How Is Depression Diagnosed?Essay Preview: How Is Depression Diagnosed?Report this essayHow is depression diagnosed? If you imagine yourself to be a Clinical Psychologist, how would you approach treatment of a depressed client and why?Depression can be defined as both a syndrome and a disorder. It involves episodes of sadness, loss of interest, pessimism, negative beliefs about the self, decreased motivation, behavioral passivity, and changes in sleep, appetite and sexual interest, and suicidal thoughts and impulses. Substantial impairment in social and occupational functioning is also frequently observed in depressed individuals. Not surprisingly, the economic burden of depression is enormous like workplace-related costs (Murray & Lopez, 1997). Depression is considered to be the condition that is most responsible for health decrements worldwide. It is therefore a global health priority to understand, prevent and treat depression (Moussavi et al., 2007).
A new research suggests that depression may be related to social and political changes, as well as the impact of social unrest. As this research underscores, it was recently noted that the incidence of the severe form of depression rose significantly in North America in the 1940s and 1950s (Fulham, 1991; Furlham, 1991a). Subsequently, the prevalence of depression increased (Pomeroy et al., 1972; Rosenbaum, 2005). This suggests that a social environment has a key role to play in exacerbating, at times exacerbating social and economic issues that may affect life outcomes for individuals. The increased severity of this social problem, however, is likely to be due to a combination of factors that can be counterbalanced by, among other things, public opinion on health (see Ellington, 1988; Ioffe, 1996). As the depression epidemic in today’s society has increased in prevalence, the question must be asked, why? What are the public and public policy factors that should be taken into account in order to minimize the effects of a clinical depression? What is the relationship between stigma and a patient’s likelihood of self-harm in patients with depression? What is the association between depression and an individual’s income? With reference to the above, are there identifiable, or at least manageable sources for understanding and avoiding depression? How do other patients learn to cope with chronic stress? While the diagnosis of depression in today’s society is still controversial there is no shortage of reliable data that provide relevant, informative, and culturally based information about the complex aspects that each stage of life requires to successfully heal from depression including self-harm (Kahn, 2009). There is currently little research on the role of these self-help programs in the treatment of depression and while there are many factors that influence the effectiveness of these programs, they ultimately do not account for the vast majority of people in the United States who suffer from depression, and the role played by stigma, particularly in the present time, can be limited by a variety of factors. For example, many of the most prevalent problems associated with depression and related conditions include: • Difficulty accepting that others are suffering from depression, • Fear of not being treated properly, • Fear of losing the support of your family and coworkers, • Fear that you are the only one suffering from depression. • Anxiety, depression, and insomnia – many of these issues are self-associated and not well defined. • Feeling helpless and isolated – depression can be life threatening that can make it difficult for someone to talk openly about it. • Not believing oneself to be “important” enough to be depressed and that you have to start over. • Misperceptions that you are “unimportant” within the context of life, and thinking that there are “others” around; all factors that reduce depression. • Distorted thinking that can make depression seem to require mental illness. • Lack of support from one’s family or friends – many of these challenges are self-reported (Golick et al., 2002; O’Neill, 1986). • Stigma that is seen as contributing to symptoms of depression – even if it doesn’t cause the clinical depression (e.g. depression being a symptom of substance abuse or substance misuse). • Lack of family support – depression causes very different reactions in patients. • Self-discipline, as well as ability to deal with complex stressors (e.g. divorce, abandonment) but some problems can be associated with being a “perpetrator” of self-harm and so can contribute to mental health issues. • Lack of access to education on mental health issues and mental health issues that may be related to mental illness and other disorders; lack of information and information training or advice on mental health issues. • Lack of confidence in or caring for others when having depression; this may mean that depression is seen as a mental disorder for some of the more physically
A new research suggests that depression may be related to social and political changes, as well as the impact of social unrest. As this research underscores, it was recently noted that the incidence of the severe form of depression rose significantly in North America in the 1940s and 1950s (Fulham, 1991; Furlham, 1991a). Subsequently, the prevalence of depression increased (Pomeroy et al., 1972; Rosenbaum, 2005). This suggests that a social environment has a key role to play in exacerbating, at times exacerbating social and economic issues that may affect life outcomes for individuals. The increased severity of this social problem, however, is likely to be due to a combination of factors that can be counterbalanced by, among other things, public opinion on health (see Ellington, 1988; Ioffe, 1996). As the depression epidemic in today’s society has increased in prevalence, the question must be asked, why? What are the public and public policy factors that should be taken into account in order to minimize the effects of a clinical depression? What is the relationship between stigma and a patient’s likelihood of self-harm in patients with depression? What is the association between depression and an individual’s income? With reference to the above, are there identifiable, or at least manageable sources for understanding and avoiding depression? How do other patients learn to cope with chronic stress? While the diagnosis of depression in today’s society is still controversial there is no shortage of reliable data that provide relevant, informative, and culturally based information about the complex aspects that each stage of life requires to successfully heal from depression including self-harm (Kahn, 2009). There is currently little research on the role of these self-help programs in the treatment of depression and while there are many factors that influence the effectiveness of these programs, they ultimately do not account for the vast majority of people in the United States who suffer from depression, and the role played by stigma, particularly in the present time, can be limited by a variety of factors. For example, many of the most prevalent problems associated with depression and related conditions include: • Difficulty accepting that others are suffering from depression, • Fear of not being treated properly, • Fear of losing the support of your family and coworkers, • Fear that you are the only one suffering from depression. • Anxiety, depression, and insomnia – many of these issues are self-associated and not well defined. • Feeling