...a mental illness or struggle with one themselves. The prevalence of these conditions is shocking and continues to rise on a daily basis. While researching this topic, one question stuck out the most: What is the main cause of mental illness? Scientists typically all agree that there is not one solution to this question, seeing as the topic at hand is a complex combination of factors. Everyone's brain is unique and handles situations differently, meaning that finding one cause for mental illness is a difficult search. Although there is not one cause for these conditions, we can reduce the options down...
Words: 1326 - Pages: 6
...Psychology Mood Disorders: Causes, Effects and Treatment Mood Disorders: Causes, Effects and Treatment Robert Baker Psychology GE1116 Dr. Angela Isom November 30, 2009 Mood Disorders: Causes, Effects and Treatments In today’s society, people seem to have a lot of problems that are classified as mental disorders. These disorders include: depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, and even seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The immediate stigma that is placed on most if not all mood disorders is that they are sicknesses. In the case of depression, this is not to confuse depression, a normal emotion with biological depression, an illness. Further along this line of irrational thought is the belief that they are not treatable and the person affected is in some way, shape or form disconnected from civilization as we know it. In this research paper, we will attempt to destroy these unfair stereotypes on this subject, attempt to rationalize the behaviors, and shed light on treatments for the various disorders. The research gathered will attempt to understand and answer these questions: 1. What are mood disorders and their symptoms? 2. What are the causes? 3. How can the stigma of mood disorders be removed? 4. What forms of treatment are the most successful? What Are Mood Disorders And Their Symptoms? In order to get a good idea of what causes mood disorders, we first...
Words: 454 - Pages: 2
...Essay plan: ‘Discuss the biological approach to psychopathology’. PARAGRAPH 1- A01: Intro- explain the biological approach including key assumptions. • Biological approach regards abnormality as an illness or disease. • Assumes all mental disorders are related to some change in the body. • Mental disorders are related to the physical structure and functioning of the brain. • Seen people with psychological abnormality as ‘patients’ who are ‘ill’ and require ‘treatment’ to ‘cure’ them of disease. • Four possible factors that cause abnmormality: 1. Genetic Factors 2. Biochemistry 3. Infection 4. Brain Damage PARAGRAPH 2- AO1/2: Explain one cause of abnormality according to the biological approach and give supporting evidence. Brain damage. • Suggests that mental illnesses are caused by abnormal brain structure due to genes, development, illness or trauma. • Damage to the structure of the brain can lead to abnormal behaviour. • Once brain damage has caused mental illness there is little to be done to stop it. Examples • Alzheimer- a type of dementia caused by the malformation and loss of cells in a number of areas of the nervous system. • Alcohol and drugs can also damage the brain, which may result in korsakoffs syndrome – prefound impairment of memory most commonly caused by alcohol. Evidence. • Lawrie showed that an average schizophrenic lateral ventricle were 40% bigger than controls. This suggests that brain damage has caused schizophrenia. PARAGRAPH...
Words: 833 - Pages: 4
...AP Essay #1 Henry Z 04/21/10 Smith Pd. 2 Behavioral, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, biological, and cognitive perspective each has its own cause of anxiety and treatment for reducing these anxieties. Behavioral anxiety can be caused from trauma. Trauma is when an extremely distressing experience that causes emotional shock and may have long-lasting psychological effects. For example, someone getting raped. Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic anxiety can be caused by the three interacting systems that Freud theorized: id, ego, and superego. The id is a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. For example, a infant crying out for satisfaction. The ego is the largely conscious, "executive" part of personality that among the demands of the if, superego and reality. For example, being constrained by the law because one knows it is bad to break it. The superego is the part of the personality that represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment and for future aspirations. For example, someone with a strong superego may be virtuous. Biological anxieties can be caused by a lack of serotonin which leads to depression. Depression is a state of unhappiness and hopelessness. Cognitive anxiety is caused from depression. Specific treatment techniques used for reducing anxiety used by professionals for each of the four perspectives: reward/punishment, free association, drugs/medication...
Words: 291 - Pages: 2
...External Factors Contributing to Depression Depression is most commonly characterized by depressive moods and feelings of low self worth or guilt, a disease affecting approximately 121 million people (World Health Organization, 2011). Despite these high numbers, the many factors that contribute to depression remain under debate. Depression is commonly treated with antidepressant medication that aims to normalize brain function, often through the uptake of neurotransmitters such as serotonin (Moncrieff, 2010). Research has supported the use of this type of medication with results that indicate prolonged use of antidepressants can reduce the chances of relapse (Kim, Lee, Paik, & Kim, 2011). Many deduce that because medication targets and treats physical abnormalities related to depression, biology must be the main contributor. Against this rational however, much research that exists today declares a balance of biology and external factors as contributors to depression (Cole, McGuffin, & Farmer, 2008). In contrast to discoveries of this nature, a study conducted in Taiwan concludes that many depression sufferers perceive the cause of their depression to be social and cultural factors, making little mention to biology (Fu & Paraboo, 2009). Although medication has proven successful in many cases for alleviating depressive symptoms, considerable amounts of research have determined that external factors such as personal misfortunes or stress, cultural and societal influences, such...
