Depression Psychological Evaluation Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda®
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment

Chad is going through a condition known as depression. Many people undergo a period of sadness as a normal reaction to the disappointments, struggles and setbacks in life. Depression accounts for more than one in ten years of life lived with disability. Its prevalence is ten percent, and it ranks fourth as causes of disability worldwide.

The first step to managing the condition is to seek help from a medical doctor or preferably a mental health specialist. There are certain medications and medical conditions, for instance hyperthyroidism, which can cause depression-like symptoms. A doctor can examine the patient fully to rule out the differential diagnoses.

If there are no significant findings, a psychological evaluation will have to be done. The case may then be referred to a mental health specialist. Once diagnosed with depression, the specialist will initiate treatment. It should be noted that one treatment will not work for everyone. Treatment is personalized to fit the individual’s needs.

The approach to management is based on the biopsychosocial model. Optimal benefits are achieved from a combined approach. Biological treatment includes the use of antidepressants for six to eight months and if relapse occurs, continue for two years. Other physical treatments include electroconvulsive therapy, light therapy and psychological management.

Electroconvulsive therapy is, however, not preferred by many patients due to its numerous side effects. These include confusion, disorientation and memory loss. These side effects usually disappear with time. The patient should give informed consent before allowing the procedure to be performed on them.

Examples of antidepressants used include Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors and Mono-amide Oxidize Inhibitors. According to the Monoamine Hypothesis, these serve to increase the serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine levels. Medications relieve the symptoms but are not a cure.

There are two types of psychotherapies in use: cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps the individual think positive about themselves. It also helps in identifying the cause of the depression.

Interpersonal therapy helps the individual understand and solve relationship problems that may be the cause their condition. Chad should learn how to recognize and accept his emotions. He should also ask for help from his friends and relatives. A strong social support system will speed up his recovery. For mild and moderate depression, psychotherapy is enough treatment.

He should make healthy lifestyle changes. They are not easy to make, but they have a significant impact on depression. He should cultivate supportive relationships, exercise regularly and get adequate sleep. Eating healthy food and learning how to manage stress is also helpful. He should consider practicing relaxation methods and techniques. Learning how to build his emotional skills will give him the ability to cope with any adversities and trauma he experiences.

He will become resilient if he learns how to express his emotions. He should also break up heavy and large tasks to small ones. He should expect the depressive mood to improve gradually and not immediately. He should postpone important decisions until he feels better. He should set realistic goals for himself and continuously educate himself on depression.

According to the ‘Attachment theory’, the relationship between an infant and the adult taking care of them dictates whether the individual will get depressive disorder in adulthood. An early loss or separation by the caregiver may all lead to insecurities in the future as the individual will feel unloved and unwanted. Chad should consider talking to a counselor in case an incident like this happened in his life.

References

Darjee R., Jonathan B., McIntosh A., Sempel D., Smyth R. (Eds.). (2005). Oxford Handbook of Psychiatry. London: Oxford University Press.

Rohan K. J., Lindsey K., Roecklein A. (2007). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Light Therapy and their combination in treating seasonal affective disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 80, 273-283.

Cochran SV, Rabinowitz F. E. (2004). Men and Depression: clinical and empirical perspectives, San Diego: Academic Press.

NIMH. . (n.d.). Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2018, December 27). Depression Psychological Evaluation. https://ivypanda.com/essays/depression-3/

Work Cited

"Depression Psychological Evaluation." IvyPanda, 27 Dec. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/depression-3/.

References

IvyPanda. (2018) 'Depression Psychological Evaluation'. 27 December.

References

IvyPanda. 2018. "Depression Psychological Evaluation." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/depression-3/.

1. IvyPanda. "Depression Psychological Evaluation." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/depression-3/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Depression Psychological Evaluation." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/depression-3/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1