...Written Assignment 1 Written Assignment Author Note This Course Project is being submitted on March 1, 2014 For General Psychology Class. My topic for my psychology research report, is the topic of electro convulsion therapy, or what is formally known as electro shock therapy. In this paper I will describe what it is, how it is administered, and what psychological disorders it is used for. In my mind this is some sort of barbaric torture that was carried out in the earlier days of psychology, when doctors where not really understanding the full scope of the psychiatric illnesses of their patients. It conjures up images in my mind of old insane asylums and the procedures that were carried out there, with not much understanding as to the patient’s illness, or what the effects the treatments could have on the patients. By the end of this paper, I hope to gain a better understanding of electro convulsion therapy, and its credibility, or not, as a treatment for psychological disorders. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure in which electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses (NAMI, 2012). It often works when other treatments are unsuccessful. Much of the stigma attached...
Words: 2064 - Pages: 9
...Depression Paper Angie Marquez PSY 270 April 17, 2016 Depression Paper Most people have felt sadness at some point in their life. It is a normal reaction to the loss of a loved one or even just everyday life struggles. When these feelings of sadness start to last longer than a few days and begins to keep you from functioning normal it may be more than just sadness. Clinical depression is a treatable medical condition that many people experience in throughout life. Depression is considered a mood disorder. “Mood disorders are a category of illnesses that describe a serious change in mood” (Mental Health America, 2016). Other mood disorders include unipolar disorder and bipolar disorder. There are important differences between unipolar and bipolar such as how the illness makes people feel and behave and the difference in treatment (ULifeline, 2016). Bipolar disorder is a serious illness that involves one or more episodes of serious mania and depression (Mental Health America, 2016). Mania is when a person is feeling happy, confident, energetic and productive (ULifeline, 2016). During an episode of bipolar disorder a person can experience extreme mood swings. They can go from feeling happy and energetic to feeling sad and hopeless, sometimes with a period of a normal mood between the two extremes. There is no definite link between genetics and bipolar disorder but research does show that is tends to run in families (Mental Health America, 2016). Other causes of bipolar disorder...
Words: 797 - Pages: 4
...lifestyles. On top of all these normal life events that most of us will experience there is a large percentage of individuals in the United States who will suffer from clinical depression and mental illness. These psychological disorders can range from severe to mild. Most individuals at some point in their lifetime will experience one or more symptoms of clinical depression. These symptoms can cause an individual not to be able to function as they normally would as well as increase the overall risk of suicide. This type of depression is known as Unipolar depression as classified by (Comer, 2005). These symptoms can also be seen in mood disorders. The disorder that these symptoms come into play with is called bipolar disorder. Throughout this paper I will explain the main causes, symptoms and treatment options that are available for these disorders. Through the use of the (DSM) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual we find that unipolar depression is defined as a major depressive state of being that lasts for longer than two weeks which during this time frame the individual shows a minimum of at least five depressive symptoms. Some of these symptoms include lake of desire, insomnia, loss of appetite, thoughts of suicide or harm to self, inability to complete daily task. These are just some of the common symptoms that are seen in most individuals that suffer from the disorder. This...
Words: 1471 - Pages: 6
...Depression Paper Dawn Sturdevant PSY/270 11/24/2013 Ratonya Gibson Depression Paper The differences between unipolar and bipolar disorders are pretty simple, yet unique in their own ways. With unipolar disorder it is basically being depressed, getting over it, and going on about one’s life. Unipolar can be mild or it can be severe. Around 17 percent of all adults experience an episode of severe unipolar depression at some point in their lives. These prevalence rates are similar in Canada, England, France, and many other countries (Vasiliadis et. Al., 2007; WHO, 2004) Some of the people with unipolar disorder can take up to a year to get better while others don’t take nearly as long. Bipolar disorder is depression of a totally different sort, yet a little bit the same as unipolar. If one is bipolar they are not only prone to depression but also to mania, sometimes at the same time. Some might even say that being bipolar is better because it is less common than unipolar disorder but personally I think not. This assumption that bipolar and unipolar depressions are distinct has continued to guide research for almost 30 years (Cellar, A., Johnson, S., and Winters, R, 2005). Bipolar is really a mixture of depression with a side order of mania. When it comes to the causes of unipolar and bipolar disorders things are different. With bipolar “much evidence suggests that the illness has at least a partial genetic basis, but its origins are still uncertain. The symptoms...
