Effects of Major Depressive Disorder on Human Beings - Research Paper Example

Major Depressive Disorder There are various types of depressive disorders as identified and based on the descriptions provided by the DSM-IV-TR. In line with this, Durand and Barrow identify the differences on various disorders based on the frequency within which symptoms appeare among people and the severity of these symptoms (207). By definition, a depressive disorder is any illness in which an individual’s body, moods, and thoughts suffer with this disease interfering with the daily functioning of their body and their normal functions while at the same time causing pain on an individual with the disorder and the people around him or her (Durand and Barrow 207). In line with this, it is crucial to point out that a depressive disorder is not simply a passing blue mood that will ease away. Rather, a depressive disorder could be characterized by persisting feelings of sadness and feelings of low self-worth that could contribute to a failing desire among individuals to engage in activities that formerly used to provide them with pleasure. These disorders include major depressive disorder (MDD), dysthymic disorder, and various forms of depressions that range from psychotic depression to bipolar disorder with each having a varying impact on the life of an individual (Durand and Barrow 207). Major Depressive Disorder Defined For the purpose of this essay, the focus will be on major depressive disorder. According to the American Psychiatric Association Practice Guidelines, major depressive disorder “is a serious medical illness that disrupts a person’s mood, behavior, thought process, and physical illness” (Treatment Works 1). In most cases, major depressive disorder only exists as an episodic illness that is recurrent among individuals suffering from this disorder with the patients likely to experience more episodes of the disorders in future. Effects of the Disorder on Human Beings As it is the case for any other disease, major depressive disorder affects the human being in various ways. Individuals suffering from major depressive disorder exhibit various symptoms that could vary from one individual to the other based on the level of the disease. According to the American Psychiatric Association, the effects of the disease on individuals vary from depressive moods to suicidal ideation among individuals suffering from the disease (Treatment Works 2). In line with this, the varying effects of the disease on an individual makes some individuals seek treatment while patients experiencing less distressing and less treatable effects in comparison to others suffering from the similar disease ignore the effects of the disorder (Park et al. 364). It is common knowledge that the failure to treat any disease could have a significant effect on the human being suffering from the disease, which is the case for major depressive disorder. The American Psychiatric Association identifies various effects of the disease on human beings suffering from this disorder. These include the individual losing interest in activities that they previously considered as pleasure activities such as sex. Other effects include weight loss that results from the loss of appetite that an individual experiences although some individuals could gain weight as their appetite improves (Bienvenu 3). Other effects, according to the American Psychiatric Association include low feelings of self-esteem, sleep disturbances, feelings related to hopelessness, and pessimism (Treatment Works 2). On the other hand, individuals could suffer insomniac attacks while others often find it difficult to remember things. Others find it challenging to make decisions and concentrate on various things during their day-to-day lives. In addition to these effects, individuals could suffer from body aches and pains or digestive disorders that are not a result of a physical disease, but are a result of major depressive disorder (Gelenberg and Stancavish 2). Causes of Major Depressive Disorder The causes of major depressive disorder could be biological, psychological, social, genetics, or even related to drug and alcohol abuse among individuals. Ikezu and Gendelman identify major depressive disorder as primarily familial with high prevalence of the disease high among first-degree members of individuals who could have suffered from the disease at one point in their lives (497). Consequently, this underlines the suggestion that one of the main causes of the disease among individuals could be a result of genetics with studies suggesting that the disease could involve several genes, just as it is the case for a disease such as diabetes (Ikezu and Gendelman 497). Other than genetics, social factors play an important role in causing the disease among individuals. For example, social factors relating to the upbringing of a child and exposure to various risk factors such as child neglect or abuse and factors related to early parental death or even their separation could be risk factors that could cause major depressive disorder among human beings and especially to children (Ikezu and Gendelman 497). In general, stressful life events have a significant impact on an individual and they contribute to major depressive disorder among many individuals. In this case, these stressful social factors are not only limited to an individual’s childhood, but also have a relationship to adult individuals. In this case, certain factors such as the death of a spouse, separation, catastrophic medical conditions such as cancer, and other social risk factors could be a major cause of major depressive disorder among individuals. On the other hand, Ikezu and Gendelman identify an interaction between the environment and genetics as “considered most likely to