Diathesis Stress Models of Depression

At the previous post, I already mentioning a bit about Diathesis Stress Models. Diathesis for depression can take the form of psychological vulnerability involves a style of thinking that tends to depression , which is characterized by a tendency to exaggerate the consequences of negative events , stacking faults in yourself , and perceive themselves as helpless to accept the impact of positive change . This cognitive diathesis may increase the risk of depression when faced with negatives life's event. This cognitive influences can also interact with a genetic diathesis -based on increasing the risk of depression is further in the aftermath of stressful life events. The availability of social support from others can help improve a person's resistance to stress during difficult times. People with more effective social skills may be able to collect and maintain social reinforcement from others that are better able to defend against depression than people who lack social skills. However, the biochemical changes in the brain can complicate a person to overcome the problems effectively and bounce back from stressful life events. Biochemical changes and feelings of depression that continues to happen would exacerbate feelings of helplessness, combined with the effects of the initial stressor and so on.

Gender-related differences in coping styles may also come into play. Men and women may respond differently to feelings of depression. According to Nolen - Hoeksema, women are more inclined to contemplate the face of emotional problems, and men are more likely to seek refuge in a bottle ( liquor ). These differences or the other in coping styles may encourage women to periods of depression longer and more severe while in men can form the stages of the development problems associated with liquor.

Attributional Theory

Learned helplessness models put forward the view that people can become depressed because he learned to regard themselves as helpless in controlling reinforcement - reinforcement in the environment or to change lives for the better. The first person who compile theory of powerlessness, Martin Seligman changed the theory of powerlessness within the framework of social psychology on attributional style ( attributional style ). Attributional style is a personal style in explaining something.

When disappointment or failure to appear, we may explain it in a variety of ways that have various characteristics. We can blame ourselves ( internal attribution ), or we can blame the situation we are facing ( external attribution ). We can see a bad experience as events inherent with personality characteristics ( stable attribution ) or as separate events ( attribution unstable ). We can see it as evidence of a wider problem ( global attribution ) or as a proof of particular weakness are limited ( specific attribution ). 

There are three types of attribution of the most vulnerable to depression:

1. Internal factors, or the belief that the failure to reflect the personal incompetence, and not external factors, or the belief that failure is caused by environmental factors.

2. Global factors, or the belief that the failure to reflect all errors in personality and not specific factors, or the belief that the failure to reflect the limited area of ability to function.

3. Stable factors, or the belief that the failure to reflect the personality factor that settled and not factors that are unstable, or the belief that the factors that led to the failure of it can be changed.

4. Combined Various Views

Depression and other mood disorders involve a variety of factors that influence each other. Consistent with the diathesis - stress model of depression may reflect an interaction between biological factors, psychological factors, as well as social and environmental stressors.

Stressful life events, such as long idle or divorce, can have a depressing effect by lowering the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain. This biochemical effect is more likely to occur, or more uncertain in people with a certain genetic predisposition, or diathesis for depression.However, a depressive disorder may not be developed, or can develop in a milder form, in people who have the coping resources more effectively to overcome stressful situations. For example, people who receive emotional support from others may be better able to cope with the effects of stress than those who have to deal with it themselves. Similarly, the person on active coping seek to resolve the challenges they face in life. Sociocultural factors can be major sources of stress that affect the development of mood disorders. These factors involve poverty, density, exposure to racism, gender discrimination, and prejudice, violence in the home or in the community, unequal stress burden imposed on women, and family breakdown. These factors are clearly involved in both the trigger mood disorders or be the cause of the recurrence of the disorder.

Psychodynamic Theory in Major Depression

Classical psychodynamic theory about depression from Freud (1917-1957) , believed that depression represents anger directed into oneself and not against those who are loved . Anger can be directed to self after experiencing the actual loss or threat of loss of those who considered this important .

