...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 to ECT is based on early treatments in which high doses of electricity were administered without anesthesia, leading to memory loss, fractured bones and other serious side effects (NAMI, 2012). ECT is much safer today and is given to people while they're under general anesthesia. Although ECT still causes some side effects, it now uses electrical currents given in a...
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...Major Depressive Disorder Ethan Scott Oral Roberts University Major Depressive Disorder Overview and Symptoms “Depression is related to the normal emotions of sadness and bereavement, but it does not remit when the external cause of these emotions dissipates, and it is disproportionate to their causes” (Belmaker, 2008, p. 55). Severe states of depression often have no external precipitating cause, but it is hard to truly know if there was an external cause or not when dealing with severe depression (Belmaker, 2008). It is also known to occur with other mental health conditions such as anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, etc. Major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, which equals about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. It is also the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44. While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32 and is more prevalent in women than in men (Numbers Count, 2014). Diagnosis of Major Depression “The diagnosis of major depression requires a distinct change of mood, characterized by sadness or irritability and is accompanied by some psychophysiological changes” (Belmaker, 2008, p. 56). Major depression can be easy to diagnose from anyone with experience dealing with depression, but understanding the cause of the depression, internally or externally, can be a tough challenge (Carey, 2013). Symptoms of major depression...
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...Culture and Disease Bipolar Disorder in the United States Briana M. Bowers HCS/245 October 19, 2011 Rebecca Johnson BIPOLAR DISORDER IN THE UNITED STATES It is well known that diseases come in many forms. Whether the illness is physical or mental, the treatment for one should be as equally important as the other. Mental illnesses can affect the way one lives their lives. Depending on the severity of an individual’s mental illness can sometimes develop a physical disability if untreated. Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness defined as “a manic-depressive illness. It is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks” (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2008). Bipolar Disorder is easily described as a “roller coaster of emotions”; this meaning a person can switch between high and low emotions/behaviors at any given time. It has also been noted for an individual to experience hallucinations or delusions, depending on the severity of the current state that person is in. An article on Bipolar Disorder found on Health.com and reported on CNN.com notes, “2.4% of people have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Out of an 11-nation study, the United States has the highest lifetime rate of Bipolar Disorder at 4.4%, and India with the lowest at 0.1%” (Gardner, 2011). Bipolar Disorder comes in different forms. Bipolar Disorder I is “mainly manic or mixed episodes that last at least seven days,...
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...Should ECT be Used to Treat Mental Illness Electroconvulsive therapy is often said to be the quickest and most effective treatment in treating symptoms of mental disorders, but at what cost? Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is used to treat severe mental disorders such as, major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. The practice of ECT requires electrical currents to be applied to the brain which produces a generalized seizure. The application of electrical currents result in permeant and severe brain damage. The devastating negative effects greatly outweigh the short-lived successful results produced by ECT. ECT should not be used to treat mental disorders as it is unethical and unsafe. From the time we are children it is stressed that we need to protect our brain. As one...
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...Depression: Unipolar Vs. Bipolar Rebecca M. Azurmendi Psychology 270 July 14, 2013 Professor Moore Depression: Unipolar Vs. Bipolar Depression is sometimes not taken seriously or is misunderstood. Key emotions in mood disorders are depression and mania. Depression is an overwhelming feeling from the challenges of life and a low, sad state in which life seems dark. Mania is an exaggerated belief that the world is for the person’s taking. Unipolar depression is a form of depression that does not have a history of mania. Bipolar disorder is marked by the mixture of periods of mania and depression (Comer, pg. 194). Unipolar depression is often mistaken for clinical depression. Severe unipolar depression is twice as severe in women as it is in men. Between young boys and girls unipolar depression is similar (Comer, pg. 194). We have all experienced a form of depression at some point in our lives. The signs and symptoms are all different depending on the individual. Some symptoms can be less severe than the others. Symptoms of unipolar depression feed off emotionally, motivationally, behaviorally, cognitively, and physical categories of symptoms. Emotionally individuals feel sad, miserable, and unwanted. The lose most if not all pleasure in most things. Their sense of humor tends to fade away and many of them experience anxiety, anger, and agitation. Some individuals feel humiliated and dejected (Comer, pg. 195). The motivation symptoms of depression usually lead to...
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...Presented here it is a critical evaluation of biological approach for treatment of depression. Antidepressant are the most common biological treatment for this type of disorder, but treatments such as Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), alteration in sleep patterns following body temperature cycle are also used to relief the symptoms of depression. However antidepressant drugs provide an effective and inexpensive help, studies have found that the behavioural effects of these drugs could take over two weeks before showing any benefit and any perceived effect before this period would be a placebo effect (Kalat, 2001). Some studies proposed the existence of a two models markers for depression: Biological/endogenous & psychological/reactive depression. Based on this assumption an endogenous depression would only respond to a pharmacological treatment while a psychological depression would only respond to psychological treatment (Free & Oei, 1989). Further we will evaluate the effectiveness of a combined (cognitive-behavioural therapy and antidepressant) intervention in order to achieve a better outcome on treatment of depression. Depression is one of the most common illnesses and is characterised by symptoms such as loss of energy, sadness, difficulty in concentration and in the most serious cases the patient can contemplate or commit suicide. Research found that women are more likely to suffer from depression, with depressive episodes more probable to occur between 25 to 44 years...
