Chapter Fourteen Psychological Disorders

E. Mood Disorders

I'm, so depressed I don't have the energy to write anything here. Fortunately other "famous" people have had the same problem.

1. Introduction
2. Depressive Disorder
3. Bipolar Mood Disorder
4. Etiology of Mood Disorders

Contents

Introduction

Mood disorders are emotional disturbances.

• Unipolar disorders - depressed only
• Bipolar disorders - periods of both depression and mania

Depression Central


Seasonal affective disorder

Brief overview

Depressive Disorder

Persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in previous sources of pleasure.

• Comparison symptoms for depression and mania (Table 14.2)
  
  
• Dysthymic disorder - display mild but persistent symptoms of depression.

  Dysthymia description
  Dysthymia links

Bipolar Mood Disorder

Marked by periods of depression as well as mania.

Internet Mental Health Resource Page
Overview
Links


Cyclothymic disorder - milder but persistent symptoms.

Description
Links

Etiology of Mood Disorders

There is a great deal of research which investigates the causes of mood disorders.

General Etiology Overviews on the Web

Link page
Brief Research Summaries (233k)

Genetic Vulnerability

Genetic factors can create a predisposition for developing mood disorders

• Twin studies show stronger concordance in identical twins. (Figure 14.14)

Gene sites for bipolar disorder.
Heredity vs Environment paper

Neurochemical Factors

Mood disorders are accompanied by changes in neurochemical activities in the brain

Synopsis: Interactive imbalance likely among the following neurotransmitters: norepinephrine, serotonin, and acetylcholine.

• Neurochemical Model summarized in Figure 14.15.

Cognitive Factors: Learned Helplessness and Hopelessness

Negative thinking can lead to depression in many people

• Learned helplessness model of depression

  Chapter 13 (Stress)

• Hopelessness: Reformulation of learned helplnessness

  Attributional styles may be the key.
  
  Synopsis: People who consistently tend to make internal, stable , and global attributions are prone to depression

  • Attribution styles
    
    
  • Key dimensions in attributional style (figure 14.16)
    
    
  • Interaction between thinking, neurochemical changes and depression (Figure 14.17).
  
  Typical Cognitive Distortions
  

• Aaron Beck's Cognitive Theory of Depression to Chapter 15

Are depressed people overly pessimistic or are nondepressed people overly optimistic? The answer may surprise you.

Interpersonal Roots

Inadequate social skills put people on the road to depressive disorders

Precipitating Stress

The impact of stress varies by degree of personal vulnerability to mood disorders

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