasts for about 2 weeks or more. A major depressive episode can be caused by stress, social anxiety, or other reasons. People with a milder depression are able to function and seem normal (DSM-IV-TR). A major depressive disorder affects about 14.8 million adults in America with 6.7 million at age 18 and older in the United States population. A depressive disorder can develop in any age and more likely to occur more often in women than in men and any person who is going through a hard time can develop depression. A treatment for individuals with depression is medication, psychotherapy, or attending social groups, 80 percent of the people who follow up with these treatments begin to show improvement with in four to six weeks. About 50 percent of the patients that take medicine to “cure” the depression are unsuccessful with the treatment, because they stop taking their meds due to the side effects, but the people who are in the support
The main features of Major Depressive Episodes (MDE) include a depressed mood for most days and loss of interest and pleasure in enjoyable activities (also known as ahedonia). For the diagnoses of a MDE to be made, these symptoms must be experienced for at least two weeks and symptoms must cause significant impact on day to day functioning (APA, 2013). Additional symptoms include lack of concentration (e.g unable to focus on everyday tasks, work), lack of
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is currently labeled one of the world’s greatest health problems, with an estimated prevalence of 4.7% and the second highest cause of years lived with a disability in 2010. The economic impact on patients with MDD is extensive particularly in patients that do not respond to treatment. Severe MDD can lead to loss of productivity and increase mortality.
A major depressive episode is described as having a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure along with five (or more) of the following symptoms: (a) significant weight loss, (b) insomnia or hypersomnia, (c) psychomotor agitation or retardation, (d) fatigue or loss of energy, (e) feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt, (f) diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, and (g) recurrent
Depression has dramatically increased over the years. It is becoming a chronic disease for people. According to Wimett and Laustsen (2005), “Depression is a psychiatric disorder that affects an estimated 18 million U.S citizens and is expected to be the second leading cause of death or injury by 2020”. Depression is the change in brain chemistry that comes with a feeling of severe despondency and dejection. Although there are more than several types, the most familiar type is called Major Depressive Disorder. In 2003, Kessler, Berglurd, Demler, … & Wang noted that “Major Depressive Disorder is a common disorder, widely distributed in the population, and usually associated with substantial symptom severity and role impairment”. There are many types of treatment for Major Depressive Disorder, which include various types of therapies, electric shock therapy, and medication. The most common form of treatment is Cymbalta alongside some various types of therapy. Cymbalta is a medicine prescribed by doctors or therapists to reduce the symptoms of depression.
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
Major Depressive Disorder may be diagnosed as one or more episodes of a Major Depressive Episode. Symptoms of a major depressive episode include depressed mood, diminished interest or pleasure in activities, weight changes, sleep problems, slowing of speech or agitation, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness and/or guilt, difficulties in thinking, concentrating, or indecisiveness, and thoughts of death, suicide, or suicide attempts. These symptoms are not due to another medical or psychological reason, and they
Depression is a normal emotional reaction to perceived loss and hopelessness (Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002). There are a number of different types of depression such as chronic depression, manic depression and the primary focus of this essay Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). MDD is a clinical depression, which is more chronic and more severe compared to other types of depression. It significantly disrupts the individual’s ability to meet the normal demands of life. According to many clinicians, clinical depression should be considered as a medical illness in need of medical intervention. Other mental health professionals believe this is an overstatement of the role of physiology and the
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a very common diagnosis in the mental health field. It is important that clinicians understand MDD thoroughly as it is such a common diagnosis. Many clinicians will be faced with working with clients with a diagnosis of MDD at some point in their careers so it is important to review the criterion and study the diagnosis. Major Depression Disorder requires a distinct change in mood usually a transition into feelings of sadness and hopelessness. This is usually accompanied by several symptoms such as sleep disturbances, irritability, suicidal thoughts, physiological changes amongst other symptoms that will be later discussed in this paper. The presenting symptoms must last at least 2 weeks
Clinical depression is the term used for any kind of depression disorder, which includes the most common one: major depression, or informally known as depression. While there are several types of depressive disorders, they are share the same gamut of symptoms. These include not just cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms, but also physical ones. Major depression is a mental medical illness that affects both the body and the mind, and it creates “physical, psychological, and social symptoms” (Nemade et al; “Depression”). Major depression is defined by a set of criteria before being labeled to a subject: the subject must experience several of the symptoms of depression almost every day for a span of at least two weeks (Grohol, “Warning”; Nemade et al). It is not absolutely certain what causes depression, as it is “a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors”(Smith et al). Chronic stress can contribute to all those factors which makes it a cause for depression; different events may trigger people in different
Major depression disorder (MDD), is known worldwide as one of the most predominant psychiatric disordered, which is characterized by the patient losing pleasure and interest in daily activities (ye, Qing, Zhang, & Liu, 2016). The patient also displays the following signs and symptoms of psychomotor retardation, insomnia, and exacerbating the experience of negative effects (Ye, Qing, Zhang, & Liu, 2016). Patients who are depressed normally have impaired role functioning, which reduces their quality of life (Gautam et al., 2017). It is currently considered to be the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide (Gautam et al., 2017). This
Major Depressive Disorder is marked by sadness and any four of the following seven criteria: weight loss or weight gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, motor slowing or agitation, fatigue, worthlessness or guilt, impaired concentration, and thoughts of suicide or suicide attempt. Those with Major Depressive Disorder have never had mania or hypomania and may also have anxiety symptoms. When the Major Depressive Disorder is combined with melancholic features, then the person has a “loss of pleasure in all, or almost all, activities [and has a] lack of reactivity to usually pleasurable stimuli (does not feel better, even temporarily, when something good happens” (American Psychiatric Association, p. 185). Observations made by others, such as being tearful, is also a criterion of this disorder (American
The term depression is widely misused in today’s society. All human beings experience periods in life where they are sad for a relatively short period of time, which is considered normal. Those who experience sadness for extended periods may be suffering from depression. Two terms used to reference the classifications of depression, are Major Depressive Disorder, and Dysthymia. Individual diagnosis of these classifications is dependent on the length of time, and severity of symptoms experienced by the individual. The causes for these depressive states can be due to genetics or the insufficient production of neurotransmitters, which provide the brain with the data necessary to regulate one's psychological well being. Two examples