Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal Psychology

Chapter 7: Mood Disorders

Q1: Carefully distinguish among bipolar disorder, unipolar disorder, dysthymic disorder, and cyclothymic disorder.

Bipolar disorder, which affects some 1% to 2% of the general population, is a major public health problem. According to WHO, it is among the ten most costly diseases and disabling globally. The mortality rate is three times higher than the general population. The direct and indirect costs are estimated at several billion euros. Suicide risk is major, with a percentage of 10 to 15% among untreated patients (Davison, 2008). The suffering caused by this disorder is not limited to the patient, it affects friends and family (Barlow and Durand, 2004). This disorder is responsible for a major risk of de-socialization and may expose the patient to justice. There is frequently associated with other disorders which can mask the disease and form factors of resistance and worsened prognosis. Co-morbidity of substance abuse for up to 60% of bipolar and anxiety disorders are over-represented.

The diagnosis of bipolar depression is under diagnosed in a depressive episode and 1/3 of unipolar depression diagnoses are incorrect and correspond to that of bipolar depression. Uncontrolled prescribing of antidepressants may cause mood instability, induce hypomanic or manic episodes and cause an acceleration cycles. More specific management of this disorder is delayed, the greater the risk of therapeutic resistance, and socio-professional impact of family and suicide risk.

The mood may be normal, elevated or depressed. When there is a mood disorder of mind, the patient loses the sense of control over his mind and experience malaise. These disorders are divided into bipolar and depressive. Depression is a persistent feeling of worthlessness, loss of interest in the world and lack of hope in the future, modifying negative functionality of the subject. Dysthymia is a chronic disorder characterized by mood depressed (or irritable in children and adolescents) held most of the day and most of day, it is not serious enough to be considered as depressive episode (Hansell and Damour, 2005). The disorder cyclothymic oscillations are characterized by an abrupt phase to another (hypomania or depression), in which each phase lasts for days with normal mood rate.



Q2: Imagine that you are a behaviorist. What are the types of questions you would ask your depressed patient? What sorts of questions would you not be likely to ask, given your theoretical orientation?

As a behaviorist, I would consider asking questions to the patient that would help me identify the exact feelings of the patient and help him in a better possible way. Following are a few types of questions that I may ask the patient:

How have you been sleeping? Are you often tired? More than usual?

When you wake in the morning, what do you think about the day ahead? Do you feel better, worse or the same as the day goes on?

How has your mood? Have you been enjoying life lately? So much or less than usual? What has happened at home and at work?

Have you had difficulty concentrating or to deal with things? More ...