Psychology Project Material

Depression
1. Introduction of the disorder
Depression is classified as a mood disorder. It may be described as
feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with a person’s
everyday activities.
It’s also fairly common. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention estimates that 18.5 percent of American adults had
symptoms of depression in any given 2-week period in 2019.\
Though depression and grief share some features, depression is
different from grief felt after losing a loved one or sadness felt after a
traumatic life event. Depression usually involves self-loathing or a loss
of self-esteem, while grief typically does not.In grief, positive emotions
and happy memories of the deceased typically accompany feelings of
emotional pain. In major depressive disorder, the feelings of sadness
are constant.

People experience depression in different ways. It may interfere with your

daily work, resulting in lost time and lower productivity. It can also influence
relationships and some chronic health conditions.

It’s important to realize that feeling down at times is a normal part of life. Sad
and upsetting events happen to everyone. But if you’re feeling down or
hopeless on a regular basis, you could be dealing with depression.

Depression is considered a serious medical condition that can get worse

without proper treatment.

2. symptoms
Not everyone with depression will experience the same symptoms. Symptoms
can vary in severity, how often they happen, and how long they last.

If you experience some of the following signs and symptoms

of depression nearly every day for at least 2 weeks, you may be living with
depression:

● feeling sad, anxious, or “empty”

● feeling hopeless, worthless, and pessimistic
● crying a lot
● feeling bothered, annoyed, or angry
● loss of interest in hobbies and interests you once enjoyed
● decreased energy or fatigue
● difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
● moving or talking more slowly
● difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping
● appetite or weight changes
● chronic physical pain with no clear cause that does not get better with
treatment (headaches, aches or pains, digestive problems, cramps)
● thoughts of death, suicide, self-harm, or suicide attempts

3. symptoms in children and teens

Depression does not only affect adults. Children and young people can
get depressed too.
It's important to get help early if you think your child may be depressed.
The longer it goes on, the more likely it is to disrupt your child's life and
turn into a long-term problem.

Symptoms of depression in children often include:

● sadness, or a low mood that does not go away

● being irritable or grumpy all the time
● not being interested in things they used to enjoy
● feeling tired and exhausted a lot of the time
● have trouble sleeping or sleep more than usual
● not be able to concentrate
● interact less with friends and family
● be indecisive
● not have much confidence
● eat less than usual or overeat
● have big changes in weight
● seem unable to relax or be more lethargic than usual
● talk about feeling guilty or worthless
● feel empty or unable to feel emotions (numb)
● have thoughts about suicide or self-harming
● actually self-harm, for example, cutting their skin or taking an
overdose

Some children have problems with anxiety as well as depression. Some

also have physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomach aches.
Problems at school can be a sign of depression in children and young
people and so can problem behavior.

Older children who are depressed may misuse drugs or alcohol.

4. symptoms in older adults

Recognizing depression in the elderly starts with knowing the signs and
symptoms. Depression red flags include:

● Sadness or feelings of despair.

● Unexplained or aggravated aches and pains
● Loss of interest in socializing or hobbies.
● Weight loss or loss of appetite.
● Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness.
● Lack of motivation and energy.
● Sleep disturbances (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep,
oversleeping, or daytime sleepiness).
● Loss of self-worth (worries about being a burden, feelings of
worthlessness or self-loathing).
● Slowed movement or speech.
● Increased use of alcohol or other drugs.
● Fixation on death; thoughts of suicide.
● Memory problems.
● Neglecting personal care (skipping meals, forgetting meds, neglecting
personal hygiene)
5. Complications

● Excess weight loss or obesity

● Pain or physical illness
● Alcohol or drug misuse
● Family conflicts, relationship difficulties,work/school problems
● Social isolation
● Suicidal feelings and attempts to suicide
● Self-harm
● Premature death from prolonged medical illness and conditions
● Turn to unhealthy habits like emotional eating
● Family history of depression can also lead to depression in a person

6. Treatment

There are three main treatments for depression. The two most important and
wide spread are- psychotherapy and psychotropic medication, specially
antidepressants.

Psychotherapy aims to alter the patient’s maladaptive cognitive and behavioral

responses to stressful life events while giving emotional support to the patient.