Words: 2045 - Pages: 9
...SAJ DEVSHI (C) AQA Psychology (A) Psya2 A* Students Model Essays The A* Students Handbook For More Psychology Resources visit: www.Loopa.co.uk C HAPTER 1 A little about me Firstly thank you for purchasing this book for AQA Psychology Psya2 (Paper 2). A bit about me: My name is Sajan Devshi and I was a private student that self-taught myself AQA Psychology from 2011-2012 and I received my certificate in January 2013 Achieving an A* Grade. The certificate you can view on my website http://www.loopa.co.uk - You can also get my other A* model essay answers from there too for the other topics I did. I achieved an A* grade overall scoring two A’s in Psya1 and Psya2 as well as 100% in both my A2 exams (Psya3 and Psya4) My final score was 373/400 ums points. (You only needed 90% in A2 and 320 for an A* grade). So basically I didn’t just beat the boundary - I absolutely smashed it. How did I do it? It wasn’t easy and I am by no means some savant genius. I made great notes and essays that simplified things for me as I had no teachers and it is these notes I share with you now for Psya2 and the essay questions that can be asked for it. If your curious to know more about me you can visit my website at http://www.loopa.co.uk There it tells you more about me, how I self-taught myself as well as contact me directly for help and advice as well as get my other essay answers there instantly. Theres also great resources there too with more added on a weekly basis...
Words: 21741 - Pages: 87
...Psychology essay PTSD case study PTSD what is post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition of stress which is caused by an event, and now you get flashbacks. Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder which is caused by an event earlier in life that is very stressful or psychologically disturbing. People with this disorder may have flashbacks and relive the event through their nightmares, and they could also have trouble sleeping at night. PTSD happens most often in soldiers and those who have been in the war due to the extreme situations that arise from it. Symptoms, Biological, Mental. The symptoms of PTSD are …. The biological symptoms of PTSD are. One of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder is the constant feeling of danger. The symptoms are increased anxiety, experiencing the event again through flashbacks or nightmares. Another symptom is avoidance of things that remind you of the event, being unable to remember some parts of the event, and also loss of interest and feeling detached from others. Memories of the event will be intrusive. The physical symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are dizziness, shortness of breath also possibly chronic pain and tightness in the chest. A common symptom is a feeling of intense fear. Other symptoms are persistent depressive feelings and dissociation. This disorder often coexists with anxiety or eating disorders, or depression. In the case study Andy’s initial symptoms after...
Words: 564 - Pages: 3
...Ostacher, DelBello & STEP-BD Investigators, 2004). These disorders are labelled bipolar because the patients experiencing mania will also experience depression during their lifetime. During the manic episodes, patients will act and think in ways which are not their typical selves. In this essay an evaluation...
Words: 1284 - Pages: 6
...disorders are the most under diagnosed and/or misdiagnosed group of disorders that students may have. The signs and symptoms of emotional/behavioral disorders can be missed, mimic other disorders and some cases emotional/behavioral disorders coincide with other disabilities. There are a few categories that must be taken into consideration when assessing a student for emotional/behavioral disorders as well as implementing interventions that will meet the specific needs of EBD students. The categories that the following essay will discuss are biological, family, school and culture. Within each category are a few factors that need to be fully understood and considered in order to have a clear, complete and concise view of the student’s emotional and behavioral needs and the causes of it. Biological Factors Biological factors occur naturally and within the child. According to the article Biological Issues Related to Emotional/behavioral Disorders (2014) biological factors includes chemical imbalances, genetic predisposition; exposure to harmful chemicals during and after pregnancy and poor nutrition. When children are exposed to harmful chemicals during and after pregnancy it puts them “at risk for physical and mental health problems that can begins during the onset of pregnancy and beyond” (Bauer, Shea, 2014). Physical problems, such as lead poisoning and poor...
Words: 1329 - Pages: 6
...Kiely for Psychology 201, 8/17/2010 Treatment of Bipolar Disorder - 2 Abstract This essay will be reviewing the ways in which persons with the mood disorder bipolar disorder are given treatment for their illness. The stages of treatment, components, and results of treating bipolar disorder, or BD, will be explored. Bipolar treatment varies between children and adolescents and adults, therefore the various treatments are unique and not specified in this essay. A brief description of the symptoms, the disorder itself, and ways in which it is diagnosed will also be discussed. We will be focusing on Bipolar I Disorder for the purposes of this paper. Paper submitted to Prof. Kiely for Psychology 201, 8/17/2010 Treatment of Bipolar Disorder - 3 Introduction Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a mood disorder that causes shifts in mood from mania to depression. During times of mania, one feels as if they are on a “high” and experience a high level of energy, racing thoughts, are easily distracted, and have a decreased need for sleep. During times of depression, one feels a decreased level of energy and activity, as well as low-self esteem. Various sources indicate variable types of bipolar disorder, but the main ones are: ♦ Bipolar I Disorder: this is the most common type of BD; the individual experiences at least one episode of mania and one episode of depression ♦ Bipolar II Disorder: as opposed to “full-blown manic episodes” (M. Smith, et al...