Freud believed that mourning ( grieving ) is a healthy process for the bereaved person can finally detach themselves psychologically from someone who is lost due to death , separation , divorce , or other reasons . However , pathological grief that does not support a healthy separation . However , pathological grief that does not support a healthy separation . Instead , it will foster an endless depression . Pathological grief tends to occur in people who have a strong ambivalent feelings ( a combination of positive feelings ( love ) and negative ( anger, hostility ) ) against those who have gone or feared his departure . Freud theorized that when people feel lost , or even the fear of losing , an important figure of the person to whom they have ambivalent feelings , their angry feelings toward that person turns into extreme anger . However , extreme anger is triggered guilt , which actually prevents them to direct anger directly to people who have gone

To maintain a psychological relationship with the lost object , they use intro-injection , or brought into , a mental representation of the object . They then unite others into the self . Now anger inward , dealing with a part of the self that represents representation in of missing persons . This gives rise to self - hatred , that would cause depression .

Although also stressed the importance of the loss, the latest psychodynamic models focus more on issues related to feelings of self - worth individual will or self - esteem . A model , called the model of self - focusing , consider how people allocate their attentional processes after a loss ( death of loved ones , personal failures , etc) . According to this model , people who are susceptible to depression have a period of self - examination (self - focusing ) intense after the occurrence of a loss or a big disappointment . They become fixated on thoughts about the object ( the loved one ) or missing an important goal and still can not give up hope of somehow a way to get it back .

Humanistic Theory in Major Depression

According to the framework of the humanistic , people become depressed when they can not fill their existence with meaning and can not make choices that produce authentic self -fulfillment. If we think our lives are drab maybe we have prevented the achievement of our need for self - actualization .

Humanistic theorists also focus on the loss of self - esteem that can occur when people have lost a friend or family member , or a decline or loss in jobs . We tend to connect personal identity and sense of self - worth us with our social roles as parents , spouse , student , or worker . If this role is lost identity , through the death of a spouse , the children had gone to college , or the loss of a job , a sense of purpose and self - worth we can be shaken . Depression is a frequent consequence of such loss . Especially if we base our self- esteem on the job role or success . Lost jobs , lower rank , or the failure to achieve a sale is the usual trigger of depression , especially when we are brought up to judge ourselves by the success of the work .

Stress and Mood Disorders in Major Depression

Stressful life events such as losing a loved one , breakup of a romantic, old unemployed life , physical pain , problems in marriage and relationships , economic hardship , pressure at work , or racism and discrimination increase the risk of developing a recurrence of a mood disorder or mood disorder , especially major depression . On a sample study , researchers found that in about four out of five cases , major depression preceded by stressful life events. People are also more likely to be depressed if they bear the responsibility of undesirable events , such as school problems , financial difficulties , unwanted pregnancy , interpersonal problems , and trouble with the law.

Stressful life events can contribute to depression , and symptoms of depression in themselves can be pressed or cause the emergence of additional resources on stress , such as divorce or loss of a job .

Although stress implicated in depression , not all people who experience stress becomes depression . Factors such as coping skills , genetic inheritance , and the availability of social support contribute to the tendency of depression when faced with stressful events . The development of depression also can be affected by torture or trauma in the past. Consistent with the model diathesis stress , researchers found that young women are more likely to develop depression when faced with stressful life events when they have diathesis in the form of exposure to adversity in childhood such as family violence or mental illness or alcoholism parents. Physical or sexual abuse in childhood can interfere with the development of early bonding with parents , forming stages of development for relationship problems and emotional disorders involving depression and anxiety in the future.

The availability of social support is also associated with more rapid healing better than episodes of major depression and bipolar disorder . People with major depression often lack the skills needed to solve interpersonal problems with friends , coworkers , or supervisors . But those who take a more active approach in solving interpersonal problems tend to have better clinical outcomes than those whose depression had a more passive coping style .

Dealing with Major Depression (As Friend or Interlocutor of the Patient)

In previous post we already talk about how to deal with major depression if we're the patient. Now, I want to discuss about how to deal with whoever suffer from major depression as a friend or interlocutor of the patient. We live in a social environment where we do not know with who we will interact with. When we begin to interact with someone , we can not immediately tell whether the person is suffering from major depression or not. But, it's different matter if we can use mind reading and read the mind of anyone in front you  :D Asumming we can't reading mind, what we must do if we encounter and interact with the sufferer?

Recognize signs of major depression

When talking to a someone and he began to open up , be aware of signs of major depression in him . Maybe he talk when he was having trouble sleeping , or he was not excited when socializing and or maybe he had thoughts of suicide . Remember ! To deal with it , first we need to know whether the person we are talking to actually suffering from major depression or not.

