Outline And Evaluate Two Explanations For Unipolar Depression Case Study
Describe and evaluate two treatments for unipolar depression (25 marks).
It has been believed that psychological disorders, like physical illnesses, have organic causes. Therefore, mental disorders are treated just like physical ones. Earlier treatments have included things like trepanning which was carried out in the stone again. Nowadays we have much safer and effective treatments such as therapies and drug treatment.
Low levels of both noradrenaline (nora) and serotonin (sero) have been found as being important in unipolar depression (UD) and so it seems logical to treat depression with drugs which increase the availability of these neurotransmitters.
Tricyclic, a type of anti-depressant, appears to work by blocking the reuptake …show more content…
Alternatively, research such as Kirsch, Geller and Ferguson is based on correlational studies. This makes it difficult to say whether UD is caused by low levels of neurotransmitters or if it’s visa-versa.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a therapy which treats depression by combining both cognitive and behavioural techniques. The aim of this is to help people who have mental disorders to cope better with their lives and coincidentally feel better.
Ellis suggests that depression is due to irrational beliefs but is also maintained by reinforcement. Rational Emotive Behavioural therapy (REBT) aims to replace self-defeating beliefs with adaptive beliefs and uses the ABC model. An example of this is a student getting a good grade for their essay. This is the ‘activating’ of an event. How the person interprets an event or situation is where the ‘belief system’ comes in. The emotional response is then observed which is the ‘consequence’ of the action is. The aim of REBT is to develop a ‘D’ aspect adding a ‘dispute system’ to replace B, adding an adaptive belief, so the person realises they do not have to be perfect. The therapist will ‘test’ patient’s beliefs with actions which challenge their faulty thinking. Often they can be blunt with clients and not show sympathy in order to avoid reinforcing the
It has been believed that psychological disorders, like physical illnesses, have organic causes. Therefore, mental disorders are treated just like physical ones. Earlier treatments have included things like trepanning which was carried out in the stone again. Nowadays we have much safer and effective treatments such as therapies and drug treatment.
Low levels of both noradrenaline (nora) and serotonin (sero) have been found as being important in unipolar depression (UD) and so it seems logical to treat depression with drugs which increase the availability of these neurotransmitters.
Tricyclic, a type of anti-depressant, appears to work by blocking the reuptake …show more content…
Alternatively, research such as Kirsch, Geller and Ferguson is based on correlational studies. This makes it difficult to say whether UD is caused by low levels of neurotransmitters or if it’s visa-versa.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a therapy which treats depression by combining both cognitive and behavioural techniques. The aim of this is to help people who have mental disorders to cope better with their lives and coincidentally feel better.
Ellis suggests that depression is due to irrational beliefs but is also maintained by reinforcement. Rational Emotive Behavioural therapy (REBT) aims to replace self-defeating beliefs with adaptive beliefs and uses the ABC model. An example of this is a student getting a good grade for their essay. This is the ‘activating’ of an event. How the person interprets an event or situation is where the ‘belief system’ comes in. The emotional response is then observed which is the ‘consequence’ of the action is. The aim of REBT is to develop a ‘D’ aspect adding a ‘dispute system’ to replace B, adding an adaptive belief, so the person realises they do not have to be perfect. The therapist will ‘test’ patient’s beliefs with actions which challenge their faulty thinking. Often they can be blunt with clients and not show sympathy in order to avoid reinforcing the