MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

Rachel Vira

This a project for a high school AP Psychology course. This is a fictionalized account of having a psychological ailment. For questions about this blog project or its content

please email the teacher, Laura Astorian: laura.astorian@cobbk12.org

What is Depression?◦ Depression is a psychological mood disorder ◦ Clinical depression is characterized by prevailing and consistent low moods, low

self-esteem, and an overall loss of interest in enjoyable activities. ◦ This disorder can effect how you feel, act, behave, and even your emotional and

physical health

Signs and Symptoms◦ Major Depressive disorder can be diagnosed when the signs of depression have lasted at least two

weeks and are not caused by an alternate medical condition of substance. ◦ People who suffer from depression may suffer from numerous depressive episodes characterized

by: - Feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness- Irritability and frustration- Loss of interest in pleasurable activities- Abnormal sleep schedule (insomnia or sleeping too much)- Lack of energy- Change in appetite- Anxiety or restlessness- Feelings of worthlessness/ guilt; fixating on past failures- Slowed thought and movement- Frequent suicidal thoughts- Difficulty remembering things or making decisions- Unexplained physical problems (headaches, back pains)

Causes of Depressiono There are many possible causes of this disorder

◦ Brain chemistry:- People with major depressive disorder

have decreased levels of neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine, in the synapse

◦ Inheritance:- Mood disorders may be inherited- A shared rate of depression is 50% in

identical twins and 20% in fraternal twins

◦ Social-cognitive Approach:- Some psychologists believe that depression

arises from a person’s self-defeating beliefs and this traps them in a depression cycle

- When a negative and stressful event occurs, the explanatory style of a depressed person is often stable and self-deprecating. This prevents them from moving on

◦ Biological Approach:- There is a physical difference in the brains of

those with depression- PET scans have shown decreased brain

energy consumption during depressive episodes

Brain Chemistry Biological Approach

Depression Cycle

Treatments◦ Treatments include a variety of options◦ Drugs can be taken to reduce symptoms, such as antidepressants

- The prescribes medicine would inhibit serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake receptors to increase the levels of those neurotransmitters.

◦ Therapy is also and option. - Psychotherapy, a Freudian method, can help patients through coping skills and mood-

lifting mechanisms- Electric shock therapy, or ECT, is a brain stimulation technique for when medications do

not work- Cognitive-behavioral therapy can be used to reverse the patient’s negative and

dysfunctional thought processes and beliefs that trap them in the depression cycle

Alternate Medications◦ An alternate medication is one that is not officially recognized by the medical or

scientific community, however may produce desired effect- Alternate medication often work in the form of a placebo

◦ One common alternate medication for depression is St. John’s wort- This remedy has been used for centuries and has been recorded to be successful in curing

more mild forms of depression- Recent research shows that this remedy actually works no better than a placebo

Depression Facts and Stats◦ The disorder effects 14.8 adults every year, that is, 6.7% of the U.S. population age

18 and up◦ According to the WHO, as of 2002, worldwide each year, 5.8% of males and 9.5%

of females report having depression.- Overall, depression is 70 % more likely to occur in women

◦ Suicide, the most severe behavioral response to the disorder, is successfully committed about 1 million times a year- Males have a higher rate of suicide, their rate increases in late adulthood, and they’re more likely to attempt suicide in more drastic and irreversible ways

Gender Disparity- Women◦ Women are more susceptible. This may be because of biological, hormonal, and

psychosocial factors that women encounter◦ Hormonal levels directly effect brain chemistry and therefore is linked to

depression- Women can experience postpartum depression due to bodily hormonal changes from the

delivery of a child- Some women may experience a severe form of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric

disorder (PMDD) which is associated with hormonal changes- Women are more susceptible to hormonal changes and therefore, depression, during

menopause- Scientists continue to study how rise and fall of estrogen and other hormones effect

depression

Gender Disparity- Men◦ Studies show that men experience depression differently than women

