Behavioral Activation: Depression versus Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Research Paper Example

Introduction Depression is a common psychological problem that affects people through either personal experience or depression in a family member. Depression is a psychological problem that changes how one thinks and feels, and affects the social behavior and sense of physical well being (Franklin, Para 1-2). One can also define depression as a state of mind characterized by a visual lack of activity and negative sense of inadequacy. In that, one experiences sad feelings of gloom and downturn in mood, which may be relatively momentary due to something composite. The common behaviors in depression include low self-esteem, despair, low self-reproach, feelings of sadness and discouragement (2004, www.depression-guide.com, para1). Post-traumatic stress disorder on the other hand is a disorder that can develop following a traumatic event that threatens ones safety and makes him/her feel helpless. Military battle is the most common cause of posttraumatic stress disorder in men and most people also associate it with battle-scarred soldiers, but any overwhelming life experience can trigger posttraumatic stress disorder mostly if the event is unmanageable and unpredictable. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a condition characterized by intense fear, helplessness, or horror resulting from exposure to extreme trauma. One can be affected by post traumatic stress disorder if he personally experienced the catastrophe, witnessed it and if he was involved in picking up of pieces after the catastrophe. This includes the law enforcement officers and emergency workers. It can even transpire in the friends or family members of those who went through the actual trauma. The events that commonly cause trauma include natural disasters, violent assault, kidnapping, rape, sexual and physical abuse, plane or car crash and medical procedures especially for children (Belmonte, para1-5). Depression and posttraumatic stress disorder In America, almost 20 million adults have periods of clinical depression. Depression frequently causes problems with normal chores adjustments as it interferes with normal functioning. Depression extends the scope it affects in terms of pain and suffering not only to victim but also to the caretakers. In the U.S population, the overall prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorders is about 1 to 12 percent. In populations at risk, the most affected are prisoners of war, female rape victims and adolescent survivors of motor vehicle crashes. (American Family physician, 2000 Para 3-4) Depression is highly associated with posttraumatic stress disorder. It is a condition with a high occurrence rate among the victims of posttraumatic stress disorder. Among people with posttraumatic stress condition, half the number is suffering from current or past depression. The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder among victim of depression is seven times higher than that of non-victims. Depression is a symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder whose manifestation is one month after a traumatic event exposure. (Tull, Para 1-2). Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms can mimic those of anxiety or depressive disorders, but appropriate test make the diagnosis is easy. Specialists have advocated many forms of psychotherapy for trauma-related problems such as Post-traumatic stress disorder. Basic counseling for Post-traumatic stress disorder entails education about the condition and provision of protection and support. Cognitive therapy is recommended in conjunction with group therapy, which assists in reducing social stigma and isolation (Bradley &Grinage, Para 7). Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms changes ones behavior and way of life. Some pull away from people, others turn to alcohol and drugs while others work all the time. One may find it hard to be in relationships to a point of having problems with spouses and family leading to depression. Some people with Post traumatic stress disorder also have panic attacks, which are sudden feelings of fear or worry that something bad is about to happen. From 1970s, behavioral activation therapy has been useful in treatment of depression. Years later, researchers did a comparison between the effectiveness of the cognitive behavioral therapy for depression and that of behavior activation. They found many differences in the benefits between the treatments. Following that study, they launched the largest single site for depression study where they compared behavior activation, antidepressants medication and cognitive therapy. They unanimously concluded that behavior activation outperformed the other two methods of treatment in acute treatment phase for moderately to severely depressed adults (Martell, para9). Behavior activation is a treatment for the mitigation of depression: it is short and brief to allow victims to concentrate fully. It is a third invention behavior therapy for treating depression. Behavior therapy is psychotherapy that treats depression, anxiety disorders, phobias and other psychopathological conditions. This mode of treatment explains depression efficiently and gives a more efficacious realm to intervene. Its mode of operation, which involves context of depression rather than cognitions, makes the interventions possible. Behavior Activation seeks to help people understand the environmental sources of their depression and to target behaviors that might maintain or worsen the depression (Kanter &Baruch & Gaynor, Para 12). According to the behavior activation, life events lead to people experiencing