1Abnormal PsychologyDepression"I was seized with an unspeakable physical weariness. There was a tired feeling in the muscles unlike anything I had ever experienced. My nights were sleepless. I lay with dry, staring eyes gazing into space. I had a fear that some terrible calamity was about to happen. I grew afraid to be alone. The most trivial duty became a formidable task. Finally, mental and physical exercises became impossible. My general feeling might be summed up in the familiar saying "what's the use" I had tried so hard to make something of myself, but the struggle seemed useless. Life seemed utterly futile."Mood DisordersDepressive disordersz Most of us have periods when we feel sadz Relatively commonz About 17% of people have an episode of severe depressionz Major depression (Unipolar depression)z DysthymiaSymptoms, 5 or more (including #1 or #2) within 2 week periodz 1. Sad, depressed mood. z 2. Loss of interest or pleasure in all activities z 3. Appetite and weight change. z 4. Difficulties in sleeping z 5. Loss of energy, great fatigue or activity z 6. Negative self-concept, guilt, worthlessness. z 7. Difficulty in concentrating. z 8. Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. DepressionUsually persists for months.Person experiences little:z interest in anythingz pleasurez motivation to be productiveLoss of interest in food & sex are commonSleep abnormalities are associated with depression Person has feelings of worthlessness, guilt and powerlessness over lifez May attempt suicideThe Vicious Cycle of Depression2Depression: Age of First OnsetEvents That Precipitate DepressionSevere losses early in life increase vulnerability to depression later in life.Lack of social support also increases vulnerability to depressionPerson’s interpretation of negative event influences their degree of depression.The way people think about their lives and the course of the events may also play a roleBipolar DisordersManic-depressionz Cycles between depression and maniaz Relatively rarez 2% of populationManiaz Periods of very high energyz Rushed speechz Often overly confidentz Make grandiose plansz Little need for sleepCyclothymiaTherapist says to client " Well, you seem pretty happy today" Client "Happy! Happy! You certainly are a master of understatement. You rogue! Why I'm ecstatic. I'm leaving for the West Coast today, on my daughter's bicycle. Only 3100 miles. That's nothing, you know, I could probably walk...but, I want to be there by next week. And along the way I plan to contact a lot of people about investing in my fish equipment. I'll get to know more people that way--you know doc, "know" in the biblical sense (leers at the therapist). Oh, God, how good it feels. It's almost like a nonstop orgasm" ©1999 Prentice Hall Rapid mood swings are shown in brain activitySuicide• Depression & bi-polar can lead to suicide• Suicide rates vary significantly with age, race, and sex• Men are more likely to commit suicide than women• Whites are more likely to commit suicide than blacks3Sex Diffs in DepressionEqually common in boys and girls before pubertyAfterwards, women are twice as likely to experience depression as menWhy the sex diff after puberty?Sex Diffs in DepressionHormonal Diffs?z Women experience more rapid hormonal changes than men do (menstrual cycles, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause)Coping Style Diffs?z Men generally try to distract themselves when they are feeling depressed,z Women tend to dwell on their feelings more.z Ruminating may not be useful for coping and may make the person feel worse.Understanding Mood DisordersBiological factorsz Tendency to develop mood disorders is heritablez Particularly bipolar disorderz Genetic role in depressive disorders not as clearz Neurotransitters: Serotonin, Norepinephrinez Brain damage: left anterior/prefrontal cortexUnderstanding Mood DisordersCognitive perspectivez Cognitive triadz Negative thoughts about the selfz Negative view of the futurez Feel unable to improve the situationz Attributionsz Causal explanations people make when bad things happenz Depressive RealismCognitive Aspects of DepressionExplanatory style: a tendency to accept 1 kind of explanation for success or failure more than othersz We’re more consistent in the type of attribution that we use to explain failuresPerson who blames self for all failures has a pessimisticexplanatory style.z “I failed my Psyc test b/c I’m a dumb-ass.”z They view failures as global (consistent over situations) andstable (consistent over time)z A pessimistic explanatory style is positively associated with depressionBipolar Disorder: CausesPrimarily biologicalNot one geneGets worse over generations.4What if you feel depressed, if a roommate or friend seems depressed? z Do not offer a diagnosis. z Talk to someone, get help. z Talk to someone who knows what they are talking about. Dissociative DisordersCommon dissociative experiences z Not recognizing yourself in a mirror: 3% z Standing next to yourself, watching: 15% z Finding unfamiliar notes that you must have made: 25% z Driving home and not remembering the trip: 35% z Being able to ignore pain 65% SchizophreniaGroup of disorders characterized by severe personality disorganization, distortion of reality, and inability to function in everyday lifez NOT multiple personalitiesMost frequently diagnosed in young adultsOnset is typically sudden, although there are some markers during childhoodz being “strange”z short attn. spanz having few friendsz disruptive in classSymptoms - for at least one month1. Thought Disturbances2. Disturbances of Perception and Attention3. Motor Disturbances. 4. Affective DisturbancesHeterogeneityCatatonic- lots or not enough movement. mutism, echolalia.Disorganized- disorganized speech, behavior. Inappropriate or flat affect, no catatoniaParanoid- delusions and auditory hallucinations.Undifferentiatied- doesn’t fit a categoryResidual type- 1 episode, no prominent positive symptoms. Odd behavior and beliefs.Understanding SchizophreniaSociogenic hypothesis. Low SES Æ SZ Mother -- double bind messages from the mother Genetic predisposition for schizophreniaDopaminez Too much dopamine in mesolimbic systemz Not enough dopamine in prefrontal areasSocial issuesz Role of stress in development or schizophrenia5Causes: Brain DamageBrain scans indicate that:z Hippocampus and parts of cerebral cortex are a little smaller than normalz Schizophrenics have smaller neurons and fewer synapses in the
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