Words: 1510 - Pages: 7
...The Four Goals of Psychology 1.) Circle or highlight one of the following problems: Stress, Depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Eating Disorder, Anger and Aggression, or Addiction 2.) Write the problem that you selected in each blank below. For each of the four goals, write information as it applies to the problem you selected. Your responses should be thorough (25-75 words for each response). You may need to conduct some research on the problem you selected to ensure accuracy in your responses. Cite a minimum of two sources. * Describe depression: Depression is a mental disorder that can take a person from emotional balance for a long time and significantly degrade the quality of life (labor activity, personal relationships and so on). * Predict situations that lead to depression occurring: One of the main factors leading to depression is stress. For example, separation or the death of close person, illness, hard work, immigration, financial problems, education, health problems or family. Another important factor is heredity. It is believed that the more relatives suffered from depression in one family, then higher the risk of descendants also to suffering from depression. (John M. Grohol, Psy.D.) * Explain why depression occurs: Depression develops as a result of the interaction of many factors. They can be divided into biological (health and heredity of person), psychological (especially education and thinking), and social (stressful...
Words: 600 - Pages: 3
...The Four Goals of Psychology 1.) Circle or highlight one of the following problems: Stress, Depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Eating Disorder, Anger and Aggression, or Addiction 2.) Write the problem that you selected in each blank below. For each of the four goals, write information as it applies to the problem you selected. Your responses should be thorough (25-75 words for each response). You may need to conduct some research on the problem you selected to ensure accuracy in your responses. Cite a minimum of two sources. * Describe depression: Depression is a mental disorder that can take a person from emotional balance for a long time and significantly degrade the quality of life (labor activity, personal relationships and so on). * Predict situations that lead to depression occurring: One of the main factors leading to depression is stress. For example, separation or the death of close person, illness, hard work, immigration, financial problems, education, health problems or family. Another important factor is heredity. It is believed that the more relatives suffered from depression in one family, then higher the risk of descendants also to suffering from depression. (John M. Grohol, Psy.D.) * Explain why depression occurs: Depression develops as a result of the interaction of many factors. They can be divided into biological (health and heredity of person), psychological (especially education and thinking), and social (stressful...
Words: 600 - Pages: 3
...Depression caused by serotonin dis-regulation Depression is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder and according to World Health Organization approximately 350 million people are suffering from it. Depression affects all people regardless of age, race and socioeconomic group. It is the main cause of disability in the world ( ). Depression is different from simple mood change. It alters the way depressed people eat, sleep, feel about themselves and their attitude towards others. Long lasting depression often is a life-threatening disorder that in extreme cases can lead to suicide (Kanner 2012). It has a neurobiological basis and is associated with functional and structural brain abnormalities. In this essay will be discussed and evaluated...
Words: 995 - Pages: 4
...Abnormal Psychology - Depression Liberty University Abstract This paper explores depression in abnormal psychology through literature focusing on its history, causes, treatment, prevention, cross-cultural issues, and a Biblical worldview. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has various categories of depression, and it offers particular criteria for the treatment of the different forms of depression. The introduction gives the reader an overview of depression and how it influences the health of an individual in a negative manner. Through its historical context, it is possible to review the progress mankind has made in coming up with effective ways of dealing with depression. Under causes, depression is indicated as being caused by various environmental, psychological, and biological factors. Treating depression necessitates timely medical attention, but it can be prevented through ideal health habits such as exercise and relaxation. Various cross-cultural issues about depression are highlighted, with Christianity offering a spiritual insight into the causes and treatment of depression. Keywords: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), bipolar disorder, neurotransmitters, antidepressants, psychotherapy, cross-cultural diagnostics Introduction Under abnormal psychology, depression is considered a serious illness with a negative influence on both the mental and physical health of an individual. Depression influences how...
Words: 2787 - Pages: 12
...people and the community. This essay will look at the meaning of sleep and sleep deprivation and the basic perspectives on what motivates sleep and sleep deprivation with the five perspectives; evolutionary, psychodynamic, behaviourist, cognitive and the hierarchy of needs. This essay will also evaluate the best perspective to eliminate sleep deprivation with the cases studies discussing the general hypothesis of sleep and sleep deprivation. Basic Perspectives on Motivation: Evaluating Five Accounts for Sleep and Sleep Deprivation Sleep is one of our basic needs to survive and to function in day to day operations, but not everyone needs the same amount of sleep. Some people can survive on very little sleep, i.e. five hours a night, and some people need a lot of sleep, to the extend that they are sleeping up to 10 to sometimes 15 hours a night (Nature, 2005). According to Wilson (2005) the general rule states that most people need from seven to eight hours of sleep. The deprivation of sleep in our society in continually increasing with the demands in society increasing work loads, the myth that a few hours of sleep is only necessary to function properly and that sleep is sometimes considered as killing time (Nature, 2005). Sometimes sleep deprivation is also caused by other situations like sleep disorders, i.e. sleep apnoea, chronic insomnia or medical conditions such as stress (Wilson, 2005). According to Wilson (2005), sleep deprivation can cause not only traffic accidents...
Words: 3736 - Pages: 15
