Mental disorders: Depression - Essay Example

? Introduction Mental disorders represent psychological conditions typified by significant disorganization of personality,emotions, and mind to severe damage of psychological and social functioning of the individual. Depression delineates presence of negative affect (low mood) and/or lack of positive affect (loss of interest and pleasure in undertaking most activities) and commonly linked to an array of emotional, cognitive, behavioural, and physical symptoms. Depression represents one of the prominent psychiatric disorders accompanied by an enormous burden with regard to treatment costs, impact on families and carers, and dip in productivity. The paper explores the topic of depression and anxiety within UK. David Batty estimates that depression could be costing the economy close to ?11 billion a year owing to lost earnings, drug prescriptions, and NHS care. Some of the impacts that connect to depression and anxiety entail predisposition to: self harm, panic attacks, worry, sleep problems, and, stress. According to House of Commons, the cost incurred by NHS in treating depression could amount to ?520 each year (Article 1). Section 1: Frequency of depression and anxiety in the population David Batty notes that prescriptions for antidepressants such as Prozac have overtime increased from 34 million in the year 2007-08 to 43.4 million in the year 2010-11 based on the figure released by NHS information centre (Article 1). The use of antidepressants has grown rapidly, with some places such as Teeside rising by 30% (Tees Primary Care Trusts 2010/2011). Similarly, the prescriptions for Fluoxetine (commonly referred to as Prozac) have increased by about 26% within the Oxfordshire and 13% in Berkshire from April-September 2011. Statistics also indicate that only one in ten prisoners bear no mental disorder. Janet Street-Porter categorizes the new class of ‘sufferers’ as middle-class women who are frequently finding their lives as intolerable (Article 2). Women are highly likely to have undergone treatment for mental health problem relative to men (29% compared to 17%). Statistics indicate that one in four women will necessitate treatment for depression at some time within their life compared to one in ten men. DSM evolved out of collection of census and psychiatric statistics into a manual. The manual has undergone major revisions since its publication in light of adding several mental disorders and removing those no longer perceived as mental disorders (Barker, Langridge and Vossler 2010, p.7). Depression falls into several categories (based on symptoms and their functional influence): subthreshold depressive (inclusive of mild, moderate, and, severe depression. The increasing prevalence of mental problems has increasingly fuelled the perception that depression and anxiety are over-diagnosed with critics labelling psychiatric as “having gone insane as almost all human emotions categorized as a mental disorder” based on the revised psychiatric manual DSM-V (Barker, Langridge and Vossler 2010, p.6). Critics allege that almost all emotions experienced by individual such as sadness, grief, anxiety, frustration, excitement and impatience presently categorised as a ‘mental disorder’ requiring chemical treatment/medication. It is often pointed out that depression cases in the society may be overdiagnosed, and over-treated ((Barker, Langridge and Vossler 2010, p.22). As such, the revised DSM-V is seen as generating “false epidemics” by creating mass overdiagnosis of individuals who are mainly quite normal. DSM-IV draw criticisms for inadvertently contributing to onset of three “false epidemics: attention deficit disorder, childhood bipolar disorder, and autism. Depression represents a state of depressed mood and aversion to activity that can impact on an individual’s thoughts, feelings, behaviour, and their sense of wellbeing. Anxiety and depression can emanate from several factors owing to several factors, especially those relating to major traumas such as death of a friend, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, significant separations, severe accidents, medical conditions, or surgeries. The feelings of fear and sadness normal; nevertheless, they can gain dominance to the extent of heralding depression or anxiety (Excerpt 1). There are numerous instances in life that herald misery and subsequent depression such as cases of divorce and death of a close friend, which stir feelings of hopelessness, rage and despair. Janet Street-Porter cannot figure out why daily life is increasingly turning out to be a mountain of disappointments and worries couples with cases of increasing anxiety and low self-esteem (Article 2). People remain increasingly susceptible to upsetting life experiences such as marriage breakdown, rising rates of unemployment, bereavement, or failure of any kind, which leads to many people feeling depressed (Barker, Langridge and Vossler 2010, p.2). According to David Batty, the usage of anti-depressants have grown by over 25% in England in a period of three years, in the middle of increasing apprehension that increasingly more people are suffering from depression owing to the ongoing economic crisis (Article 1). Unhelpful thinking patterns such as anticipating the worst remain commonly associated with the downward spiral into depression, as well as a rise in popularity. Section 2: Treating depression and anxiety Antidepressants impact on the manner in which chemicals within the brain function; nevertheless, the precise role played by the chemicals is not fully comprehended, antidepressants do not usually work for all people. Depression mainly alters the balance of diverse transmitters within the brain, which represents the chemical messengers that convey messages between brain cells. Evidence indicates that SSRI group of drugs mainly works on an average of 5 out of 10 people (Excerpt 4). Antidepressants steadily enhance the levels of mood-improving neurotransmitters including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine within the brain. Antidepressants are largely