PSYCHOLOGY (8th Edition, in Modules) David Myers

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PSYCHOLOGY(8th Edition, in Modules)David Myers

• Mood Disorders
• Module 51

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Elaine feels that her life is empty. She has
lost all interest in her career and hobbies, and
wonders if she would be better off dead. She is
most likely suffering from

• A. a dissociative identity disorder.
• B. a generalized anxiety disorder.
• C. an antisocial personality disorder.
• D. a mood disorder.

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Major Depressive Disorder
Depression is the common cold of psychological
disorders. In a year 5.8 men and 9.5 women
report depression worldwide (WHO, 2002).
Major Depressive Disorder
Blue mood
Chronic shortness of breath
Gasping for air after a hard run
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Major Depressive Disorder

• one or more periods of depression which affect
  daily functioning and last at least 2 weeks and
  may include the following symptoms
• Mood symptoms crying or sadness all day
  everyday, guilt, anxiety, anhedonia (inability to
  experience pleasure) - irritability
• Cognitive symptoms depressive thoughts,
  hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, memory
  problems, psychomotor retardation (thinking and
  moving in slow motion)
• Physical symptoms insomnia/hypersomnia,
  increased or decreased appetite, restlessness or
  lethargy
• Behavioral symptoms avolition (lack of
  motivation)

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Dysthymic Disorder
Dysthymic disorder lies between blue mood and
major depressive disorder. A disorder
characterized by daily depression lasting two
years or more.
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True or False? A person with Bipolar Disorder
may switch moods from minute to minute or hour to
hour.

• True
• False

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Bipolar Disorder

• Formerly called manic-depressive disorder,
  alteration between depression and mania signals
  bipolar disorder.

Manic Symptoms
Depressive Symptoms
Elation
Gloomy
Euphoria
Withdrawn
Desire for action
Inability to make decisions
Hyperactive
Tired
Multiple ideas
Slowness of thought
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Bipolar Disorders

• Involve depressive and manic mood episodes.
• Depressive episodes last at least 2 weeks
• Manic episodes last at least 1 week
• mixed episodes may occur
• Rapid cycling pattern more than 16 cycles per
  year
• The presence of ONE manic episode qualifies an
  individual for a diagnosis of some form or
  bipolar disorder
• Mania Increased energy and expansive mood,
  increase in goal-directed activity, flight of
  ideas, distractibility, high levels of verbal
  output, inflated self-esteem, foolish business
  ventures, spending sprees, sexual indiscretions.
  May also include irritability, anxiety and
  suicidal thoughts.

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Subtypes of Bipolar Disorder

• Bipolar I Disorder Major Depressive Episodes
  and Episodes of Full Blown Mania
• Bipolar II Disorder Major Depressive Episodes
  and hypomania
• Hypomania Milder form of mania in which the
  individual is up but does not lose contact with
  reality and may function relatively well.
• Cyclothymia Less debilitating pattern involving
  dysthymia or periods of mild depression and
  hypomania

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Which of the following types of Bipolar Disorder
is the MOST severe?

• Cyclothymia
• Dysthymia
• Bipolar I
• Bipolar II

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Bipolar Disorder
Many great writers, poets, composers suffered
from bipolar disorder. During their manic phases,
their creativity surged and dropped off during
their depressive phases.
Earl Theissen/ Hulton Getty Pictures Library
George C. Beresford/ Hulton Getty Pictures Library
The Granger Collection
Bettmann/ Corbis
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Explaining Mood Disorders
Since depression is so prevalent worldwide,
investigators want to develop a theory of
depression that will suggest ways to treat it.
Lewinsohn et al., (1985, 1995) note that a theory
of depression should explain

• Behavioral and cognitive changes
• Common causes of depression

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Theory of Depression

• Gender differences

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Suicide
The most severe form of behavioral response to
depression is suicide. Each year some 1 million
people commit suicide worldwide.
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Biological Perspective
Genetic Influences Mood disorders run in
families. Rates of depression is higher in
identical (50) than fraternal twins (20).
Linkage analysis and associations studies link
possible genes and dispositions for depression.
Jerry Irwin Photography
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Neurotransmitters Depression
Reduction of norepinephrine and serotonin has
been implicated in depression. Drugs that
alleviate mania reduce norepinephrine.
Pre-synaptic Neuron
Serotonin
Norepinephrine
Post-synaptic Neuron
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The Depressed Brain

• PET scans show that brain energy consumption
  rises and falls with manic and depressive
  episodes.

Courtesy of Lewis Baxter an Michael E. Phelps,
UCLA School of Medicine
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Social-Cognitive Perspective
The social-cognitive perspective suggests that
depression arises partly from self-defeating
beliefs and negative explanatory styles.
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Brandy, who tends to have a pessimistic
explanatory style, learns that she earned a poor
grade on her psychology exam. Which attribution
is most likely to help her cope without becoming
depressed?

• A. Ill always be a poor student.
• B. The teacher gave a particularly hard exam
  this time.
• C. Of course my grade is bad, since I cant do
  anything right.
• D. Once again I proved that I just dont know
  how to study.

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Depression Cycle

• The negative stressful events.
• Pessimistic explanatory style.
• Hopeless depressed state.
• Hampers the way the individual thinks and acts,
  and thus fuels personal rejection.

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Example
Explanatory style plays a major role in becoming
depressed.