low levels of positive reinforcements in their lives. These life events include specific trauma or loss, biological predispositions to depression, or the daily hassles of life. Furthermore, the behaviors that people use to cope with the negative feelings that make them feel better temporarily are detrimental. It is natural for a person that feels sad and no longer finding pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyable to attempt to cope by ceasing to engage in activities and withdrawing socially. The problem is that such coping strategies do not help alleviate depression; they make it worse (Martell, para11). Behavior activation targets lethargy. It takes an outside-in approach when depression zaps motivation by using graded tasks assignments and activities that allow the patient increase the chances of positively reinforcing themselves. Behavior activation also targets avoidance. Behavioral analytic theory recognizes that the outcome or function of a behavior is more important than the form of the behavior. In Behavioral activation, the primary target is avoidance behavior, which has not been a primary target of most treatments for depression (Dougher & Hackbert, P321–334). Behavior activation is a behavioral treatment whose primary focus is changing of behaviors to deal with problems that people may be experiencing. In behavior activation, both patient and therapist come up with a list of activities that the patient values and finds rewarding. Therefore, posttraumatic stress disorder, being a condition caused by thinking or remembering events that we involuntarily became victims of, can be treated through behavior activation. This is because the patients mostly are victims of circumstances. Behavior activation can be helpful for people with posttraumatic stress disorder since its main objective is to prevent avoidance and improve the patient’s mood (Tull, Para 1-2). Currently, the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder combines educating the patient, treatment by psychological means and interventions using drugs. After overcoming trauma, counselors employ techniques such as semi structured conversation with the victim to prevent the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. Posttraumatic stress disorder and depression have many inter linkages. People with depression are more likely to suffer traumatic experience, which increases the likelihood of developing posttraumatic stress disorder as compared to those without depression. The symptoms of posttraumatic disorder are so distressing and devastating that they lead to development of depression. The people suffering from these two conditions may feel detached from their families and friends. They also have difficulties in experiencing positive emotions like joy and happiness. This is why the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder may cause one to feel sad, lonely and depressed (Tull, Para -5). The occurrence of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder has a lot of similarity among which conditions they thrive well. For example, among caregivers of lung transplant patient, the two disorders are very common. There also seems to be a genetic connection between the two in that if one does not treat one of the disorders, it leads to development of the other or depreciating the condition (Bio-Medicine, 2006 Para 1). Conclusion As the discussion above has clearly proved, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms change one’s behavior and way of life. Then, the behavior activation is useful in treatment and prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder by helping individuals adjust behaviors that can lead to development of progression of the disorder. Works cited American Family physician, Primary Care Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (2000) Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000901/1035.html Belmonte J, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms, Treatment, and Self-Help, (2001). Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; http://www.helpguide.org/mental/post_traumatic_stress_disorder_symptoms_treatment.htm Bio-Medicine, Depression, PTSD Common among Lung Transplant Patient Caregivers, (2006) Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Depression--PTSD-Common-Among-Lung-Transplant-Patient-Caregivers-19676-1/ Bradley D. Grinage, M.D., Diagnosis and Management of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, (2003). Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; http://www.aafp.org/afp/20031215/2401.html Depression Guide: ADHD Anxiety Depression Symptoms, Help, Cause, Types, Treatment and Medication (2004). Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; www.depression-guide.com. Dougher M.J, Hackbert L. A behavior analytic account of depression and a case report using acceptance-based procedures. The Behavior Analyst.( 1994) Franklin D. J., Psychology Information Online, (2003). Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; http://www.psychologyinfo.com/depression/. Kanter J W, Baruch D E, and Gaynor ST, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Behavioral Activation for the Treatment of Depression: Description and Comparison (2006). Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2223147 Martell C, Behavioral Activation Therapy (2006). Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; http://www.christophermartell.com/ Tull M, Behavioral Activation, (2008). Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; http://ptsd.about.com/od/glossary/g/BAdef.htm Tull M, PTSD and Depression, (2008). Retrieved on May 5, 2009 from; http://ptsd.about.com/od/relatedconditions/a/depressionPTSD.htm Read More