Depression

• what is unipolar depression?

  paitents experience only one end on the mood continuum (extreme lows)
• what is bipolar/manic depression?

  paitents experience alterating mood between extreme highs and lows.
• what is endogenous depression?

  internal, biochemical and hormone factors.
• what is exogenous depression?

  related to stressful life events.
• what are some emotional characteristics of depression?

  anger, sadness, worthlessness, loss of interest/pleasure.
• what are some behavioural characterisitics of depression?

  reduced energy, poor hygiene, weight changes.
• what are some cognitive characteristics of depression?

  irrational beliefs, poor memory, hallucinations.
• what are some features of unipolar depression?

  • more prevalent in women.
  • found in all ages & cultures
  • rarely lasts long in childhood so not classified until 12 years old.
• what is the DSMV model's classification for depression?

  sufferers have 5 or more of following symptoms during the same 2 week period; at least one of the symptoms is depressed mood or loss of interest in pleasure:

  • depressed mood most of the day
  • diminished ability to think/concentrate
  • fatigue/loss of energy nearly every day
  • significant weight loss/weight gain
  • recurrent thoughts of death
• what did beck suggest?

  some people more vunerable to depression than others. it's a person's cognitions that create this vunerability.
• how does beck say schemas relate to depression?

  they're based on our expectations. things that don't fit w/ our schemas can be ignored/distorted. beck suggests that negative schemas could be caused by repeat criticism/rejection in childhood.
• what's an example of a schema linked to depression?

  expecting to fail "i will fail this exam because i'm stupid."
• what do we do with information that confirms our negative thoughts?

  we accept it.
• what do we do with information that goes against our negative thoughts?

  we ignore it.
• what does this do to a person's level of depression? why?

  increases it, as it strengthens our negative beliefs.
• what is beck's cognitive triad?

  1. negative view of the self
  2. negative view of the future
  3. negative view of the world
• what are some cognitive biases?

  • over generalise- e.g. "everyone hates me."
  • catastrophising- exaggerate a minor setback and believe that it’s a complete disaster
  • arbitrary inference– feeling worthless because it rains on your birthday​
• what did ellis say about depression?

  good mental health was the result of positive thinking. poor mental health was the result of mustabatory thinking.
• what is mustabatory thinking?

  certain ideas must be true in order for an individual to be happy.
• what is the abc model?

  A: activating event

  B: belief (rational/irrational)

  C: consequence
• ​what are the three most important irrational beliefs identified by ellis?

  • i must be approved/accepted by people i find important.
  • i must do well, or i am worthless.
  • the world must give me happiness or i will die.
• what will happen to a person who has these irrational beliefs? why will this happen?

  very least likely to be disappointed and at worst depressed. this is due to high expectations and pressure which they place on themselves. ​
• what is a schema?

  • cognitive framework that helps us to organise/interpret info based on our expectations.

  things that don't fit our schema can be ignored/distorted.

  exp that supports this theory = the war of the ghosts story.