W5L1 Lecture Notes PDF

# 26/8 w5 Lecture 1 ## Major Depression Disorder/Persistent Depressive Disorder - Characterized by a disturbance (extremes) of normal mood - Normally episodic episodes, average of 4 in a lifetime - **Unipolar:** Only episodes on one side of mood spectrum - **Bipolar:** Extremes in either direction...

# 26/8 w5 Lecture 1 ## Major Depression Disorder/Persistent Depressive Disorder - Characterized by a disturbance (extremes) of normal mood - Normally episodic episodes, average of 4 in a lifetime - **Unipolar:** Only episodes on one side of mood spectrum - **Bipolar:** Extremes in either direction ## Sadness vs. Clinical Depression - Frequency, intensity, and duration out of proportion to a person's life situations - depressive disorder - You don't want to diagnose/underdiagnose something ## Major Depressive Disorder - **Major depressive episode:** 5 or more symptoms during 2 week period - 4 symptom categories: - Emotional - Cognitive - Somatic - Motivational ## Prevalence - 5-25% (based on age/gender) - #1 cause of non-fatal disability in Australia - Onset often after puberty, peaking in 20s but also can be late ## Persistent Depressive Disorder - Depressive mood more days than not for ≥ 2 years - Never been without these feelings for more than 2 months - No manic/hypomanic episodes - Not better explained by another psychotic disorder - Not attributable to another use of a drug/etc - Major interference in regular life ## Prevalence: - 1-2% - Early onset (Childhood - early adulthood) - Chronic course ## Treatments (and Theories) ### Biological Causation Theories - Genetic vulnerability - Neurochemistry - Neuroendocrine system - Vulnerability stress models: biological + stress = depression ### Treatments - **Drugs:** - SSRIs - Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, etc. - Specifically block re-uptake in serotoninc - **ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy):** - Sends brief electrical current to the brain vasily/bad side effects - Has been highly effective - Relapse is common with biological treatments ### Psychological Theories - Diathesis stress models - Schema theory (Beck, 1976) - Ruminative response styles (Nolen-Hoeksema, 1991) ## Vicious Cycle of Depression - **Feel depressed:** - Loss of pleasure and achievement - Constant negative thoughts about self, world, life - **Reduction of activity and social life:** - Therapy/Lethargy ## Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Psycho-education - Behavioral activation - Cognitive restructuring - Help identify and challenge negative beliefs - Help gather evidence to disconfirm negative beliefs & support more realistic ones - Behavioral activation: - Identify goals and values - Increase/reinforce positive events