3.1 - Depression

key terms only

mental health problem

a form of psychological problem characterised by symptoms affecting you mind and behaviour: they can affect how you thing, feel, behave or relate to others.

unipolar depression

a type of mood disorder causing periods of feeling sad and lacking motivation to do everyday activities

twin studies

research that compares behaviour in groups of twins to see if there are similarities in each pair of twins

monozygotic twins

Twins developed from one fertilised egg that has split into two; monozygotic twins are genetically identical.

dizygotic twins

Twins developed from two different eggs fertilised during the same pregnancy; dizygotic twins are not genetically identical.

genetic predisposition

A biological tendency to develop a particular behaviour as a result of the genes someone has.

diathesis-stress model

an explanation for depression that claims people can have a gene that makes them more likely to develop depression, but only if they face a stressful situation that triggers depressive thoughts

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter associated with controlling mood; affects hunger,sleep, arousal, and mood.

deterministic

Our actions come from what we are born with and what we experience; this is the opposite of having 'free will' or free choice.

free will

explanations of behaviour that claim we have the ability to choose exactly what type of behaviour we want to show; opposite of being 'determined'

neurotransmitters

chemicals found within the nervous system that pass messages from one neuron to another across a synapse

Noradrenaline

A type of neurotransmitter that is involved in mood and is released during times of stress.

Reuptake

the process by which neurons absorb neurotransmitters that they released

placebo

an inactive substance, or fake pill, used instead of an active substance, the person given one wouldn't know it's fake

relapse

a return of symptoms after treatment has been given

Cognitive Theory

an explanation that focuses on how thought processes influence behaviour

negative triad

A set of three thought patterns where people feel bad about themselves, the future and the world in general.

Magnification

a form of cognitive bias that makes people see their problems far bigger than they actually are

nature

explanations of behaviour that focus on innate factors

nurture

explanations of behaviour that focus on environmental factors

CBT(cognitive behavioural therapy)

a therapy for mental health disorders that aims to change thought processes in order to reduce symptoms