U05a1- Problems Definition and Intrest Statement on Depression - Research Paper Example

Running Head: ABBREVIATED OF YOUR CHOICE (all caps) and Section # of DepressionDepression is a mental illness in which a person is unable to snap out of the emotional feelings like, sadness, discouragement, despair and emptiness. Person, suffering from depression, loses interest in all the activities he or she once enjoyed doing. The person even no longer enjoys company of friends, family and always feels exhausted. (France, 2007) Medical research have shown that there is no one root cause for depression but there are number of factors that can lead to such an illness.

There are two major perspectives that successfully define the causes of depression and each one is discussed below.Biological perspectiveProponents of the biological perspective have identified that depression is caused due to the chemical imbalances in a human body. Deficiencies in two neurotransmitters, substance that allow brain cells to communicate, serotonin and norepinephrine are the major chemical imbalances that lead to depression. For example, deficiency in serotonin can result in sleep deprivation, anxiety and uneasiness.

Similarly inadequate supply of norepinephrine leads to laziness, fatigue and depressing moods. (Lysaker et al 2007)Due to depression there are other bodily chemicals that are also altered. For instance a chemical known as cortisol, a hormone that a body produces in anger and stress, is at its peak in the morning and gradually decreases as the day progresses but in people, suffering from depression, the cortisol level does not comes down in the later hours of the day. This high level of cortisal is not healthy because research has shown that people suffering from long term stress have high level of this chemical in their bodies.

(Lysaker et al 2007)Cognitive behavioral perspectiveThis school of thought considers negative thoughts as the major cause of depression. According to Beck, great advocate of cognitive perspective, depression is a result of one’s poor self concept and how a person evaluates himself rather than a person considers negative views about oneself due to depression. A study conducted by Abela and DAlessandros (2002) on college admissions showed that students having negative views about their future have strong relationship between dysfunctional attitudes and depressing moods.

This was proved later when students, having dysfunctional attitudes, did not get admissions in their desired colleges showed symptoms of depression after their self concept became negative due to failing the test. (Beck, 2008) In addition to negative view about oneself, negative views about the world and future may also lead to depression. For example, a student may consider that the class may not be enjoyable or interesting shows negative views about the world. Similarly if there is a thought in the student that he/she will be unable to clear the exams or test then this shows the negativity of thoughts regarding future.

(Beck, 2008)Another cause of depression is learned helplessness, a psychological condition in which a person feels no control and power over his or her circumstances. This inability to change one’s circumstances and believing the one’s effort will not produce any successful results gives rise to learned helplessness. (Haeffel et al, 2005)ConclusionTherefore to summarize, this perspective basically considers various circumstances, created by the environment, which results in negative thoughts as the major cause of depression.

ReferencesBeck, A. T. (2008). The evolution of the cognitive model of depression and its neurobiological correlates. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 969–977France, C. M., Lysaker, P. H., & Robinson, R. P (2007). The chemical imbalance explanation for depression: Origins, lay endorsement and clinical implications.Haeffel, G. J., Abramson, L. Y., Voelz, Z. R., Metalsky, G. I., Halberstadt, L., & Dykman, B. M., et al. (2005). Negative cognitive styles, dysfunctional attitudes, and the remitted depression paradigm