Medical model advantages
This client would be well served by a medical model of treatment. The main reasons for such conclusion are numerous. The patient has never had neither psychological nor legal problems until he was arrested. Deep depression was the main reason for his illegal actions. Therefore, the prescribed medication had to help.
The depression began to deepen when Jed had to quit school and go for work to pay bills. Being treated positively by the medical model of treatment, Jed got necessary medicine aimed at reducing the signs of depression. Medicine was prescribed for relieving the mood change which caused thoughts of death and aroused depression. Moreover, attending special classes of psycho-education, Jed understood the main signs which could lead to deeper problems and depression.
Therefore, having been taught to recognize those signs of depression and being able to solve the problem by means of medicine, Jed is treated. The recovery process may take years, hoverer, the possibility to overcome the problems which prevent Jed from living happy life is his direct responsibility. Medical approach teaches him how to notice the signs of coming depression and prevent them.
Medical approach is successful as its main idea is treating symptoms of depression and abnormal behavior. Curing the symptoms, Jed gets rid of thoughts about death and other depressive signs. The treatment of appetite disorders and hypersomnia can also promote general patients’ recovery.
Depression is a medical problem and it is caused not only by the problems with the surrounding people and events, but also by means of the processes which in human organism. Reducing the impact of the symptoms (such as hypersomnia, worthlessness, increased appetite, and thoughts of death), it is possible to reduce the problem in general.
Mental disorders which occur in Jed’s life are caused by means of specific chemical processes which take part in his brain. Being cured by means of a medical model, Jed is offered medicine aimed at stabilizing chemical processes in his organism and doctor’s support presupposed to predict and eliminate the cases of remission. Therefore, it may be concluded that treating the symptoms of depression by means of medicine, Jed is going to recover.
A Counseling Model
Using this particular approach for treating is much better as this client would not be well served by a medical model of treatment. An alternative model would be preferable because the causes of depression lay deeper than just in hypersomnia, increased appetite, worthlessness, and thoughts of death.
Moreover, it should be mentioned that these symptoms are the outcomes, not the reasons for depression. Curing the symptoms with the help of medical model, the desired outcome cannot be reached. Jed had psychological problems and curing the symptoms may lead to condition that is more depressed. Using counseling model, a patient communicate with the specialists and the real reasons of problem occurrence are revealed.
Depression is not an ordinary problem, it is a mental disorder which should be treated by means of getting the roots of the disease (Butcher, Mineka, & Hooley, 2010). The possibility to understand what caused the change in behavior and as a results a deep depression may be used for diagnosis. Only communication with the patient, his description of feelings, emotions, and associations may be useful.
Medical approach tries to help a patient to forget the losses which caused depressed condition. This means that the real causes of the problem are never understood. Counseling approach faces the existing problems, helps understand the reasons of the losses and considers the problem deeper.
Having come through the psychotherapy, Jed understood the main causes of existing problems. The lost marriage, the problems in the relationship with his daughter, and the loss of aspirations are caused by childhood psychological trauma his father applied on him.
Psychological traumas got in childhood lay deep in Jed’s brain, that is why he has never thought that they could lead to such unpredicted circumstances. Medical approach explained the reasons of family problems by means of Jed’s actions caused in depressive condition, however, this is not true. Curing symptoms, medical approach failed to consider the main reasons of the problem Medicine can never eliminate the problem in this case, it can just be helpful for relieving the outcomes.
Psychological traumas got in childhood can become the reasons for adult-oriented diagnoses (Butcher, Mineka, & Hooley, 2010). Counseling helps Jed understand the roots of the problem, it helps him look at the whole forest, not just notice one tree. This is the first step on the way to recovery.
Still, much attention should be paid to this childhood trauma as in many cases the problem cannot be easily eradicated. Psychotherapy within counseling model is a correct decision. Communicating the problem, a patient gets rid of negative unconscious outcomes which prevent him from living a full and happy life. Therefore, the only conclusion is that alternative to medical model approach is the best way to cure depression and return a patient to ordinary everyday life.
Reference
Butcher, J. N., Mineka, S., & Hooley, J. M. (2010). Abnormal psychology. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.