Name of Group Members: Jacqueline Patricia Lazo Estavez and Lily Shah
Name of Disorder: Major Depression
General Description: A mood disorder that affects you emotionally and physically
interfering in your day to day life. Major depression may require long term treatment;
certain people tend to feel better medicated.
Signs/Symptoms:
Physical:
Emotional:
- Constant sadness
- Change in sleeping patterns
- Constant emptiness
(insomnia or sleeping too much)
- Constant hopelessness
- Lack of energy
- Irritability / frustration
- Changes in appetite
- Loss of interest / motivation (finds
- Slowed thinking / speaking /
no pleasure in activities previously
moving
enjoyed)
- Unexplained pain
- Lack of energy
- Anxiety / restlessness
- Feeling of worthlessness
- Feeling of guilt / failure for past
events
- Trouble concentrating
- Indecisiveness
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Possible Impacts on Life:
- Interferes with work life (lack of motivation / energy, inability to concentrate)
- Damages relationships (isolation, irritability, lack of interest)
- Inability to make decisions
- Time spent sleeping
Therapies/Treatments and their Effectiveness:
Psychotherapy / Talk therapy
→ Helps to pinpoint issues and find solutions (ways to combat / prevent negative
feelings)
Electroconvulsive therapy / shock therapy
→ Relieves symptoms by causing mini seizures (seen as a temporary fix)
Antidepressants
→ varying levels of effectiveness depending on patient as well as medication
→ side effects often include:
- nausea / constipation
- changes in appetite / weight gain
- lack of interest in sex / erectile dysfunction / decreased orgasm
- drowsiness / insomnia
- blurred vision
Case Study - Background
-
Jessica, 28 years old
-
Married
-
Shame (inability to meet her own standards)
Highly stressed
Sets overly high goals / expectations for herself
Case Study - Symptoms / Impacts on Life Feelings of worthlessness
Unusually fatigued
Difficulty concentrating at work
Coworkers have noticed irritability and withdrawal / isolation
Dissatisfaction with her life, thoughts / wishes of death
Case Study - Diagnosis / Treatments
- Diagnosed with Major Depression
-
Combination of talk therapy and antidepressants
Sources Cited: (use APA format)
Case Studies. (2013, May 15). Retrieved from
http://www.psyweb.com/Casestudies/CaseStudies.jsp
Depression (major depressive disorder). (2015, July 22). Retrieved November 11, 2015,
from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/basics/definition/con20032977
Major Depression (Clinical Depression) Symptoms, Treatments, and More. (n.d.).
Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/majordepression?page=2#4
Understanding Depression and Effective Treatment. (2010, July 1). Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/understanding-depression.aspx