helpless and isolated – depression can be life threatening that can make it difficult for someone to talk openly about it. • Not believing oneself to be “important” enough to be depressed and that you have to start over. • Misperceptions that you are “unimportant” within the context of life, and thinking that there are “others” around; all factors that reduce depression. • Distorted thinking that can make depression seem to require mental illness. • Lack of support from one’s family or friends – many of these challenges are self-reported (Golick et al., 2002; O’Neill, 1986). • Stigma that is seen as contributing to symptoms of depression – even if it doesn’t cause the clinical depression (e.g. depression being a symptom of substance abuse or substance misuse). • Lack of family support – depression causes very different reactions in patients. • Self-discipline, as well as ability to deal with complex stressors (e.g. divorce, abandonment) but some problems can be associated with being a “perpetrator” of self-harm and so can contribute to mental health issues. • Lack of access to education on mental health issues and mental health issues that may be related to mental illness and other disorders; lack of information and information training or advice on mental health issues. • Lack of confidence in or caring for others when having depression; this may mean that depression is seen as a mental disorder for some of the more physically
A new research suggests that depression may be related to social and political changes, as well as the impact of social unrest. As this research underscores, it was recently noted that the incidence of the severe form of depression rose significantly in North America in the 1940s and 1950s (Fulham, 1991; Furlham, 1991a). Subsequently, the prevalence of depression increased (Pomeroy et al., 1972; Rosenbaum, 2005). This suggests that a social environment has a key role to play in exacerbating, at times exacerbating social and economic issues that may affect life outcomes for individuals. The increased severity of this social problem, however, is likely to be due to a combination of factors that can be counterbalanced by, among other things, public opinion on health (see Ellington, 1988; Ioffe, 1996). As the depression epidemic in today’s society has increased in prevalence, the question must be asked, why? What are the public and public policy factors that should be taken into account in order to minimize the effects of a clinical depression? What is the relationship between stigma and a patient’s likelihood of self-harm in patients with depression? What is the association between depression and an individual’s income? With reference to the above, are there identifiable, or at least manageable sources for understanding and avoiding depression? How do other patients learn to cope with chronic stress? While the diagnosis of depression in today’s society is still controversial there is no shortage of reliable data that provide relevant, informative, and culturally based information about the complex aspects that each stage of life requires to successfully heal from depression including self-harm (Kahn, 2009). There is currently little research on the role of these self-help programs in the treatment of depression and while there are many factors that influence the effectiveness of these programs, they ultimately do not account for the vast majority of people in the United States who suffer from depression, and the role played by stigma, particularly in the present time, can be limited by a variety of factors. For example, many of the most prevalent problems associated with depression and related conditions include: • Difficulty accepting that others are suffering from depression, • Fear of not being treated properly, • Fear of losing the support of your family and coworkers, • Fear that you are the only one suffering from depression. • Anxiety, depression, and insomnia – many of these issues are self-associated and not well defined. • Feeling helpless and isolated – depression can be life threatening that can make it difficult for someone to talk openly about it. • Not believing oneself to be “important” enough to be depressed and that you have to start over. • Misperceptions that you are “unimportant” within the context of life, and thinking that there are “others” around; all factors that reduce depression. • Distorted thinking that can make depression seem to require mental illness. • Lack of support from one’s family or friends – many of these challenges are self-reported (Golick et al., 2002; O’Neill, 1986). • Stigma that is seen as contributing to symptoms of depression – even if it doesn’t cause the clinical depression (e.g. depression being a symptom of substance abuse or substance misuse). • Lack of family support – depression causes very different reactions in patients. • Self-discipline, as well as ability to deal with complex stressors (e.g. divorce, abandonment) but some problems can be associated with being a “perpetrator” of self-harm and so can contribute to mental health issues. • Lack of access to education on mental health issues and mental health issues that may be related to mental illness and other disorders; lack of information and information training or advice on mental health issues. • Lack of confidence in or caring for others when having depression; this may mean that depression is seen as a mental disorder for some of the more physically
Both environmental and physiological factors can cause depression. Most mental health experts now agree that brain chemistry plays a major role. Life experiences affects brain chemistry, and some people become depressed after experiencing a trauma or stressful life change such as a separation or divorce, the death of a spouse, being laid off from a job, financial instability, relocation, or a decline in health.
Depression’s symptoms can vary greatly from person to person and may even change throughout the course of the illness. Symptoms may also vary depending on an individuals gender, culture, or age. Common symptoms of depression include: Frequent crying and overwhelming feelings of sadness, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, changes in sleep such as excessive sleeping or the inability to sleep, Anxiety, Anger, Difficulty enjoying previously-enjoyed activities, Unexplained physical ailments such as headaches or muscle pain, Difficulty concentrating, Changes in weight or eating habits, Thoughts of suicide (Harold et al., 2011).
A person experiencing depression is likely to encounter difficulty coping with daily stressors and may feel helpless and alone. In fact, sometimes the most mundane of activities—getting out of bed, bathing, and dressing—can feel like an impossible feat. These challenges can influence ones susceptibility to a decline even when in a positive mood, resulting in a negativity bias that informs all experiences.
There are a number of therapeutic approaches that have demonstrated effectiveness in treating depression, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, Antidepressant medication etc.
Antidepressant medicationAntidepressants are medicines that treat the symptoms of depression. There are almost 30 different types available. The efficacy of ADM has been established in literally thousands of placebo-controlled clinical trials. Approximately one-half of all patients will respond to any given ADM irrespective of its class, and many of the other half will respond to another ADM or to a combination of ADMs (Thase and Rush, 1997).