Introduction to Mood Disorders

• Focus will be on:

  • Depression

  • Bipolar Disorder

  • Schizophrenia

  • Suicide

Symptoms of Depression

• Discussion around criteria and how depression differs from sadness.

• Importance highlighted: Understanding depression as a more extreme emotional experience on a spectrum.

Example Case of Depression

• Reference to a TED Talk by a comedian with depression.

• Key Points from Comedian’s Experience:

  • Description of living two lives:

  • Public life (who others see): friend, son, brother, comedian

  • Private struggle with depression.

  • Misconception about depression:

  • Often conflated with normal sadness (e.g., after a breakup or loss).

  • True depression is feeling sad even when life is good.

Key Quotes

• "Real depression isn't being sad when something in your life goes wrong. Real depression is being sad when everything in your life is going right."

• Emphasizes the severity of depression and the lack of discourse around it, noting:

  • "Every thirty seconds, someone in the world takes their own life because of depression."

Discussion Concepts

• Encourage students to identify criteria of depression versus typical sadness.

• Highlight persistence and intensity of symptoms that differentiate depression.

Criteria to Differentiate Depression

1. Persistence:

   • Duration of symptoms (6 years in comedian's case).

   • Possible episodic nature but often leads to repeated episodes of increasing intensity and dysfunction.

   • Persistence noticed in the ability to experience joy despite external positive circumstances.

2. Intensity:

   • Presence of suicidal ideation indicates higher levels of distress and intensity.

   • Difficulty in maintaining daily functions signifies clinical distress.

   • Notable dysfunction such as inability to get out of bed.

3. Dysfunction:

   • Differentiates clinical depression from temporary sadness, where the individual consistently struggles in daily activities.

Comparison of Sadness and Depression

• Sadness can be situational; depression is pervasive across situations.

• Depression often manifests in ways that impact self-identity, where some feel defined by their depression.

Interaction and Group Discussion

• Students encouraged to analyze the material, comparing comedic experiences to their understanding of depression.

• Important takeaway phrases such as “mask” to describe hiding one's struggles.

Depressive Experiences Under Review

• Connection made between the comedian’s experience and a broader conversation on mental health, addressing issues of stigma surrounding mental illness.

Stigma in Mental Health

• Discussion around societal stigma versus self-stigma and how this affects individuals.

• Noted that despite lower stigma today, misunderstandings persist about what depression looks like.

Conceptualization of Mental Health

• Ideological frameworks: Mental illness and well-being are two separate concepts, emphasizing that one can experience distress without a clinical diagnosis of depression.

The Spectrum of Mental Health

• Acknowledging that not everyone without clinical symptoms is thriving; they may fall into a category of languishing.

• Reflection on common emotional experiences during COVID, such as feelings of ennui and indifference.

Understanding Disorders: Depression vs. Anxiety

• Depression and anxiety frequently co-occur; similar emotional responses but distinct characteristics:

  • Hopelessness: Unique to depression, often correlating with suicidality.

  • Energy Levels: Depression usually presents as low energy, while anxiety might show heightened energy.

Etiological Theories of Depression

• Overview of the complexity regarding the causes of depression: Neuroscience and genetic components.

• Diathesis-Stress Model:

  • Biological predisposition interacts with environmental factors.

Biological Factors

• High heritability of depression noted; notably the serotonin transporter gene with varying alleles influencing depression development, especially under stress.

1. Serotonin Transmission:

   • Early theories focused on monoamine deficiencies; contemporary views highlight receptor sensitivity.

2. Neurobiological Structures:

   • Affective vs. cognitive circuits in the brain; impacted communication between emotional responses and cognitive processing during depression.

3. Dopaminergic Function:

   • Reduced responsiveness to rewards, leading to a lack of motivation and pleasure in daily life.

The Role of the Hippocampus

• Critical in stress regulation and neurodevelopment via BDNF, with implications for hippocampal size in depressed patients.

• Medicines take 3-6 weeks to show effects; this aligns with the BDNF regeneration cycle.

Cognitive Theories of Depression

• Beck's cognitive theory position on core beliefs:

  • Negative core beliefs lead to distorted thinking patterns that manifest in negative assessments of self, the world, and future prospects.

• Cognitive Distortions:

  • Individuals filter experiences in harmful ways, contributing to further depressive symptoms.

Summary of Beck’s Theory Process

• Triggering events activate core beliefs leading to distorted perceptions, ultimately causing depressive thoughts and feelings.

Conclusion and Reflection

• Students needed to reflect on the presented theories and integrate discussions into personal observations around mental health.

• Ending discussion aimed to solidify understanding of core beliefs and distortions regarding self, context, and prospective futures.