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...particular neurotransmitter such as an increased level of dopamine can lead to schizophrenia. People can increase their dopamine levels by taking drugs such as cocaine which therefore is why schizophrenia is linked so much with cocaine. A piece of research which I have studied is the Gottesman study. This was the study of the meta-analysis twins. Gottesman studied approximately 40 twins (monozygotic and dizygotic twins) and found that the monozygotic twins had a 48% chance of developing schizophrenia if one twin had schizophrenia already, however in dizygotic twins there was only a 17% chance. This piece of research proves that genes are a reason for developing psychological illnesses. The treatments associated with the biological method are drugs such as medication to change the neurotransmitter levels in the brain which can therefore relieve symptoms of the mental illnesses. Another treatment is psychosurgery which is when the patient undergoes a brain surgery to destroy or separate parts of the brain. The psychosurgery reduced aggression and made people more placid but is now only a very last resort for some disorders such as very serious depression. The final treatment is electroconvulsive therapy. ECT is when the patient is given a shock of around 225 volts to the brain and is supposed...
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...After diagnosing the disorder, there are several types of treatments that can help a person live a more functional life. Understanding the symptoms to a disorder will be the key to getting help. There are different symptoms of unipolar depression such as emotional, motivational, behavioral, cognitive, and physical symptoms. Emotional symptoms may include sadness, emptiness, and a loss of pleasure, anxiety, anger, as well as crying episodes. Motivational symptoms can include not wanting to do what usually makes you happy, no drive, lack of spontaneity, and just a feeling of withdrawal. Some of the behavioral symptoms can be lying in bed more than usual, wanting to be alone, sometimes a persons talking and movement is slower than normal. Cognitive symptoms can be lots of negativity especially against themselves, and belief they are the cause for most problems in their life, they rarely or never give themselves praise for the good that they bring, hopelessness is another symptom and this is the one that makes suicide a higher risk. Some physical symptoms can include lots of ailments, such as headaches, stomach aches, also sleeping too much or too little. A person does not have to have symptoms in all areas, however in order to diagnose with sever unipolar depression a person must have at least five symptoms for at least 2 weeks. Sometimes the depression can cause hallucinations, but these are usually very extreme cases. There can be many factors for why a person develops depression...
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...A DISCUSSION ABOUT DEPRESSION Introduction In this paper we will discuss the causes of bipolar, unipolar disorder that an individual might experience during his/her lifetime. Bipolar and unipolar disorders are categorized into five groups biological, psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, and sociocultural. Each type of group can be treated in similar, but different ways depending on how severe the case might be. Individuals who are faced with these disorders will want to seek professional help and advice before it becomes too bad, and escalades to something they cannot control known as mania. Individuals who experience mania have a rough time doing normal everyday activities, such as such as getting out of bed and putting clothes on. When an individual experiences bipolar disorder it is a state of depression that causes the individual to go through extreme mood changes frequently. Before and while an individual is experiencing bipolar disorder they will also experience manic. When manic occurs within an individual it becomes very challenging for that individual to execute daily activities. Some individual experiencing severe unipolar disorder might become in a deep depression that affects their every activity. Some individuals who experience unipolar disorder at a high level can feel as if it is impossible to even become motivated to get out of bed, and start their day. While the depression stage of bi-polar disorder and unipolar is almost indistinguishable, it is...
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...Keller et al (1995) recommend that depression can be categorised under the DSM-IV-TR as a mood disorder. Mood disorder affects a person’s emotional state. These mood disorders include major depressive disorder depression and bipolar disorder. Major depressive disorder is also known as unipolar depression or simply major depression. It is a severe clinical mood disorder in which feelings, frustration, loss or anger inhibits with a person’s activities of daily living for long period of time (Beck 1967). Unipolar depression demonstrates itself as an episode of depression that can occur unexpectedly and bipolar depression substitutes between two mood extremes mania and depression (Beck 1967). Moreover unipolar involves neurosis manifestation and bipolar involves psychosis features. The aetiology of unipolar is unknown however research suggests a link to chemical changes in the brain and differences in gene make up. It is genetic but can also manifest in those with no family history (Jacob et al 1987). Contributory factors are alcohol and drug abuse, types of cancers and other medical conditions. Life changing issues such as job loss, divorce, death, illness, and social isolation, physical and emotional abuse can trigger unipolar depression. Jacob et al (1987) suggest that people with unipolar depression are more likely to use alcohol or illegal substances additionally these patients are at increased risk of other mental and physical health problems. Unipolar patients are more...