- Women feel more sad, worthless, or guilty, while men feel more irritable, exhausted, and experience a loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities

◦ Men are also more likely to turn to alcohol and drugs ◦ Because of men’s more extreme methods of attempting suicide, although more

women actually attempt to commit suicide, more men die of suicide

Depression in Children and Teens◦ Younger people with depression often continue to have episodes in adulthood◦ Children with depression ay fake illness, avoid school, and fear that a parent may

die◦ Teens may sulk, get into trouble at school, be negative and irritable, and feel

misunderstood◦ Before puberty, boys and girls are equally likely to develop the disorder◦ After the age of 15, girls are up to twice as likely as boys to develop the disorder◦ Depression in the teen years could be a cause of confusion while forming an

identity

Depression in Older Adults◦ Depression in the elderly can easily be

overlooked because they show different and unobvious symptoms

◦ Prolonged grief- for a very long time after a loved one has passed away- may be a sign of depression

◦ The elderly are also likely to have other medical conditions- heart problems, strokes, cancers- which can result in depression symptoms

◦ Similarly, they are more likely to take medications with depressive-like side effects

◦ The highest rate of suicide in the U.S. is that of older, white men, age 85 and up, often due to depression

MY LIFE WITH DEPRESSION

When I Was Diagnosed◦ I was diagnosed as a teenager, when I was 17◦ I’ve always been very antisocial and I would always sit on my bed◦ I was always stressed. I still am stressed quite often◦ I get tired very easily and don’t do a lot of activities. I also used to take a lot of naps

My Friends◦ I’ve always been very self-conscious◦ As a teenager I had very few friends, about 2-3◦ As it got closer to when I was 17, we grew distant.◦ We’d gotten in a fight a bit ago and it was all my fault◦ They said I was being very negative and irritable◦ I decided to keep my distance, but with no one to talk to I grew lonelier and

sadder

•I didn’t realize at the time but my friends misunderstood my depression symptoms as coming off as hostile and unfriendly

Self-harm◦ I don’t anymore but, as a teenager, I cut myself a few times, mainly on my thighs◦ Sometimes, I would feel so bad about myself and so self-deprecating that I

wouldn’t let myself eat◦ I didn’t think I deserved to

Headaches◦ I almost always used to have migraines◦ I would have to keep a bottle of Advil on me at all times◦ I kept my room dark and cold to try and make it better◦ My eyesight got worse because of this and I blamed it on myself◦ My depression got worse◦ I still get these headaches but it’s not as often

School and Activities◦ My grades in high school started getting worse. They went from mostly As to

mostly Bs◦ I also used to really love soccer and I was very good at it but I quit during junior

year. It just felt like a hassle to continue playing and thinking about it made me tired

◦ But now I wasn’t able to get any scholarships to colleges like I would have been able to

◦ My future was ruined and it was all my fault◦ I got more depressed

Psychological Treatment◦ As the cycle continued to get worse, my mom sent me to therapy◦ I saw a cognitive-behavioral psychologist because they believed my depression

was cased by my negative thought process and beliefs as well as my low self-esteem

◦ I still see the psychologist but not quite as often

Medical Treatment◦ I only recently started taking antidepressants because my mom didn’t want me to

take medicines as a teen◦ The antidepressants work to balance out the chemicals in my brain, mainly to

maintain the right amount of norepinephrine and serotonin◦ They help to relieve some of the symptoms I have, but they don’t actually cure my

depression

Suicide◦ I have never attempted to commit suicide, and I hope that as I continue to get

better, the dangers of me committing suicide continue to diminish◦ I have though about suicide a few times before though, during especially bad

times like when me and my friends weren’t talking ◦ I also thought about it a bit when my grandma passed away when I’d just turned

18◦ I would think the the world would just be better off without me

•Overall, I end up feeling lost and alone a lot of the time. It’s difficult and unnatural for me to not blame everything on myself, but as I continue to practice a more positive and less permanent thinking style, I can feel myself getting a bit better everyday!