Psychological and Socio-Cultural Influences of Mood Disorder

The problems that are characterized by gross deviations in mood are grouped under the
heading of mood disorders. Based on symptoms, the types of mood disorders include
depression, mania, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) and bipolar disorder. There are
various influences that cause mood disorders, including biological dimensions (family
influences, genetic influences, neurotransmitters, general pre-disposition for anxiety and
depression, the endocrine systems, sleep and circadian rhythms, and brain structures),
psychological dimensions (stressful life events, stress, learned helplessness, negative
cognitive styles, and cognitive vulnerabilities and distortions) and social and cultural
dimensions (marital relationships, gender differences, and social support). The Psychological
and Socio-Cultural Influences of Mood Disorders is examined in detail.
The psychological causes identify the possible causes of the disorder with respect to their
cognitive distortions, thinking styles, effects of environmental events and stressors, along
with methods of interpreting the events that revolve around oneself. Stressful life events,
learned helplessness, negative cognitive styles and distortions, and related vulnerabilities are
important psychological dimensions that contribute to the etiology of mood disorders.
Stressful events and trauma have their contribution for the cause of several psychological
disorders, including mood disorders. It is well-recognised that stressful like events affect the
vulnerability, onset and relapse or recurrence of bipolar disorder and related mood disorders.
Studies show that prevalence of stressful life events in patients with bipolar disorder is higher
than that in healthy people. These also influence the onset, clinical exacerbation,
symptomatic remission, relapse, and recovery. While negative events influence the
precipitation of depression, the positive and over-whelming events trigger mania. There are
other influences, like hormonal changes after postpartum periods and sleep disruptions from
jet lag and changes in circadian rhythm.
Apart from stressors in the environment, it is also important to understand emotional
reactions to events that might cause this stress. Hence, we examine two theories – Learned
Helplessness Theory of Depression by Martin Seligman and Negative Cognitive Styles by
Aaron Beck.
The learned helplessness theory, postulated by Martin Seligman, of depression overlooks
anxiety as a response to situations with no control. According to this theory, depression
occurs when a person learns that they can't escape negative situations. This reaction is
internalised, stable, and global to a variety of issues and results in passive responses to
unescapable environment. This theory shows repeated exposure to uncontrollable and
aversive environmental stimuli leads gradually to the belief that the aversive situation is
inescapable and a sense of helplessness ensues regarding the situation. A revised theory given
by Abramson, Metalsky and Ally emphasised on development of a sense of helplessness with
decreased importance on the influence of negative attributional styles. Hence, treatment
would include helping to regain control over the situation, correcting these cognitive
distortions and enabling positive attributional styles.
On the other hand, Aaron Beck, founder of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, identified the
importance of mood disorders as a result of a negative interpretation of everyday events,
especially the depressive cognitive triads (self, immediate world and future). These cognitive
errors result in people with depression making the worst out of everything presented to them.
Some examples of negative cognitive styles include arbitrary and overgeneralized inference
of events, while ignoring the positive aspects of events. Studies show that depressed people
show more consistent negative thinking than non-depressed people. This theory shows
implications in treatment, which would include the identification and correction of cognitive
errors and related schemas to rid of depression.
These cognitive vulnerabilities combined with biological vulnerabilities pave way for
depression. This integrated approach to biological and psychological dimension of cognitive
distortions shows the interaction between these two dimensions. Further, there is an age-
based predictive factor as well. Children with negative and pessimistic attributional styles are
more likely to show symptoms of depression in the future. Hence, it is evident that depression
is associated with pessimistic explanatory styles and negative cognitions, which predispose
people to view the world in a negative way.
Moving away from the psychological dimensions associated with mood disorders, there are
several social and cultural dimensions that might cause and maintain the symptoms of
depression. The prominent ones would include marital relationships, gender, and social
support.
Marital dissatisfaction is strongly related to depression and mood disorders. Depression often
resulted from disruptions of relationships. Studies show that individuals show a substantial
deterioration in marital relationships, split in relationships, and other disruptions in
relationships. There are gender differences in the effects of marital relationships on
depression. Depressed men usually withdraw or disrupt their relationships. On the other hand,
problems in relationships result in depression. Hence, it is often suggested that marital
counselling and therapy, along with treatment for depression, are useful for attaining high
level of success for the patient and prevention of relapses. Although patients with bipolar and
mood disorders are likely to be single and unmarried, those with supportive partners have a
better prognosis owing to help in regulation in treatment and drug compliance.
Women tend to show more cases of depression and dysthymia. These gender differences in
mood disorders are strongly influenced by perceptions of uncontrollability and helplessness
that arise from disadvantage in society, traditional gender stereotypes, greater importance on
intimate relationships and inability to cope with disruptions. Even during adolescence, girls
tend to show more cases of depression owing to the biological changes in puberty, greater
sensitivity to rejection, and early physical maturity.
Social support plays an important role in increasing the risk of depression, onset, recovery,
and prevention. Studies show a higher risk of depression among individuals who live alone,
lack a friend to confide in, and lack of socially supportive network of friends and family. But
this only holds true for depression and not mania. Hence, there is an importance of
interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) developed by Weissman and Klerman, which focuses on
resolving problems in existing relationships and learning to form important new interpersonal
relationships. There is also importance on family treatment along with medication to facilitate
recovery and reduce relapse.
Other social influences include exposure to light, that results in decreasing the production of
melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland. Studies show that an increase in the
melatonin production shows an increase in the vulnerability towards depression. This is
especially the case for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Hence, phototherapy is recommended.
In conclusion, along with several biological and neurological influences, there are influences
from the psychological and socio-cultural factors on prognosis mood disorders.
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