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...which people believe that they are already dead, mentally making them “zombies”, this illness is called Cotard’s Syndrome. This rare illness only has a few documented cases, since it can be easily confused with other illnesses. Both diagnosing and treating this illness can be very difficult for doctors. Although this Syndrome is extremely rare, the public should have at least some knowledge about it to prevent further confusion, and also so doctors can diagnose it more quickly and prevent the patient from self-harming themselves. Cotard’s Syndrome, is a rare mental illness in which the patient believes that they have already passed away, or that their organs have shut down. There has been a case study of a “43- year- old woman who believed that she had ‘no brain, nerves, chest, or entrails and was just skin and bone’ that ‘neither God or the Devil existed,’ and that she did not need food, for ‘she was eternal and would live forever.’ she had asked to be burned alive and had made various suicidal attempts.” (Berrios). Even with the illness being so rare, there have been multiple case studies done upon it, which means that it may not always be linked to other psychological disorders as many believe. With many psychological disorders, there is the risk of the patient harming others, which has been seen in a few cases, it is more common for a patient to harm themselves (Huber). While “the delusion of being dead is common, but delusions of immortality can also be present” ( Huber)...
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...Diagnosis and Treatment Elizabeth Rodriguez BEH/225 February 22, 2012 Richard Miller There are close to 15 million Americans who suffer from major depressive disorder today according to figure 12-1 in the Understanding Psychology textbook on page 396 (Morris & Maisto, 2010). Depression is a mood disorder in which a person is stuck in the emotional state of sadness regardless of any positive events in his life. Clinical depression last much longer than “normal” depression. Everyone, at some point in their lives, will experience “normal” depression which is usually a reaction to a stressful event or experience; when that depression continues long after the event it is considered a mood disorder. Depression is brought on by social, biological, and psychological factors and can be treated by therapies and medication. “Major depressive disorder is an episode of intense sadness that may last for several months…” (Understanding Psychology, Chapter 12, pg. 398). Besides the overwhelming feeling of sadness there are usually other symptoms. Concentration may be impaired making reading, working, or making decisions difficult. Problems with concentration and changes in short-term memory can be the first signs of depression. A person can lose interest in food, sex, or other activities he used to take pleasure in. Lack of sleep, Insomnia, or too much sleep is common. In some cases people may develop suicidal thoughts or tendencies; teenagers and young adults are more likely to act...
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...inhibitors (SSRIs) and placebos. He found that SSRIs were effective in reducing symptoms of depression in around 75% of patients compared with 33% for placebos. However the 33% of patients that felt better after taking the placebo drug suggests that the cause of depression is not all down to biological reasons but possibly cognitive too and that it may be about the way we think. There were factors that caused limitations to this study, the study was correlational, and this means that the cause and effect was not established between depression and the supposed cause. Hollon did a follow up study to see whether or not SSRIs are effective in treating the actual cause of depression or not. He found that those who were withdrawn from cognitive therapy had a relapse rate of 31% and those withdrawn from drug therapy had a relapse rate of 76%. This shows that drugs only treat the symptoms of depression rather than the actual underlying cause of depression. Therefore it is palliative. It is clear that drugs do not necessarily offer a long term cure as in many cases; symptoms recur when the drugs are no longer taken. To argue about appropriateness, MAOIs are not appropriate as they are associated with life threatening side effects such as cardiovascular disease and strokes. Many of the foods consumed in a normal diet contain tyramine which reacts adversely with MAOIs. Patients who are prescribed with MAOIs must restrict their diets. This is a hassle; the issue is that the...
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...condition, substance abuse, life events, or other events in life. However, I have experience with this disorder due to the fact I was diagnosis at 19 with mood disorder, I was also diagnosis with bipolar as well. Major depression consist of hopelessness and despair, which is also known as clinical depression. When dealing with major depression, it may be difficult to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy friends and activities. Clinical depression can happen only once in your life, while others have it several times in a lifetime. Major depression seems to occur from one generation to the next in some families, but may affect people with no family history of the illness. The symptoms of major depression include: profoundly sad or irritable mood, pronounced changes in sleep, appetite, and energy, difficulty thinking, concentrating, and remembering, physical slowing or agitation, lack of interest in or pleasure from activities that were once enjoyed, feelings of guilt, worthlessness, hopelessness, and emptiness, recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain. Bipolar disorder known as manic-depressive disorder is a...
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...Diagnosis and Treatment Shirlene Deshields Axia College of the University of Phoenix Mood Disorders are characterized by disturbances in mood or prolonged emotional state (Morris and Maisto, 2005). These disorders, also referred to as affective disorders, involve continual feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. Humans by nature have a wide emotional range. One moment a person can be “up” and then “down” the next depending on circumstances. For those with a mood disorder, this range of emotion is significantly constrained. Both Biological and Psychological Factors play a role in the development of mood disorders. There is evidence that exist that proves that this disorder can be passed down through genetics and are caused by certain chemical imbalances in the brain (Morris and Maisto, 2005). The most common mood disorders are depression, and bipolar disorder. When a person is persistently dealing with feelings of sadness beyond a time span of a few weeks, he or she may have depression. The mechanisms that trigger depression are still unknown to researchers. However, two natural substances that allow brain cells to communicate with one another-are also known as neurotransmitters are implicated in depression: serotonin and norepinephrine. Mood disorders are thought to be caused by nature and nurture. Biological factors that may lead to a bipolar episode are chemical imbalances...
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