Be a Good Listener

Be a good listener , do not need to think too deeply about the answers to every story. Just focus to every story and do not ignore it . Depressed patients have sensitive feeling and can think that we actually ignore him.

Don't Underestimate every story!

This is very important ! Try to always believe every story he told the story though strange . Any criticism is forbidden for people suffering from mental health problems . Because of the criticism will make people lose trust in us and he will feel belittled and demeaned .

Give him thought to meet a therapist

Seeing a therapist is a very necessary thing for a patient with depression . Tell him that the therapist can help to solve the problem .

Always Good to New People 

Be good to everyone will help us to get closer to him . Because we do not know the life of every person , so be good to everyone.

If you have another thought, we can discuss it and

Thank you for reading :)

Dealing with Major Depression (As the patient)

a professor said that major depression can be cured even without the use of prescribed medications as directed. How can we do it? It can be done by make a new lifestyle that can boost our mood and avoid any aspect that can deal much stress in our life. So, minimizing stress is the best way to do it. How can we do it?

1. Talk with a  therapist

Talking with a therapist is very important , because a teraphist can give advice on how we can organize our lives and reduce the level of stress that occurs . In addition it can help us to improve our self-esteem.

2. Improve our self image

Increase our self image is important to boost our mood . Try to smile at ourselves in the mirror and focus on the good things will help to boost our self image . And then, we can conduct activities that can improve our self-esteem such as fitness and healthy diet .

3. Follow your schedule

Sometimes , a person with depression feel themselves less motivated to do something . The way to handle it is to make a schedule and follow the schedule that we created. Make a schedule where you can enjoy it to the fullest (but don't forget about your duty). In this way , we can begin to forget about the depression that we have.

4. Stay involved

Away from social life is one of the symptoms of depression . The way to cope it is not to stay away ! Social life is very important and we can not deny that people is a social creature . Away from social life will only make us tend to spin in the current depression, therefore look for fun activities such as watching a movie or walking the street with a friend , so it will improve our mood.

5. Express yourselft through writing

Writing is a good way to manage depression . Having a diary would be very good to help us let go of any thoughts and feelings that we have. To that end , be honest in writing this book and feel the difference between before and after writing.

6. Believe

And the last, we must believe that everything will go well.

Thank you for reading :)

Example Case of Major Depression

At the last post I already give a picture about major depression through example of film, a this opportunity I want to give a real case to make us have a better understanding about major depression.

Example case:

An administrative employee, 38 years old, had received a brief depression that came up repeatedly since she was 13 years old. Recently, she was troubled by the attacks crying in the workplace, sometimes appear very suddenly that she did not have enough time to run to the ladies toilet in order to hide her tears from others. She had difficulty concentrating at work and feel less gets satisfaction from her which she usually enjoy. She kept a pessimistic feeling and severe anger, which lately has become more severe because of her weight increased and she ignores her treatment of diabetes. She felt guilty about the possibility that she was killing herself slowly by not maintaining better health. He sometimes felt deserved to die . She was disturbed by excessive sleepiness during the last year and a half , and the driving license has been detained since last month's accident in which she fell asleep at the wheel , causing her car crashed into a public phone box. Almost every morning she woke up with dizziness and feeling " not excited " , and still sleepy during the day. She never had a steady boyfriend, and peaceful life with her mother, in the absence of close friends outside the family. During the interview , she repeatedly cried and answered questions in a voice that was slow , while constantly looking down. (Adapted from Spitzer et al ., 1989 , p 59-62 in the book Abnormal Psychology in a Changing World ).

