What is Major Depressive Disorder?

Major Depressive Disorder

Case Study

The following is a case study on Josie, 29 years old, who had recently got back from her deployment from the army. This is Josie's testimonoy.

Works Cited

"While I was off sick, I saw an article about depression in a magazine. “Beating the Blues” it was called. It was like they were writing about me – they described exactly what I was going through. Except for the bit where they talked about treatment and getting over depression, because I hadn’t done anything about that. Although part of me didn’t believe it, another part of me wanted to give it a try. One thing was for sure – I didn’t want to feel like this any longer. So I went back to the Doc on the base and asked if I could see the psych. The doctor was pretty crap. I think he thought I just wanted to get out of work. But the psychologist was good. She referred me to a civilian psychologist in town, told me the ADF would pay all the bills. It was scary going into the psychologist’s office the first time. I didn’t know what to expect. But the psychologist was really nice. We talked about the problems I’d been having. He said that depression can happen because of all sorts of reasons; maybe some biological things, maybe some bad habits, maybe some life stress. But he said there were very effective treatments and I remember leaving his office that first day with more hope than I’d felt for ages."

Treatment

"I reckon I was a pretty normal kid. I had ups and downs, but generally I was OK. When I was 23, I was working in a dead end job and one day my boyfriend of two years walked out on me. No explanation, just up and left. I was devastated. For the week after that I barely even got out of bed, I just couldn’t find the energy or the motivation to get up or do anything. Luckily I had some good friends who looked after me and got me back on my feet. I left my job, joined the army, and things really looked up for a while. But after I got back from the Middle East about six months ago, I started feeling horribly depressed. I don’t even know why – the deployment wasn’t difficult. I wasn’t really in danger and I didn’t see anything too awful or upsetting. But I just felt worse and worse, and all the things I used to enjoy seemed stupid and pointless. I couldn’t be bothered doing anything, not even eating. I didn’t have any energy but I couldn’t sleep either. I managed to talk the Doc on the base into giving me a few weeks off sick, but that didn’t do any good. I just stayed in bed and cried. Once I even thought about killing myself, but then I thought about what it would do to Mum and Dad."

"I realised that if I sat around until I felt motivated it would never happen. So I forced myself to do things and the motivation gradually came back. I actually started enjoying myself. And with the psych’s help, I started to keep a diary of my thoughts. When I start to think negatively, I write down what I’m thinking, challenge it, and come up with something more helpful. It might sound simple, but it really helps. Now I’m looking forward to the future and I feel like the cloud has blown away."

• Mayo Clinic Staff (2015, July 22) Depression (major depressive disorder) Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/basics/definition/con-20032977
• National Institute of Mental Health (2015) Depression: What You Need To Know Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression-what-you-need-to-know-12-2015/index.shtml
• Josie (2015) Case Study-Depression Retreived from http://at-ease.dva.gov.au/veterans/resources/case-studies/case-study-depression/
• WebMD (2015) Depression Healthcare Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/causes-depression, http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/major-depression?page=2, http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/detecting-depression

Symptons

The earlier treatment begins, the more effective it is. Most adults see an improvement in their symptoms when treated with antidepressant drugs, talk therapy (psychotherapy), or a combination of both.

Who wants a cookie?

Depression is treated with medicines, talk therapy (where a person talks with a trained professional about his or her thoughts and feelings; sometimes called “psychotherapy”), or a combination of the two. There has also been a link to medical marijuana easing depression as well, but one thing that we must remember is that no two people are affected the same way by depression. There is no “one-size-fits-all” for treatment. It may take some trial and error to find the treatment that works best for the patient.

•Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions

• Fatigue and decreased energy

•Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness

•Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism

• Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping

•Irritability, restlessness...

Development

•Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable

•Overeating or appetite loss

•Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment

•Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings

•Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts

There isnt an exact way that causes depression, but there are many number of things that lead to its development such as:

Additonal Info.

• Abuse
• Certain medications
• Death or Lose
• Genetics
• Conflict
• A Major Event
• Other Personal Problems
• Serious Illnes
• Substance Abuse

Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, affects how you feel, think, and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.

What is Major Depressive Disorder?

Depression (Major Depressive) is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.