Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Depression
- What is Depression?
- A type of mood disorder
- MAJOR DEPRESSION - UNIPOLAR DEPRESSION
- Persistent depressive (Dysthymic) disorder
- mild, lasts longer 20-30 years
- Double Depression
- BIPOLAR DISORDERS (formerly known as manic depression) - extreme
- - Bipolar I disorder – major depression – full mania – 2 month cycle
- - Bipolar II disorder – major depression – less mania
- - cyclothymic disorder – mild depression/mania (long term)
- OTHERS
- SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder (vitamin D deficiency)
- Hypomania – less form of mania
- Common Symptoms of Major Depression
- Symptoms of depression span 5 areas of functioning
- 1. Emotional - feel sad, miserable, empty, report deriving
little pleasure from anything, may feel anxious
- 2. Motivational - lack drive, initiative, spontaneity
- 3. Behavioural symptoms - less active, less
productive, sleep disturbed, changes in eating,
move or speak more slowly
- 4. Cognitive symptoms - depressed individuals
often consider themselves inadequate, undesirable,
inferior - also tendency towards pessimism, feel
confused, indecisive, easily distracted
- 5. Physical disturbances - headaches, indigestion,
constipation, dizzy spells, general pain
- How large a public health problem is depression?
- Impact on Health system
- Depression is the leading cause of
non-fatal disease burden in Australia
- WHO - By 2020 Depression will be the
world’s second leading health problem
- We all experience depression as a mood state from time
to time - When does depression become a problem ?
- 1. Whether the feelings are a normal reaction to loss
and the duration and pervasiveness of depressive
thought - do they extend beyond a time that is
considered normal - difficult to determine
- 2. Severity of depressed affect - inability to
derive pleasure from usual activities -
presence of suicidal thought
- 3. Extent of disability associated with
the condition- extent of disruption to
normal functioning
- Prevalence
- Males - 3.4% VS Females - 6.8%
- Lifetime prevalence
- Females - 10-25% VS Males - 5-12%
- Demographic characteristics related to depression
- Age
- women - used to peak late 40’s early 50’s - now younger
- men - early 20’s, middle age, old age
- overall increase in < 20’s - peak age for first incidence of depression
- Socio Economic Status
- lower SES more depression
- Course of Depression
- Period prior to depression
- symptoms of major depression usually develop over days to weeks
- How long does it last?
- untreated cases up to 6 months or more treated cases -
can control symptoms within 6-8 weeks in some instances
- Can Depression be cured?
- In majority of cases there is a full remission of symptoms -
approx. 30 % of cases experience recurrent episodes
- TREATMENTS
- Psychological treatments
- 1. Cognitive-Behavioural Approach
- CB therapies - patient and therapist actively work
together to develop more accurate beliefs and
change behaviour
- RET - replace irrational beliefs (“I am depressed
because I am a failure - worthless”) with rational
alternatives (“I might have failed in a few things
lately, but that doesn’t make me worthless”)
- Behavioural exercises (e.g pleasure predicting activity)
- 2. Psychodynamic approach (Sigmund Freud)
- depression is due to repressed sense of loss and
unconscious anger turned inwards
- since idea is to gain access to unconscious
conflicts might use free association
- 3. Humanistic Approach (Carl Rodgers)
- - Person centered therapy
- client takes lead - goal - main techniques -
unconditional positive regard - empathy
- Advantages
- generally effective
- can be as effective as use of
antidepressant drugs
- no side-effects, empowering
- Disadvantages
- will generally take longer than anti-depressants
- a concern if person is suicidal
- Biological treatments
- Antidepressants
- 1. MAO INHIBITORS
- work by blocking the activity of an enzyme that
can destroy serotonin and norepinephrine
- 2. TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS
- prevent reuptake of norepinephrine
- 3. SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITORS
- block reuptake of serotonin
- Advantages
- quick acting
- within several weeks
- Disadvantages
- side effects
- dryness of mouth, blurring of vision,
constipation, palpitations, weight
gain, sexual dysfunction, agitation,
increased suicidal thought (Prozac)
- Shock Treatment
- can be extremely effective in cases of extreme depression
- side effects (e.g memory loss)
- patients are sedated, given muscle relaxant, shock
delivered to non-dominant hemisphere only
- Biological Factors
- Neurochemical, transmitter models.
