Influence on behaviors and Psychological Disorders Outline

PSY/103

Influence on behaviors and Psychological Disorders Outline I. Introduction
“Recent data estimate the overall prevalence of depression at about 11.1% of the American population, or nearly 35 million individuals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). A predictive models suggest that up to 50% of the population will experience at least one episode of depression during their lives” (Life Extension, 2014). Depression has negatively affected the lives of many individuals throughout the world. Look around you there may even be someone close to you that is demonstrating signs of its stifling affects. Depression does not discriminate with its suffocating …show more content…

An individual suffering from depression will experience annoying symptoms such as lowered mood, anhedonia (Loss of the capacity to experience pleasure, and the inability to gain pleasure from normally pleasurable experiences (Medicine Net, 2012), overwhelming sadness, and lack of perspective, pessimistic thoughts, low self-esteem, as well as many other symptoms causing the patient’s life to become unbearable and useless. Some of the most common symptoms of depression include excessive feelings of sadness, guilt, or worthlessness, a significant change in appetite, insomnia or hypersomnia, energy loss, thoughts or attempts of suicide. II. General Behavior associated with depression 1. Depression can affect the mind and the body by altering a person’s mood and a change in body weight. a) Sadness is the number one sign of depression, showing a sign of nothing is worth living for anymore. b) A person may see that their loved one has become withdrawn from social events. 2. Being fatigued or sleepy for the majority of the day and losing interest in activities are important signs to watch for in depression. a) This also may be seen that there is no more joy in hobbies (anhedonia) and everything is tiring to the person. b) Can affect "executive" brain functions. 3. A decrease in weight and having no appetite is a latent and serious sign to monitor and get control over. a) When an