Depression Flashcards
What is depression?
A mental health disorder, most commonly
associated with low mood and low levels of
energy
DSM-5 outlines the following
Major Depressive Disorder
Persistent Depressive Disorder
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
how many people are diagnosed with depression each week in the UK
Around 3 in 100 people
Behavioural characteristics of depression
-Low activity levels often leading to withdrawal from life
-Disruption of eating or sleeping behaviours eg. more or less than usual
-Harm towards others or self in the form of physical or verbal assault
emotional characteristics of depression
-Lowered mood
-anger at yourself or others
-lower self esteem
Cognitive characteristics of depression
-Poor concentration
-Unable to focus on the positives
-Absolutist thinking also known as black or white thinking
What are the two names of the cognitive explanations of depression
Becks cognitive theory
Elis’s ABC model
Elis’s ABC model consists of
irrational beliefs cause depression
A = Activating event This is the ‘trigger’ and usually an external event. For example
‘you get made redundant at work’
B = Beliefs These can be rational (in healthy people) or irrational.
For example ‘its because they were overstaffed’ or ‘because they have always hated me’
C = Consequences These are the emotional and behavioural changes rational is usually acceptance whereas irrational can lead to depressive behaviours.
Beck’s Negative Triad
faulty information processing - black and white thinking
negative self schemas formed in childhood - negative perception of self
negative triad
negative views of self - negative views of the world - negative view of the future
Becks theory pos
Supporting research
Grazioli and Terry
Pregnant woman withhigh cognitive vulnerability where more likely to form depression
Cognition is there before depression develops
Cognitive explenations neg
Its a reductionist theory which ignores other factors like the link between insecure attatchments in childhood or biological reasons like low serotonin
Becks pos
practical application
identify components of negative triad and combatng them in CBT
Ellis pos
Practical application
Identify and challenge irrational beliefs
Becks cognitive behavioral therapy + explenations
-CBT turns irrational beliefs and thinking into rational and positive ones
-Homework i given to the clients to list positie things throughout their day
Ellis’ cognitive behavioral therapy
REBT ( rational emotional behavioral therapy)
Elis’ therapy explenations
Activating event (T challenges P activating events with it just being due to negative emotions)
Beliefs (T Draws attention to positive incidents)
Consequences (P encouraged to try a new style of thinking with achievable goals)
Disputing irrational beliefs and thoughts (T challenges p way of theinking)
Effects of disputing and Effective attitudes to life (P taught to recognise te effect of these disputing arguments)
Feeling and emotions are produced (P taught that feelings are linked to our thoughts which should now be changed)
Treatments pos
Research support for effectivness
March -
81% of CBT condition
81% of anti depressants
86% of CBT plus anti depressants
very effective w adolescent depressed teens
Treatment neg
Not effective in severe cases were the patient isn’t willing to attend or do homework which then leads to more severe side effects
treatment neg
The drug treatment is found to be just as effective as the CBT however its quicker and cheaper aswell as working on more severe cases aswell as people who are less likely to open up or have learning disabilities.
treatment pos
There are no side effects unlike with antidepressents
