mood2

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Depression only = unipolar mood disorder Depression + mania = bipolar disorder ******* Subtypes recurrent melancholic seasonal post-partem psychotic features

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders 5 – 10% of U.S. adults suffer unipolar depression in a given year Women twice as likely as men Or, do men hide their depression??? Hint: Among kids, rates equal for boys & girls

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Symptoms last 2 weeks or longer Negative emotional states (sadness, despair) Loss of motivation & capacity for pleasure Decrease in activity, sleep problems, appetite changes, listlessness Obsessive negative thoughts & pessimism How do a “bad mood” & depression differ?

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders In contrast… Feeling “down” or “blue” occasionally can actually be productive. Depressed mood often accompanied by withdrawal & introspection & the potential for true creativity.

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders In Dysthymic Disorder, symptoms less severe and disabling, but longer-lasting. Dysthymic Disorder can lead to a Major Depression. How do Dysthymic Disorder & Major Depressive Disorder Differ?

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Depression often triggered by stress However, unlikely that stress alone causes depression Some people are more vulnerable to depression – biological vulnerability; developmental vulnerability The Etiology of Depression

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Genetic Research & Depression - Family pedigree, twin, & adoption studies all indicate that genetic relatives of people who suffer depression are more likely to also suffer from depression. The Biological View of Depression

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders What could be the biological link? - Main focus is on several key neurotransmitters: - norepinephrine; serotonin & dopamine - Interaction of these chemicals probably is key - Serotonin may be a meta-regulator - Other possible biological factors - Circadian rhythms, sunlight The Biological View of Depression

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Freud noted similarities between grief and depression Theorized that depression is grief (anger & sadness) turned against the self Actual or symbolic loss can trigger depression Attachment theorists have expanded the theory Childhood losses/separations create vulnerability to later depression Psychological Views of Depression Psychodynamic Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders When people experience a decline in rewards – particularly social rewards – they can enter a downward spiral of decreasing rewards that leads to depression. Theoretical Problem: Does decline in rewards cause depression, or does depression cause decline in rewards? Psychological Views of Depression Behavioral Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Depression is the result of ingrained, negative thought patterns. Two main theories: Beck’s “negative thinking” Seligman’s “learned helplessness” Psychological Views of Depression Cognitive Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Negative Thinking Maladaptive attitudes often rooted in childhood E.g.: “If I make a mistake, I’m worthless” These attitudes develop into entrenched schemas Stress triggers negative schemas Psychological Views of Depression Cognitive Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Negative Thinking Controlled by these schemas, self, present & future perceived negatively Schemas lead to “automatic thoughts” that continuously confirm negative perceptions Schemas lead to “thinking errors” E.g.: “Nobody cares about me” Psychological Views of Depression Cognitive Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Negative Thinking Considerable research supports the link between depression and: Maladaptive attitudes; negative schemas; thinking errors; & automatic thoughts However, do cognitive patterns cause depression – or are they caused by it? Psychological Views of Depression Cognitive Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Learned Helplessness A cognitive behavioral theory based on observations of “shocked dogs” who could not escape the shocks. Faced with inescapable negative circumstances, we become passive and listless (i.e., depressed). In humans, attributions for events (internal, stable, global) may influence reactions Psychological Views of Depression Cognitive Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders We all have some vulnerability to depression Those most vulnerable: The poor The unemployed The oppressed The victimized Depression a “normal” response to these conditions Psychological Views of Depression Sociocultural Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Gender & Depression Is there really a gender difference? (What if you count drinking & fighting as symptoms of depression? Women’s higher rates: Higher rates of victimization (child abuse, rape, battery) Higher rates of poverty & helplessness Internalization vs. Externalization Psychological Views of Depression Sociocultural Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Interpersonal losses often precede episodes Depression affects interpersonal relationships and social activity Social support buffers depression Strong relationship between depression and marital distress Psychological Views of Depression Interpersonal Views

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Cycling between depression & mania Manic symptoms: Powerful emotional highs (euphoria) that can morph into extreme agitation & irritability Social behavior often overpowering to others Rapid speech; hyperactive; buy 2 condos by lunch, etc. Cognitively: although in high gear, judgment likely is poor Bipolar Disorder

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Manic symptoms: Sensory experience often exaggerated, which can yield remarkable creative processes, but also psychotic experiences Bipolar Disorder

Mood Disorders: 

Mood Disorders Treatment Medications - SSRIs, Lithium Psychosocial Behavioral Activation Cognitive Restructuring Interpersonal Therapy Couples/Family Therapy