Hope you get better understanding about major depression topic

Thanks for reading :)

Example of Film about Major Depression

Here is the example of film that can make us getting better picture about major depression. Hope you'll like it 

Title                     : Ordinary People

Actor & Actress : Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Timothy Hutton, Judd Hirsch, Elizabeth McGovern

Summary :

This film tells about a family which experienced a disaster, the death of their eldest son. This story start from Conrad Jarret (Timothy Hutton), the figure of a handsome young man but looks stiff and uneasy. He is like losing side of affection when dealing with other people such as family and friends. Later revealed that it arises from a sense of regret for his brother 's death that occurred in front of his eyes. Scene after scene gave an overview to the audience that the three main figures of this film ; Father ( Donald Sutherland ), mother ( Mary Tyler Moore ), as well as Conrad Jarrett is the type of family that looks good on the outside but actually has lost the ability to establish intense communication between them. This film tells the story of impotence with very good communication between them with scenes reasonable, solid and effective.This conflict continues to grow with the involvement of the father were hit by confusion. On the one hand, he recognizes that what is perceived Conrad was true, and it was happening to her, but on the other hand he could not fully sided with his son, in order to save the family.

Thank you for reading :)

Risks Factor for Major Depression

In reality, major depression attack more than twice as many women than men.  Arround 24% of women and 11% of men will thoroughly suffer one or more episodes of major depression in their lifetimes. Compared to heart disease and alcoholism which caused almost 25% of death, major depression almost rival them in statistic issue.

Although major depression attacking people of all ages, it often attacking people at age 24-45. Beside them, college student are also in high risk to suffer from major depression, but this issue often unrecognizable because the symptoms resemble like teen problem such as change in mood, problem with friend and assignment, irritability and etc. And the most dangerous if this illness is untreated, it'll lead the sufferer to conclusion of suicide.

Although major or clinical depression now is second leading cause of death among people between age 15-25, we must not take this matter lightly to elderly. The symptoms of major depression at elderly such as fatigue and sad mood often mistaken to aging process, if we aren't aware of this matter it'll become serious problem because the depression of elderly have higher risk of suicide than younger people.

Thanks for reading :)

How to Prevent Major Depression?

To prevent this illness, it can be done by not consuming alcohol and any forbidden medicine, because they can make depression more serious and occurs to suicide though. Beside that, if we must consume some medicine, we must ask the doctor about the side effect of the medicine and the right doze to consume them. False doze can make the depression more serious and it'll not good to our mental health.

And here is other thing we must do to prevent the depression :

1.  Get Your Exercise Everyday

Running 10 minute everyday will keep our blood to circulate well and make our body healthy. One quotes from the elderly "Men Sana in Corpore Sano", In a strong body there is a healthy soul.

2. Try to Keep Healthy Sleeping Habit

What I mean in this point, everybody often to have bad sleeping habit. Let's make healthy sleeping habit, if we often sleep at 11 PM, everyday let's sleep at 11 PM, because a change in our sleeping habit will result in insomnia. And all of the depression symptoms is insomnia to the sufferer.

3. Get any Hobby that Lead to Happiness

Try to find any hobby that can make you happy. This way, it'll make your mind far from depression

4. Involved in any Group Activity

5. Talk with anybody Who Know Your Feeling

Talk to those who care for you and know how to treat you well, it'll help you a lot to prevent depression.

6. Try to Befriend with Positive and Caring People

Remember! You are like 5 people who closest to you! So it's very important to choose a friend. If we're close with friend who always sighing and complaining about life, of course we'll be dragged like those. So, We must clever to choose our friend :D

Thank you for reading :)

Symptoms of Major Depression with psycothic features

Here is the list that the sufferer already reach this stage:

1. Spending a lot time in bed

    In this case, the sufferer will often to spend time in bed at day and wake up at night

2. Starting to have delusions

     Starting to have delusions and hallucination about thing that doesn't exist in the first place. Maybe they think that devil is possesing them or commited sins that actually they don't do. They starting to have illogical and strange ideas about themselves.

3. Fast to get angry

    Because of the sensitivity they have, the will fast to get angry for no apparel reason

4. Ignoring their own appearance

    They will neglect their own appearance by not bathing or changing clothes

5. Hard to talk to

    It's hard to talk to those who suffer from this illness

    Thank you for reading :)

What is Major Depression with Psychotic Features?

Have you ever heard about psychotic features that happen in someone who suffer major depression? I ever read it once in Tonny Robbins book "Awaken the Giant Within". In his seminar, someone suddenly stand and shouting "everything is dark!" So, actually what is major depression with psychotic features?

To put it simply, major depression with psychotic features is a major depression that reach severe criteria, which the sufferer experience depession along with lost touch with reality (psychosis). In this state, the sufferer will have major depression symptoms followed by hallucination and delusion. This hallucination can be hearing thing that doesn't exist which always make the sufferer to feel down. And delusion about bad thing are about to happen.