- Changes in transmitters related to stress
- Changes in structures in the brain
associated with depression
- Changes in hormones and inflammatory responses.
- Sleep
- Dysregulation of patterns
- Neurobiological underpinnings different in depressed patients
- Disturbance may precede onset or relapse- related to outcomes 
- Cognitive Factors
- Depressive schemas, maladaptive
- beliefs/assumptions, negative
automatic thoughts- emerge under
stress – Diathesis stress model.
- Depression associated with cognitive content related
to themes of loss, deprivation, self depreciation, and
hopelessness (as for example opposed to anxiety-
themes of harm or threat)- although there is overlap
between both disorders.
- Pessimism
- Dispositional optimism-significant in
psychological well being. Impacts on mood states
during hardship (protective).
- Optimism protective in lowering risk of depression in adolescents.
- Optimism may play an important role in
preventing depressive episodes after child birth.
- Optimism buffers against ill health.
- Social Factors
- Beck (1967) referred to the risk for depression lying
in the early experiences that develop a schema
related to the negative triad (self, world and future)
- Attachment and temperament.
- Attachment or relationship with care giver exposes the
individual to risk of developing negative cognitive schemas.
- The insecure and disorganised attachment styles
in childhood place the individual at most risk.
- Other interpersonal processes
- Reassurance seeking.
- Interactional nature of depression.
- Assessment
- Risk Assessment
- Risk Factors
- Comorbid substance abuse
- Severe depression, especially if
psychotic or late onset
- Medical Illness
- Acts of deliberate self-harm
- Recent stress,loss or situational crisis, family
history of suicidal behaviour (esp. by hanging)
- unemployment and/ or being“alone”
- antisocial/aggressive behaviour,having a firearm
- Behaviour which may be associated with increased risk
- Numerous accidents
- Dangerous and high risk behaviours
- Discussing or writing about death and morbid themes
- Giving away favourite possessions
- History
- Panic attacks and/or severe anxiety (psychological disorders)
- Impulsivity
- Biological basis
- Family history of suicide
- Recent/current stressors
- Recent loss by death, divorce or separation
- Single relationship status
- Recent reduction in support
- Severe hopelessness or helpness
- Previous history of suicide attempts or threats to commit
- Frequent suicidal ideation
- Depression and Relationships
- Interactional nature of depression
- An attempt to explain the observations that
individuals who are depressed have problems in
their relationship interactions.
- Early theories assumed that a depressed person had a
negative cognitive bias which prevented them
processing information related to positive aspects
(relationship interactions) in their environment.
- Coyne (1976) argued from a different
perspective he suggested that the
depressed person aroused negative
reactions from others in their environment.
- A negative cycle ensues where the depressed
person seeks a high degree of reassurance from
others and others offer non-genuine reassurance
and support but then avoid the depressed person
(this supports the depressed person’s views of
others being unavailable and unsupportive and
confirms their own negative views)
- Individuals with negative reassurance seeking
generate stress in interpersonal relationships and
respond with a sense of urgency when they are
trying to alleviate their own negative fears.
- Self-verification theory
- Self-verification theory describes a negative cycle
within the depressed person’s relationships where
they are unable to challenge their own negative view
(and interact with others that support this view).
- Interpersonal Psychtherapy
- A time limited treatment program for
individuals with unipolar depression.
- Key concept is that life events occurring after early
childhood years influence subsequent psychopathology.
- IPT therapists assume etiology of depression
multifaceted but use current or recent life events as
the framework for treating the depressive episode
(rather than past childhood events).
- Stages
- 1. Careful history of links between depressive
symptoms and interpersonal problem areas.
- Complicated bereavement, Role
disputes, Role transitions, Interpersonal
deficits (difficulties with social
relationships, forming relationships etc.)
- 2. Identify interventions focusing on problem areas identified.
- 3. Maintenance and preparing for independence
from treatment (e.g., planning ahead).