Words: 765 - Pages: 4
...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper David Brown, Charles Hodge PSY/300: General Psychology Susan Bonnell June 2, 2015 University of Phoenix Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Paper Abnormal psychology is the study of unusual behavior, thoughts, and emotion by members of a society (American Psychological Association, 2015). To meet the definition of abnormal, the behavior, actions, or thoughts must be atypical of the culture (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Herein is where the challenge lies, due to the fact that our world encompasses many cultures and definitions of normal are significantly different from one region to the next. The paper will provide examples of abnormal psychology in the form of mental disorders and illnesses. Additionally, treatments for these disorders and illnesses will be discussed. Normal and Abnormal Psychology Normal and abnormal psychology can differ by culture. One’s normal behavior is that which allows for a society to maintain a productive and relationship driven life that does not differ drastically from the normalcy of said society (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). When an individual’s behavior is maladaptive to the culture he or she belongs, others will then classify said behavior as abnormal, and then will attempt to change that behavior. Wen-Sing Tseng, M.D. (2013), described a Latino man who hit his body and yelled very loudly, alone while in public, upon hearing of his wife’s death. The treating doctor was unsure if the man’s behavior...
Words: 1450 - Pages: 6
...further to identify the developmental periods as childhood and adolescence, early childhood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. At this point in time, it is formal to simplify various terminologies that relation to human development. This is because they will feature constantly in the preceding sections. First and foremost is development. This is simply a change characterized by movement from one state to another. Usually, development leads to transitions. Development, as will be used in this paper, will refer to growth, and progression through certain stages, commonly termed as “maturity.” Another term of significance is stage. This refers to sections that differentiate the various phases of growth. The phases involve changes which are either physical or intellectual and their subsequent impact on life events and experiences. This paper examines the wider field of lifespan development. It begins by exploring the stages of human development. As regards, the stages, the paper focuses on seven main stages i.e. the infancy stage, early childhood, middle childhood, Adolescence, early adulthood, middle...
Words: 4003 - Pages: 17
...Week 4 Assignment: Depression Paper Axia College of University of Phoenix Situational depression is a normal recurrence for many of us during our lifetimes. We have life events that trigger depression, stress and anxiety to include the death of a loved one, the unwanted change in our work status and possibly a divorce. Such changes in emotions are temporary and directly related to specific events are part of the way in which we respond to these changes. Outside these normal, healthy mood changes exists a world in which a small percentage of U.S. adults experience clinical depression. Clinical depression is a mental illness that is extreme enough that a person cannot function well in their daily lives. It may even cause the individual to be suicidal. Unipolar depression is the term ascribed to this condition (Comer, 2011). Symptoms of this illness are similar to those of mood disorder. The mood disorder is called bipolar disorder. In this assignment, I will compare causes, symptoms and treatments of these two illnesses. The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual describes unipolar depression as a significant depressive period that lasts more than two weeks during which the patient exhibits at least five depressive symptoms (Comer, 2011). Symptoms of depression include insomnia, daily bouts of depression, inability to concentrate on the task on hand, loss of appetite and a loss of interest in previously pleasurable...
