Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: mood
change prior to or during menstruation
Behavioural
Disruption to sleeping & eating
Loss of energy
Emotional
Constant depressed mood
Anger
Cognitive
Focusing & dwelling on the negatives
Poor concentration
Explanations (Cognitive Approach)
1. Beck's Negative Triad
People become depressed because they see the
world negatively through negative schemas
Negative schemas develop during childhood & adolescence
Caused by parental/peer rejection or
criticism from teachers for example
Creates a 'cognitive vulnerability'
which leads to depression
Good Supporting Evidence. Depression is linked to negative schemas.. Grazoli & Terry
found pregnant women who were judged to be cognitively vulnerable were more likely
to suffer from post natal depression. Supports the idea that cognition causes
depression
2. Ellis' ABC Model
Depression is a result of
IRRATIONAL THOUGHTS
Irrational beliefs lie in mustabatory thinking
These 'musts' need to be challenged to
keep a person healthy mentally
Beliefs can be rational or irrational
If it is rational it leads to healthy emotions, if
it's irrational it leads to unhealthy emotions
Not all irrational beliefs are inaccurate. Eg... someone living in poverty may be accurate
in thinking negatively about their lives because it's genuinely difficult. Problem as it's
more helpful to change a persons situation instead of changing their thinking about
that situation
Practical Applications. CBT has been developed based on these explanations.
March found that CBT was 81% effective. Explanations are useful in
developing treatments and improving the lives of sufferers
Not Deterministic. Approach suggests that depression is due to a person's thinking which they
can control this makes it inhumane as it argues a person needs to change their thinking in order
to recover. This places a large burden on sufferers (who are already prone to negative thinking)
Doesn't give a full understanding of depression. It can't explain symptoms
like anger, hallucinations or delusions. Suggests that the cognitive approach
alone isn't sufficient to give a full understanding.
Treatment (Cognitive Approach)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT aims to replace irrational thoughts with positive, rational ones
Therapist teaches their client to write down ABC after a difficult situation
Then they're encourage to DISPUTE their irrational belief by writing something that will challenge that
Eventually a sufferer will learn to do this process in their head
Clients should feel the EFFECT of challenging irrational thoughts by becoming less anxious
Clients are given HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
Encouraged to keep DIARIES to monitor events
Effective treatment. CBT helps change a persons thinking,
No side effects. Unlike drug therapy which is also
invasive. CBT is more effective in the long term
resulting in permanent changes to thinking
Economic benefits. Mental health issues cost £22.5 billion a year (not including indirect
costs like loss of employment). CBT helps to reduces costs for drug treatment which
may not work. CBT has a positive impact on lives and the economy.
Doesn't work for everyone. Requires a patient to commit to regular
therapy sessions, which is disruptive to daily life. Drugs may be better as it
reduces symptoms quickly. Also people with depression have a lack of
motivation so it's not an effective treatment for depression
Ethics - harsh treatment. CBT suggests depression is caused by a
person's thinking which they can change. It's a problem as it burdens
a person prone to negativity with the blame