Antidepressant medication by contrast,directly affect the chemistry of the brain

and presumably achieve the therapeutic effects by correcting the chemical
disfiguration i.e, the depression.
Two types of medications, Tricyclic antide pressants and Selective serotonin
inhibitors. This results in the buildup or accumulation of neurotransmittors in the
brain and allows them to remain in contact of the nerve cell receptors longer, thus
helping to elevate the patient’s mood. Electroconvulsive therapy [ECT] has
sometimes proved helpful. In this procedure, a convulsion is proposed by
passing an electric current through the person’s brain. Some persons from
depression are affected by “treatment resisted depression” [TRD] meaning they
are refractory to existing therapies. For these individuals scientists have been
researching alternative therapeutic approaches, including “deep brain stimulator”
[dbs] and gene therapy.

● Psychotherapy for depression treatment

If there is no underlying medical cause of your depression , talk therapy

can be extremely beneficial.

Some types of therapy available teach us practical techniques on how to reframe

negative thinking and employ behavioral skills in combating depression.

● Psychological treatment for depression

Psychological depression can help you change your thinking patterns and
improve your coping skills , so you are better equipped to deal with life’s
stresses and conflicts. As well as supporting your recovery, psychological
therapies can also help you well by identifying and changing unhelpful
thoughts and behaviors.
 7. Natural depression treatment

Being depressed can make you feel helpless. You're not. Along with
therapy and sometimes medication, there's a lot you can do on your
own to fight back. Changing your behavior -- your physical activity,
lifestyle, and even your way of thinking -- are all natural depression
treatments

1. Get in a routine-If you’re depressed, you need a routine, says Ian

Cook, MD. He's a psychiatrist and director of the Depression

Research and Clinic Program at UCLA.

Depression can strip away the structure from your life. One day melts into

the next. Setting a gentle daily schedule can help you get back on track.

2. Set goals- When you're depressed, you may feel like you can't

accomplish anything. That makes you feel worse about yourself. To

push back, set daily goals for yourself.

3. Exercise- It temporarily boosts feel-good chemicals called

endorphins. It may also have long-term benefits for people with

depression. Regular exercise seems to encourage the brain to rewire

itself in positive ways.

4. Eat healthy-There is no magic diet that fixes depression. It's a good

idea to watch what you eat, though. If depression tends to make you

overeat, getting in control of your eating will help you feel better.

5. Get enough sleep- Depression can make it hard to get enough

shut-eye, and too little sleep can make depression worse.Start by

making some changes to your lifestyle. Go to bed and get up at the

same time every day. Try not to nap. Take all the distractions out of

your bedroom -- no computer and no TV. In time, you may find your

sleep improves.

6. Take on responsibilities-When you’re depressed, you may want to

pull back from life and give up your responsibilities at home and at

work. Don't. Staying involved and having daily responsibilities can

help you maintain a lifestyle that can help counter depression. They

ground you and give you a sense of accomplishment.

7. Challenge negative thoughts- In your fight against depression, a lot of

the work is mental -- changing how you think. When you're

depressed, you leap to the worst possible conclusions.It takes

practice, but in time you can beat back those negative thoughts

before they get out of control.

8. Do something new- When you’re depressed, you’re in a rut. Push

yourself to do something different. Go to a museum. Pick up a used

book and read it on a park bench. Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Take a

language class.
9. Try to have fun-If you’re depressed, make time for things you enjoy.

What if nothing seems fun anymore? "That's just a symptom of

depression," Cook says. You have to keep trying anyway.

8. Case History

A complete record of information containing all the data about a

patient’s medical or psychological condition. It may cover health,

family and social history, educational and occupational data,

interviews along with professional evaluations.

9. Identifying information

● Demographic info

Name- Naira Singhania

Age-25

Gender- Female

Dob-18 september,1995

Educational qualification-Msc. chemistry

Marital status-Married

No. of children- one girl child

● Parental info
 Father's info

Name- Nakul Singhania

Age- 56

Educational qualification- M.B.A.`

Occupation- Business man

Mother’s info

Name- Nalini singhania

Age- 50

Educational qualification- B.A.

Occupation- Housewife

Physiological info

Height- 5 feet 2 inches

Weight- 54kg

Duration of sleep-6 hrs

● Psychological info

Hobby- traveling

Interest- reading books

Personality- moody

Disorder- depression

10. Case study

My case Naira is 25 yrs old who is agitated and complains about

appetite loss and low mood over the past 3 yrs. She complains about

inability to sleep, loss of interest in work and daily activities. These

things are happening because she lost her sister. She is stressed and

is unable to function properly. She tried suicide attempts many times.

I used interview method to collect the info.

11. Concluding comments

I suggest that she should consult a good psychiatrist and get her

treatment done.