To explain it easily, it's like fatamorgana which often happen in the dessert. But, it's happen to those who suffer this illness in severe degrees.

Thanks for reading :)

Effect of Major Depression

In previous post, we already discuss a little bit about effect of major depression. But, actually what kind of hardship that the sufferer of this sickness must face everyday? I'll try to explain it in simple way. 

Major Depression will affect the life of the sufferer directly or undirectly. It may cause the sufferer to have very bad sleeping habit. Normal person who have problem with his sleeping (such as insomnia or hypersomnia) will have her life become mess, because he/she will feel fatigue from lack of sleep. Then, can you imagine how the person that suffered from major depression have sleeping habit? Of course it'll become serious disaster.

Beside that, it'll affect everyday life of the sufferer. Because he/she can't enjoy normally enjoyable experience, it may cause the sufferer to pull him/herself from social life and it'll cause them to get isolated from society. Obviously, it'll affect the sufferer's school, work, and family life. It may lead to drop out, fired, and divorce that followed by feeling of worthlesness.

Because of depression that doesn't stop, the sufferer will seek for pleasures that he/she can get from forbidden medicinal item. And we know that if someone get addicted to them will lead into another disaster such as major depression with psychotic features. In worst case scenario, the sufferer will get tired of everyday life and this will lead to suicide. 

If I imagine it happen in my life, I think I don't know what must I do to live in this world again. It must be very hard to those who suffer this depression. So, let's support them with affection and open hands. And most of all, let's not judge and not treat any people carelessly. Because everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. 

Thanks for reading

How Long Does Major Depression Last?

"How long I must suffer from this depression? I can't endure this any long" That's some phrase that usually pop from the patient of major depression. Of course they'll feel annoyed from that. Why? Because it'll lead they life in serious problem.

For example, because of major depression, someone's daily life will be ruined. Her/His school or work life will be damaged and in the worst case, it may cause someone get fired from his/her company or school. Another example, it can make the social or family life of the sufferer become broke and in the worst case it'll lead to fight and divorce. And the sufferer of major depression is close of using medical item that actually forbidden to use to seek for pleasure, and it obviously will lead into another problem. Wow! Those aren't just simple problem right?

So, it's very important to treat it as fast as possible. People who are depressed cannon simply "pull themselves together" and be cured. The proper treatment is very needed by the sufferer of major depression to overcome this illness. The untreated clinical depression can last for week, month, or years, it doesn't have certain time to cured. It's depend on the mind and mental condition of the sufferer.

But, we must be careful to find the right psychotherapies. Certain psychotherapies can actually worsen depression and make the treatment take long time, which is why it is important that we must well informed about depression treatment.

Thanks for reading :)

Major Depression Medication

At our last discussion, it said that major depression is a sickness that as dangerous as chronic pysical sickness like diabetes.
Maybe some of you worried now, some question like "how can I live with this chronic sickness?" ever pop out in your head. But, I want to say this now, don't worry guys :)

This sickness already have medication on its own.  There are many ways how to medicate this sickness. First thing we must remember, this isn't pysical sickness that only can be treated using medicine or herbal. Major depression is mental issues, so the medication must be done by general practitioner or psychologist to do some teraphy to the patient , so first thing to do is to find a professional psychologist. And then , the best way to medicate this depression is to combine pshychoterapy and along with it also using medication item such as antidepressant to boost the recovery effect and time. 

And lastly say, mental issues such as major depression isn't a sickness that the doctor will cure it for you. It's a sickness where the patient must find their own way to cure themself. The teraphyst only act as a medium to help the patient to find the root of depression. 

So, it's very important and I recommend to find some motivational book, that will help you to find some new way of life. Stay positive, do your best and everything will be alright :)

Thanks for reading.

Major Depression Diagnosis

How to diagnosis major depression? Is it using laboratory check up such as X-Ray test? Or using blood test? To answer this question, first thing that we must know, major depression isn't a physical sickness that attacking  human organ. If we talk about "major depression", it's a sickness that attacking psychology or mental of human.