Words: 1015 - Pages: 5
...MR. JONES (BIPOLAR DISORDER) GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY ABSTRACT This research paper discusses the movie “Mr. Jones.” It details the character Mr. Jones and tells about his current psychological condition (bipolar disorder). It further discusses the causes, symptoms, treatment, and ethical issues concerning this disorder. MR JONES Mr. Jones is a movie about a charismatic man who is diagnosed as bipolar and is committed to a psychiatric institution. He is diagnosed incorrectly at first but then receives the correct diagnosis and becomes romantically involved with psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Bowen. This movie deals with bipolar disorder and displays the signs and symptoms of the disorder, possible causes of the disorder, treatments of the disorder, and the ethical issues involved when the patient becomes romantically involved with his psychiatrist. Bipolar disorder, formally called manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by severe and recurrent depression or mania with abrupt or gradual onsets and recoveries (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011). The states of mania and depression may alternate where one mood state may predominate over the other, or they may be mixed or combined with each other (DSM-IV, 2006). Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings from overly high and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes. These are not the normal...
Words: 1850 - Pages: 8
...Conversion Therapy and It’s Effects Parents should learn to accept their child for who they are and for the person they are going to become, not by their sexual identity. Oklahoma has recently released a bill called HB1598. HB1598 is a bill that states that that mental health counselors may engage in “sexual orientation change efforts” with any patient—including those under 18 who are forced into the “therapy” by their parents. The bill also consciously refrains from outlawing the use of aversion therapy to change patients’ orientation, then helpfully outlines what such treatments might involve: Aversion therapy means any counseling by a mental health provider that exposes or asks a client or patient to undergo physical pain, such as electroshock or electroconvulsive therapy, touch therapy, pornography exposure or vomit-induction therapy, in order to change sexual behaviors or gender-identity expressions and/or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex. Often homosexual kids’ look for their parents’ approval and guidance. They want to be accepted by their parents. Some parents support their kids and others do not and go to the extremes of conversion therapy. Conversion therapy is a range of dangerous and discredited practices that falsely claim to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Such practices have been rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health organization of decades...
Words: 1233 - Pages: 5
...Depression Paper Jennifer Ridgeway Herrick PSY/270 August 18, 2013 Tanya Harrell Depression Paper Most people’s moods will come and go without incident. Their feelings of elation or sadness are understandable reactions to daily events and do not affect their lives greatly or the lives of people around them. The moods of people with mood disorders, in contrast, tend to last a long time. Their mood colors all of their interactions with the world and interferes with normal functioning of their daily lives. (Comer, 2011) According to the American Journal of Psychiatry, Patients with bipolar disorder differ from patients with unipolar depression by having family histories of mania with an earlier onset and by having more episodes over a lifetime. Their study was designed to determine whether additional aspects of course of illness, the presence of medical diseases, childhood traits, and other familial illnesses separate the two groups. The group of bipolar patients had an earlier onset, a more acute onset, more total episodes, andmore familial mania and were more likely to be male. These differences were relatively independent of each other. The bipolar patients were also more likely to be hyperactive as children. The unipolar patients had a significantly greater number of lifetime medical/surgical interventions than the bipolar patients, even when age was controlled. Alcoholism was more prevelant in the families of the bipolar patiens, even when alcoholism in the probands...
Words: 1212 - Pages: 5
...A Research Paper: Depression Depression is defined as a mental illness in which a person experiences deep, unshakable sadness and diminished interest in nearly all activities. The term depression is used to describe the temporary sadness, loneliness, or blues that everyone feels from time to time. Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses. The illness affects all people, regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic standing. Women are two to three times more likely than men to suffer from depression. Some depression seems to come out of the blue, even when things are going well. Others seem to have an obvious cause such as a marital conflict, financial difficulty, or some personal failure. Most psychologists believe depression results from an interaction between stressful life events and a person’s biological and psychological vulnerabilities. Depression runs in families also. Genetically identical twins raised in the same environment are three times more likely to have depression in common than fraternal twins, who have only about half of their genes in common. In addition, identical twins are five times more likely to have bipolar disorder in common. Studies have shown that certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters play an important role in regulating moods and emotions. Neurotransmitters involved in depression include nor epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. Studies have also suggested a relationship between neurotransmitter...
