Can we avoid becoming depressed? Norton Radstock U3A Psychology group September 2018

Transcription

1 Can we avoid becoming depressed? Norton Radstock U3A Psychology group September 2018

2 Depression :Some quotes Depression is evidence of growth and health in the emotional development of the individual. Donald Winnicott The Family and Individual Development 1965 Depression is the common cold of psychopathology and has touched the lives of us all, yet it probably the most dimly understood and most inadequately investigated of all the major forms of psychopathology. Martin Seligman Helplessness 1975

3 Can we avoid becoming depressed? Yes,we can. Says Bob the Builder

4 This session will look at the following areas: Some of the types and symptoms of depression Possible causes of depression Different theories of depression Ways in which depression may be treated How to avoid depression

5 What is depression?

6 Depression Almost all of us have at some time described ourselves as depressed, when we feel sad, dejected or lonely. These feelings are a normal response to losses and disappointments that are encountered. Clinical depression however is a distinct condition, quite different from our everyday experience of sadness.

7 Basic emotions According to Paul Ekman, an American professor of psychology, sadness is one of the six basic emotions. Can you name the other five?

8 The six basic emotions So the other five are: Anger, Disgust, Fear, Happiness and Surprise

9 How to avoid depression Enjoy yourself, be happy and laugh I understand you ve sacked your gardener You haven t met your merriness performance target!

10 Clinical depression Symptoms of major depression come and go in cycles. Most people who experience a major depressive episode go on to experience further episodes. These episodes usually last from four to six months.

11 What are the symptom of depression?

12 Signs and symptoms of depression How you might feel Down, upset or tearful Restless, agitated or irritable Empty and numb Isolated and unable to relate to other people No confidence or self esteem

13 Signs and symptoms of depression How you might behave Avoiding social events / activities you usually enjoy Difficulty in remembering or concentrating on things Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much Feeling tired all the time

14 Are there different types of depression?

15 Bipolar disorder This is also known as manic depression and is diagnosed when patients suffer from episodes of mania( i.e. states of high arousal and excitement: the opposite of depression). Periods of depression are not necessary for a person to receive a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Patients typically feel full of energy and they may feel elated or irritable. They may be a reduces need for sleep as well as an increased sexual appetite. Manic patients are often extremely impulsive and their judgement is impaired. This is much less common than unipolar depression.

16 Prenatal and post natal depression Prenatal depression may also be called antenatal depression and occurs during pregnancy. Postnatal depression (PND) occurs in the weeks and months after becoming a parent. It is usually diagnosed in women but it can also affect men.

17 Seasonal affective disorder Light boxes are often used in the treatment of S.A.D. Known as S.A.D. this is a mood disorder experienced in the short days of winter by as many as 10% of the population. As well as depression, symptoms may include a craving for high carbohydrate foods and sleepiness. The frequency of SAD amongst people in latitudes where winter nights are very long suggests that it may be related to day length. In the lighter, longer days of spring and early summer the symptoms of SAD disappear. SAD has been linked to a chemical called melatonin whose secretion peaks during long winter nights and then lowers as summer approaches

18 How to avoid depression Sing, either join a choir or sing in the shower. This should release endorphins, a chemical in the brain which increases you wellbeing. Even reading the lyrics of the songs can improve your mood.

19 What would I do without my music? Sometimes I stumble home at night discouraged Dragging my battered dreams behind Wondering if the battle s worth the fighting And why so many people s eyes are blind. What would I do without my song What would I do without my music To make things right when everything seems wrong And as I lose my worries in my music Dreams start rebuilding strong and high and though I may not be winning I m a long long way from losing

20 How to avoid depression Even if you can t sing, then just listen to a favourite piece of music and try to relax

21 What do these people have in common? Winston Churchill Stephen Fry Ruby Wax Hancock Van Gogh Answer: They have all suffered from mental illness; the top four from depression and Van Gogh from suspected bi polar disorder.

22 Measuring depression

23 Diagnosing mental illness There are two widely used systems which classify mental illnesses and also give guidelines on how to diagnose them. They are the DSM AND ICD

24 The DSM system DSM stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder. It is produced by the American Psychiatric Association. DSM 1V was published in 1994 and revised in DSM 5 was published in May 2013, but is not yet in common use. DSM 1V has 14 major categories of clinical syndromes The ones that are relevant here are: Mood disorders Anxiety disorders.

25 ICD This stands for the International Classification of the Causes of Disease and Death (ICD)and was developed by The World Health Organisation. The current version 1CD 10 was developed in 1992 and is currently being revised. One chapter of this is devoted to mental disorders. This has 11 categories of mental disorder which are broadly similar to those in the DSM. Symbol of World Health organisation

26 Avoiding depression: Practise self care 1 Work out what makes you happy. Try making a list of activities, people and place that makes you happy or feel good. Then make a list of what you do every day. It probably won t be possible to include all the things that make you happy but try to find ways to bring those tings into your daily activities.

27 Practise self care 2 Treat yourself When you re feeling down, it can be hard to feel good about yourself. Try to do at least one positive thing for yourself every day, such as spending time with a pet