So, to diagnosis this sickness, it only can be known by:

1) Pysical Exam and Laboratory Test, to make sure if there aren't any physical sickness or medical issues that lead to major depression.

In this exam, the doctor can use blood test to check if there are any medical issues that can lead to major depression.
For example, the use of alcohol or any medical item that out of dose, medication of cancer or stroke, and hypotiroidsm. That kind of medical issues also may lead to major depression.


2)Psychological Evaluation, to check the sign of depression
.

This medical evaluation must be held by general practitioner or psychologist. What will they do to the check the patient? First thing that they must do is to records the person's current circumtances, biographical history, current symptoms, and family history of the sufferer.
They will do some interview about personal and family psychiatric history. Maybe, it's also need to complete a depression screening test.

The conclusion is, someone can be diagnosed suffer from major depression after completing those evaluation.

Thanks for reading :)

Symtoms and Signs of Major Depression

So, what symptoms that the sufferer of Major Depression have? Here is the list:

Depressed mood, such as feeling sad and cannot feeling pleasure on normal enjoyable activity.

Fatigue or loss energy almost everyday

Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost everyday 

Recurring thought of dead or suicide.

Sudden change in appetite

Significant weight gain or loss

Trouble concentrating

Feeling of  Worthlessness

Withdrawal from social situations and activity

Major depression will affect person's family, school or work life, eating habits, and general health. Some research says that the impact of major depression is as same as chronic medical disease like diabetes.

And more dangerously, at elderly major depression often coexist with some medical issues such as stroke, other cardiovascular diseases, parkinson's disease, and chronic pulmonary disease.

If depression is in very severe condition, it may occur to depression with psychotic features. In this condition the patient may have hallucination and delusions.

Thanks for reading :)

What Causing Major Depression?

Major Depression or Clinical depression can be cause by several thing. These are the example of what caused major depression 

The wrong usage of medicinal item

using alcohol and other medicinal item which not in accordance to the right usage and dose, or even use it only for pleasure may damage the nervous system and causing major depression.

Sadness from Losing a Loved One or Personal Conflict in Relationship 

Having a hard condition in relationship and lose someone special through death, separation, or divorce may lead to overwhelming sadness and causing major depression.

Sleeping Problem

Cannot sleep or often we called "insomnia" is a serious problem that may occur depression. 

Social Isolation or Feeling of Being Deprived

This may happen in most of people, although there is no one that isolating him/her, sometimes people always feels like the world is isolate him/herself, and this kind of feeling can lead to major depression.

Certain Medical Condition 

The people which have medical conditon such as underactive thyroid, cancer, and long term pain will have huge chance to suffer depression.

Physical and Communication Abuse 

Hard and painful experience will always haunt the victim and lead to depression.

Major Life Change

Such as moving, graduation, job change, retirement at first will cause stress and if the people cannot adapt well, it'll cause depression.

Thanks for reading :)

What is Major Depression?

Do you ever feel like you're not in good condition to doing anything? Everything feels not good and it make you feel so bored and empty? Or Maybe you feel like you're doing something fun, but you're not feel excited from it? And finally, it'll lead you in conclusion that you're suffering mental issues called "Major Depression". 

Maybe all of them is actually the symptoms of sickness called Major Depression. But, don't worry, actually Major Depression is more deeper than all of that symptoms. So, what is "Major Depression"? Major depression is a mental issues/sickness that marked by persistent low mood and lost interest in normally enjoyable activity, and the sufferer will suffer a constant sense of hopelesness and despair. And what make the sufferer of major depression or clinical depression different from thos who don't suffer?


An individual that endure this sickness will facing hard time to eat, sleep, enjoy some times with close friend and it'll obviously affecting school time, daily, work, and family life. It'll make them feel like they want to die or disappear from this world. This depair and constant sense of hopelesness that made this depression different from a simple low mood condition. 

This depression is unique and can be different to each person, some will have this depression once in a lifetime, while the others will have it several times. But, people who affected by major depression will usually think most sad and unfortunate almost all of the situation in their life.

Sometimes, if we're facing situation in simply low mood, don't jump to conclusion too fast, it's normal for everyone to have low mood sometimes. So, what'll happen to those who actually suffer this condition? We'll discuss it at another article
Thanks for reading :)