Description
Select a psychological disorder that you are likely to deal with in your chosen career. You may continue with the pretend client you used in your first two assignments. Write a six to ten (6-10) page report that specifically addresses all of the following:
- Name of this disorder.
- Symptoms of this disorder.
- Number of people or percentage of the population diagnosed with this disorder each year.
- Suspected causes of this disorder.
- Write a paragraph on how this diagnosis could be treated by each of the four major schools of psychotherapy (Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Behavioral, and Cognitive).
- Which therapeutic approach do you think is best for this problem; why?
- What kind of resistance would you expect in treating this kind of problem?
- How might the Prochaska Model of Change assist with your treatment efforts? Explain.
- How might manualized approaches to therapy help or hinder your treatment efforts? Explain.
- Discuss any dual diagnosis issues that are likely with this diagnosis. (Please include at least one source external to the text, to support your conclusions regarding possible dual diagnosis).
- What specific population or populations (age, sex, ethnicity, etc.) are you hoping to help? As a mental health professional, what ethical and/or cultural issues should you consider? How would you address those issues?
Each paper should include:
- A title page
- The paper itself (the "discussion")
- Correct APA formatting for in text citations
- A reference page
- Use standard margins: 1" on all sides.
- Use standard 12-point Times New Roman Font.
- Use standard double-spacing: 22 lines per page.
- Use left-aligned text. Do not right-justify.
Main reference
Pomerantz, A. (2014). Clinical Psychology, 2nd Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
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Explanation & Answer
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Running head: MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (CLINICAL DEPRESSION)
Major Depressive Disorder (Clinical Depression)
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MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (CLINICAL DEPRESSION)
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Major Depressive Disorder (Clinical Depression)
Clinical Depression is one of major mental illnesses that compromise ability of people to
lead comfortable life (Hall-Flavin, 2017). According to American Psychiatric Association
diagnostic manual, mental illness is defined as “a syndrome characterized by a clinically
significant disturbance in an individual’s cognitive, emotion regulation, or behaviour that reflects
dysfunction in the psychological, biological or developmental process underlying mental
functioning. Mental disorders are usually associated with significant distress in social,
occupational, or important activities”. Clinical depression is more severe form of depression
hence called major depression or major depressive order. Generally, depression may be serious,
mild or temporary mental inability that affects many people in the United States of America and
the world at large. Symptoms of mental depression are severe enough to cause huge problems in
family relationships, day to day running of activities, compromised school work and
interferences of social activities (Hall-Flavin, 2017).
Clinical depression may affect people of any age, social status and within any
environmental setup (Hall-Flavin, 2017). It is important to know that clinical depression is a
mental disorder that may be improved by psychological counseling and use of antidepressant
medications or combinations of the two treatment approaches. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is the most effective tool for diagnosis of clinical depression.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was designed by the American
Psychiatric Association in 1952 and it has proved being most effective tool used in the process of
treating clinical depression among people. Effective diagnosis and treatment of clinical
depression does require input of the following advanced healthcare professionals: psychiatrists,
psychologists, community counselors, therapists and clinical social workers (Stein et al. 2010).
MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (CLINICAL DEPRESSION)
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Symptoms of Clinical Depression
There are numerous signs and symptoms of clinical depression that affect many people
regardless of social or economic status. The symptoms are wide enough and should there be
reluctance in resorting to effective mechanisms of addressing these challenges, an individual
stands higher chance of succumbing to serious mental illness or even death. Clinical depression
is associated with the following signs and symptoms: ever increasing feelings of sadness,
tearfulness and hopelessness, loss of pleasure in important and normal activities such as personal
hobbies, reduced libido among married couples, sleep complications such as insomnia or
sleeping too much for no good reason, increased feelings of anger, irritability and frustration
over small matters, lack of energy to perform minor tasks such as lifting a cup from the floor,
compromised appetite and weight loss or even increasing cravings for food, anxiety, agitation
and state of being restless, reduced state of thinking, body movements and even speaking and
reduced self confidence among people (Hall-Flavin, 2017).
Clinical depression may also manifest itself in form of having trouble to think or lack of
concentration over small things, frequent recurrent of dangerous thoughts such as suicidal
thoughts and unexplained physical problems such as back aches and headaches. Clinical
depression may lead to increased chances of drug and alcohol abuses and unusual changes in
eating habits (Hall-Flavin, 2017).
Suspected Causes of Clinical Depression
Exact cause of Major Depressive Disorder is unknown. However, there are various risk
factors that may increase chances of an individual succumbing to clinical depression. For
example, combination of stress and genes interfere with brain chemistry leading to inability of
MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (CLINICAL DEPRESSION)
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the brain to maintain good stability. Any form of hormonal imbalance has adverse effects in
accelerating development of major depressive order (Legg, 2017). Major Depressive Disorder
can be triggered by abuse of alcohol and other illegal substances, specific and nauseating
medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and continued use of some medications such as
steroids. It has been estimated by researchers that out of fifteen people, there are higher chances
that ten of them will experience clinical depression at least once in their lifetime. Numerous
scholarly articles have linked genetic as major cause of clinical depression among people. Any
form of imbalance in the neurotransmitters necessary for mood regulation enhances major
depressive order among people. Female sex hormones during birth and menstruation make them
succumb to major depressive order. Seasonal affective disorder is another risk factor for clinical
depression among people. Other risk factors are poor nutrition, physical health problems, and
stressful life events such as death of loved ones and grief and loss (Schimelpfening, 2018).
Statistics of Major Depressive Disorder (Clinical Depression).
According to world health organization, 5% of men and 9% of women do experience
depressive disorders once in their lifetime. More than 14 million Americans are affected by
Major Depressive Disorder. Out of this, more than 6.7% comprises of adult population and those
who are above eighteen years of age. According to United States Census Bureau Population
Estimates by Demographic characteristics conducted in 2005, medium age for major depressive
disorders in the United States is 32 years. Journal of American Medical Association does
estimate that more women are vulnerable to Major Depressive Disorder (clinical depression) as
compared to women. Individuals suffering from depression are at high risk of developing heart
attacks as compared to those individuals without history of the illness.
MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (CLINICAL DEPRESSION)
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Major depressive disorder does come with other illnesses and medical conditions. For
example, 25% of cancer patients are at high risk of developing clinical depression. 10-27% of
patients suffering ...
