2012年9月14日 星期五

An Interesting Introduction to Psychology - Delusion and Depression


A person who presents with delusions that are theoretically plausible (non-bizarre), appropriate behavior, and no marked impairment in functioning would receive a diagnosis of Delusional Disorder. Erotomanic Type Delusional Disorder is characterized by the delusion that a person, typically of higher status, is in love with the patient. Grandiose Type is characterized by the delusion that one has made a truly meaningful discovery and/or has a remarkable talent. Jealous Type is a Delusional Disorder that fits a man who is convinced his wife is cheating, based on the fact she came home from work with a wrinkled shirt.

A person with Delusional Disorder who believes they, or someone they know, is being malevolently mistreated best qualify for Persecutory Type. Somatic Type is a type of Delusional Disorder is characterized by the irrational conviction that one has a physical defect, disorder, or disease. When a client's delusional belief cannot be clearly determined or is not described by the specific types, they would receive a diagnosis of Delusional Disorder Unspecified Type. A person can present with more than one type of Delusional Disorder. This is referred to as Mixed Type. A person experiences the sudden onset of at least one psychotic symptom (delusion, hallucination, etc) that lasts from several hours up to a month, and then returns to premorbid level of functioning, the most appropriate diagnosis is Brief Psychotic Disorder.

If a Brief Psychotic Disorder is in response to a very stressful event, it is sometimes referred to a Brief Reactive Psychosis and the diagnosis would include the specifier With Marked Stressor(s). The French term Folie a Deux (aka Shared Psychotic Disorder) often refers to when a person in close relation to another person who has a psychotic disorder begins experiencing similar delusions. A Manic Episode involves impaired functionality as a result of abnormally elevated, expansive, or irritable mood for a period of at least 1 week, in addition to symptoms such as grandiosity, flight of ideas, and increased verbosity; a Hypomanic Episode is similar, however the duration must be 4 days, no psychotic features or functional impairment is present, and hospitalization is not needed. A person who reports experiencing both mania and major depression in a single day, for at least 1 week, is experiencing A Mixed Episode.

Major Depressive Episode is characterized by a change in prior functioning due to the experience of depressed mood or loss of pleasure, in addition to at least 5 other symptoms of depression, during a two-week period. Bipolar I involves the presence of at least 1 manic or mixed episode at some time, and the person may or may not have experienced 1 or more major depressive episodes; the diagnosis of Bipolar II is given when 1 or more major depressive episodes and at least one hypomanic episode are present. Considered a Bipolar Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder involves a mood disturbance of at least 2 years where the person alternates between hypomania and mild to moderate depressive states; functioning is often unimpaired. According to the DSM, approximately 15% of people with Major Depressive Disorder die by suicide. A person experiencing their first (and perhaps only) depressive episode would be diagnose Major Depressive Disorder, single episode, while one who has experienced more than one episode in a 2 year period would receive the indicator recurrent.

Research has shown that women appear to experience depression at a higher rate than men. Come of the possible reasons for this are that men are likely underrepresented due to underreporting; coping styles differ- men employ action and mastery strategies, women tend to brood and dwell on problems; women tend to express more extreme levels of well-being than men. The appropriate diagnosis for a woman who, within 4 weeks after giving birth, experiences mood swings, tearfulness, and other depressive symptoms suggestive of a Mood Disorder is Postpartum Depression A 24 y/o client reports he has felt "pretty down" for most his life, stating he experiences difficulty falling asleep, low self-image, decreased energy, feelings of hopelessness, and difficulty concentrating and making decisions. He explains, however, that it rarely affected his functional capacities. The likely diagnosis in this situation is Dysthymic Disorder. A person who has both Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder is best characterized by the condition known as Double Depression.




Herb likes to learn about psychology. Please check out his website with information on hickory kitchen cabinets and details on resurfacing kitchen cabinets.





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