Words: 1089 - Pages: 5
...Adolescence……………………………10. The impact of Culture on Adolescent Depression…………………………………………...10. Abnormal behaviours associated with Adolescent Depression….…………………………..11. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………...11. References…………………………………………………………………………………...12. DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS 3. This research paper will address depression in adolescents. Depression is often labelled as ‘the sickness of our time’ due to its prolific nature. Some of the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of depression in adolescents as well as the contextualised issues, cultural implications and other abnormal behaviour associated with the disorder will be discussed. DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS 4. Background of Depression in Adolescence Adolescence is the period of transition from childhood to adulthood, a stage of major growth and development in which significant physiological, cognitive, psychological and behavioural changes take place. Understandably then, adolescence is a time of excitement and of anxiety; of happiness and of troubles; of discovery and of bewilderment; and of breaks with the past and yet of links with the future (Schmied & Tully, 2009). Research has revealed that depression is occurring earlier in life today than in past decades (NIMH, 2009). In addition,...
Words: 3461 - Pages: 14
...Did you know that 300 million people worldwide are affected by depression and depression could lead to suicide? Currently, about 800,000 people die every year to suicide and there is not enough help for all of these people who are suffering from depression and taking their lives. Many people think that depression isn’t as big of a problem compared to some other diseases. However, depression can lead to many other types of problems that can affect your body and your mental health. It also can lead to suicide, the second leading cause of death. This research paper will inform people about the causes of depression, how people are affected by it, and how people can be helped through depression. How is depression genetic? Well it could be because...
Words: 1700 - Pages: 7
...Paranoid schizophrenia, what must the nurse assess? How do they go about assessing? Upon assessing, how will the nurse manage the outcomes of the assessment? These important questions are what this paper will resolve. Through review of recent literature into the assessment and management of individuals affected by paranoid schizophrenia, this paper will discuss in detail how the nurse goes about assessing the patient, why assessment is vital, common outcomes of the assessment and finally go into detail on how the nurse manages a patient with paranoid schizophrenia. Stein-Parbury (2009) discuss the importance of providing an environment without distractions for an assessment to occur in, as this enhances the ability of both the patient and nurse to listen and understand. This can assist with patients with paranoid schizophrenia, experiencing perceptual disturbances or delusions. It is also important to provide a space that is private, thus giving the patient a sense of safety in disclosing personal information. Snyderman and Rovner (2009) highlight the importance of using a Mental State Examination (MSE), to assess the patients’ mental state and to aid in diagnosing a patients’ mental illness through identifying a range of sections including thought form, content and mood. It also enables the treating team to formulate a plan individualised to the patients needs. The following areas should be assessed in a mental state examination (MSE). Appearance including the physical characteristics...
Words: 2572 - Pages: 11
...Edexcel GCE Biology Advanced Unit 5: Energy, Exercise and Coordination June 2010 Scientific Article for use with Question 7 Do not return the Insert with the question paper. Paper Reference 6BI05/01 Turn over N37096A ©2010 Edexcel Limited. 1/1/1/1/1/ *N37096A* Scientific Article for use with Question 7 It’s All in the Mind The link between the brain as a physical organ and what we feel in our conscious mind has long been the subject of research, particularly where we appear to be unable to control aspects of mood or behaviour and where normal life is affected. Stress, pain and depression can be explained in terms of nerve impulses and brain chemistry, and the causes of Parkinson’s disease are well understood, but finding reliable ways of correcting problems has proved elusive. Understanding more about how the brain works may well lead to new methods for treating such problems. Dancing Worms and Deep Depression In a laboratory in Germany, a tiny worm dances to flashes of light. A flash of yellow and it darts forward. A flash of blue and it jerks back. Yellow, forward, blue, back – right on cue every time. The worm is not a toy or a robot but a living creature. It has been engineered so that its nerves and muscles can be controlled with light. With each flash of blue its neurons fire electric pulses, causing the muscles they control to clench. A flash of yellow stops the nerves firing, relaxing the worm’s muscles and lengthening its body once again. The worm is...
Words: 7091 - Pages: 29