be causal in many ways” (497). Other than this, there is evidence that supports the hypothesis that individuals suffering from anxiety disorders such as panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, posttraumatic stress disorders, and other related illnesses have a 50% chance of developing the disorder over the course of five to twenty years (Ikezu and Gendelman 497). Treatment of the Disorder According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Practice Guidelines, various approaches should be used in order to treat this disorder effectively. First, the guidelines recommend psychiatric management of the disease with this approach to treatment containing various interventions and activities that a psychiatrist should initiate with a view of providing treatment to patients (Treatment of Patients 15). The first of the activities begins by the establishment of a therapeutic alliance between the patient and the therapist after which the therapist completes the psychiatrist assessment. Thereafter, it is important for the therapist to evaluate the safety of the patient and carry out an evaluation of factors such as suicide risks with an aim of ensuring that the patient remained safe throughout the process of their treatment (APA, “Treatment of Patients” 15). The fourth step involves an establishment of the appropriate setting required to treat the patient. Since major depressive disorder has an effect on an individual’s way of life, the other step in the procedure involves an evaluation of the quality of life and functional impairment of the patient in order to set therapeutic goals. Since a majority of patients suffering from this condition could receive treatment from other clinicians, it is crucial for the therapist to coordinate the care of the patient with other clinicians in order to achieve similar goals. Other steps include educating both the family and the patient, enhancement of treatment adherence, and monitoring the patient’s psychiatric status (APA, “Treatment of Patients” 16). In the acute stage of the disorder, the APA Practice Guidelines identify various approaches to treat major depressive disorder. They include pharmacotherapy whereby an individual patient is administered with antidepressant medication that is recommendable to patients suffering from mild to moderate forms of the disease (17). Under this stage, another form of treatment includes other somatic therapies related to a therapy such as electroconvulsive therapy (ETC) with another treatment strategy focusing on psychotherapy with methods ranging from cognitive-behavioral therapy to interpersonal psychotherapy (APA, “Treatment of Patients” 17). Other approaches to psychotherapy include psychodynamic therapy and other various approaches that focus on ensuring that the patient was involved in the problem-solving approach of achieving treatment (APA, “Treatment of Patients” 18). In addition, a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressants could be an appropriate treatment to patients in this stage. Other important phases of treatment include the continuation phase whereby therapists identify the treatment to give in case of a relapse with treatment ranging from antidepressants to therapy. The other phase is the maintenance phase in which therapists focus on using various treatments such as psychotherapy and antidepressant in order to maintain the health and wellbeing of their patient (APA, “Treatment of Patients” 19). Conclusion Based on the foregoing, evidence supports the hypothesis that all human beings are at a risk of suffering from major depressive disorder. In this case, social factors related to stressful conditions and circumstances in life put all humans at a risk of suffering from this order. However, this is not to say that all individuals suffer from this disorder at one point of their lives. On the other hand, it is crucial to differentiate between sad and blue feelings that are usually temporary and the major depressive disorder since some individuals fail to seek treatment when they are suffering from the latter since they are unaware of the disorder and its effects after failing to seek treatment. From the evidence, major depressive disorder is treatable with a combination of antidepressants and psychotherapy being essential in providing an effective responsive and treatment to this condition. The failure to seek treatment does not only have an effect on a human being’s daily functioning, but it has a significant effect on an individual’s ideation of things such as suicide. Works Cited American Psychiatrist Association (APA). Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Patients With Major Depressive Disorder. 3rd ed. 2010. Web. 23 April 2014. DOI: 10.1176/appi.books.9780890423387.654001 ---. Treatment works: major depressive disorder: a patient and family guide. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2000. Print. Bienvenu, O. Joseph. "What Is the Meaning of Associations Between Personality Traits And Anxiety And Depressive Disorders?." Revista Brasileira De Psiquiatria 29.1 (2007): 3-4. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Apr. 2014. Durand, Vincent Mark, and David H. Barlow. Essentials of abnormal psychology. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2010. Print. Gelenberg, Alan, and Dennis Stancavish. "The Relationship Between Depression And Anxiety." Primary Psychiatry 16.(2009): 1-7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Apr. 2014. Ikezu , Tsuneya , and Howard E. Gendelman. Neuroimmune pharmacology. New York, NY: Springer, 2008. Print. Park, Subin, et al. "Comparison of Treated and Untreated Major Depressive Disorder in a Nationwide Sample of Korean Adults." Community mental health journal 48.3 (2012): 363-71. ProQuest. Web. 22 Apr. 2014. Read More