not recommended for treating mild depression owing to the risk-benefit ratio that is largely poor (Barker, Langridge and Vossler 2010, p.78). Antipsychotic medications, on the other hand, remain characteristically employed to treat psychotic disorders, as well as bipolar disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) detail medications that enhance the quantity of the neurochemical serotonin within the brain. Brain serotonin levels are frequently low in depression and act towards obstructing the reuptake of serotonin within the brain. Other medications for depression include dual-action antidepressants, atypical antidepressants, monoamine oxidise inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and mood stabilizers and anticonvulsants. Drug treatment incorporates the utilization of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) mainly employed as first-line antidepressants within routine care owing to their efficacy as tricyclic antidepressants and have a low probability of discontinuation based on side-effects and is minimally toxic in overdose. Recent meta-analysis of data indicates that SSRIs possess beneficial impacts on severely depressed patients (Barker, Langridge and Vossler 2010, p.79). Dependency on anti-anxiety medications is possible complications that feature during treatment. The other side effects often linked to the medications entail sexual problems. Mental health diagnosis, inclusive of diagnosis of depression or anxiety, is usually experienced by individuals in diverse ways directed by whether the individual has access to treatment such as therapy, or is underprivileged or disempowered. As a result, some individuals resort to self-diagnosis driven by the perception that they can self diagnoses. The utilization of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual is critical in spotlighting illnesses with accuracy (Excerpt 2). People with depression often encounter labels, especially those suffering from schizophrenia. People suffering from mental illnesses may sometimes be depicted as depressives, or manic depressives. The labels make the subjects appear as victims, which elevates the significance of coping mechanisms (Excerpt 2). There are many gains that can be derived from diagnosis. Although, some individuals decline to use medication to treat mental conditions such as a mood disorder, it is essential to note that medications are critical in aiding patient gain their old self(Barker, Langridge and Vossler 2010, p.25) . There are numerous forms of therapy available with three of the common methods utilized in depression detailing: cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and interpersonal therapy. Interpersonal and cognitive/behavioural therapies highlight the patient’s disturbed personal relationships that either cause or heighten the depression. Cognitive/behavioural therapists’ aid patients to alter the negative forms of thinking and behaving linked to depression. The treatment of moderate to severe depression usually incorporate usage of anti-depressants combined with high-intensity psychological treatment detailing CBT or interpersonal therapy. Conclusion Increasingly, people are experiencing mental health problems such as anxiety and panic attacks, depression, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder, and depression. Anxiety and depression is increasingly becoming a common feature of most people. Depression can impact on anyone and is linked to anxiety disorders with certain risk factors such as childhood abuse, serious trauma occasioned by cataclysmic features such as death. Depression and anxiety can be regarded as the most prominent mental health problems within the UK. The facts and figures on mental health problems available within Britain are alarming, given that 1 in 4 people manifest mental health problems with mixed anxiety and depression being the most prominent mental disorder. The level of depression and anxiety manifested in both women and men can be regarded as a paradox. Statistics indicate that women are twice as probable to experience anxiety compared to men with close to 60% of individuals manifesting phobias or OCD being women. The underlying cause of this trend is unknown, but this could arise from social and biological factors. It has equally been suggested that depression among men may be under diagnosed owing to presentation of different symptoms. This may arise from the fact that, when enquired, women are highly likely to report symptoms manifesting mental health problems. There are various medications available to individual with mental illnesses such as anti-psychotics, and SSRIs. Indeed, drugs can be helpful in treating mental illnesses or those clinically depressed. Alternatively, people with depression can consider guided self-help grounded in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles. This is appropriate for mild to moderate depression and may also encompass relaxation therapy. CBT may entail a short psychological intervention (lasting 6-8 sessions) coupled with problem-solving therapy and counselling. References List Barker, M., Langridge, D. & Vossler, A. (2010). Understanding couselling and psychotherapy, Londong, SAGE Publications. Pp.2-99. Batty, D. (2011). Antidepressant use in England soars, The Guardian, 30 December, 2011. [Online] Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/2011/dec/30/antidepressant-use-england-soars (Accessed February 2012). Street-Porter, J. (2010). Depression? Its just the new trendy illness! Daily Mail, 5 August 2010, [Online] Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/aarticle-1278510/Depression- Its-just-new-trendy-illness.html (Accessed February 2012). This assignment has deeply insightful: it has enabled be to gain a picture of the mounting wave of depression in society and perspectives on how individuals within the wider society perceive mental problems. It is apparent that the subject of mental disorders is considerably misrepresented. As such, it comes as no surprise that depression and anxiety are depicted as ‘new,’ trendy illnesses. Read More