Depression Flashcards
What are the behavioural characteristics of depression?
Activity levels - most of the time there’s reduction in energy
Disruption to sleep / eating - may be increased or decreased sleep +appetite
Aggressive towards others / self harm - dangerous towards others or themselves
What are the emotional characteristics of depression?
Lowered mood - feeling worthless / empty
Anger - extreme negative emotion towards others / self
Lowered self esteem - like themselves less / can begin to self loath
What are the cognitive characteristics of depression?
Poor concentration - unable to stick with a task / make decision
Dwelling on the negative - pay more attention to negative / unhappy events
Absolutist thinking - think of situations as all good or all bad
Outline the cognitive approach to explaining depression (Beck)
Faulty information processing:
dwelling on negative rather than positive
blowing small problems out of proportion
Negative self schemas:
interpret all info about ourselves negatively
Negative triad:
negative views on world e.g. the world is a cold place
negative views on future e.g. we are all doomed
negative views on self e.g. I am a failure
Evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression (Beck 1+)
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Supporting evidence it is right
Research on 65 pregnant women
Those with higher cognitive vulnerability were more likely to develop post natal depression - proves Beck’s right - cognitive processes play a part in developing and impacting depression
Provides credibility for his theory
Evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression (Beck 2+)
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Real life application
CBT
Therapist challenges components of negative triad that are easily identifiable and encourages patient to test if they are true
Treatment works so Beck is right as therapy is based on explanation
Evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression (Beck 3-)
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Can’t explain some types of depression
Cotard syndrome - delusion that sufferer is zombie
Beck can explain basic symptoms of depression but not complex ones such as severe anger, hallucinations or strange ideas such as Cotard syndrome
Limits explanation - not fully comprehensive
Outline the cognitive approach to explaining depression (Ellis)
Poor mental health = irrational thoughts
ABC model:
Activating event - irrational thoughts triggered by external events e.g. failing test
Beliefs - irrational beliefs formed based on these negative events e.g. I’m a failure
Consequence - activating event triggers irrational beliefs - emotional and behavioural consequences formed e.g. giving up on revision altogether
Evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression (Ellis 1+)
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Real life application
Has also led to successful therapy - CBT
Challenging irrational beliefs can reduce depression
Therapy is based on reasoning provided by Beck and Ellis - explanations are valid
Evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression (Ellis 2-)
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Partial explanation
Can only explain reactive depression - depression that has an activating event
Limits explanation - not fully comprehensive
Outline the cognitive approach to treating depression (Beck)
CBT: Beck
Identify irrational thoughts about negative triad and challenge them
E.g. patient set hw to record when people are nice to them. Therapist can use evidence if patient complains that ‘no one is nice to them’
Challenges irrational beliefs + change negative mind set
Outline the cognitive approach to treating depression (Ellis)
CBT: Ellis’s Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy
REBT extends ABC to ABCDE
D = dispute E = effect
Therapist has vigorous argument with patient to change irrational beliefs + break link between negative life events + depression
Empirical argument - is there actual evidence to support irrational belief?
Logical argument - does negative thought logically follow from fact?
Evaluate the cognitive approach to treating depression (1+)
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Effective treatments
March’s study on 327 adults - 81% CBT group, 81% antidepressant group, 86% CBT + antidepressant group significantly improved
CBT just as effective as medication
First choice of treatment for NHS
Evaluate the cognitive approach to treating depression (2-)
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May not work for most severe cases
Patients struggle to motivate themselves for hard cognitive work of CBT + difficult to focus on what’s happening in sessions
Extra medication may be needed
Cannot be used for all cases
Evaluate the cognitive approach to treating depression (3-)
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Limits patients who want to explore past
Focus on present + future are basic principles of CBT
Some patients aware of link between childhood and current depression - want to discuss this with therapist - ‘present-focus’ of CBT is therefore frustrating
Limited therapy - again cannot be used for all cases
