ARTICLES ON DEPRESSION

“Pathological Internet Use Among Teens May Lead to Depression” study was conducted by Lawrence T. Lam, Ph.D., of the School of Medicine, Sydney, and the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, Australia, and Zi-Wen Peng, M.Sc., of the Ministry of Education and SunYat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China, in August 2010. 1,041 teens in China were evaluatd for depression and anxiety using previously validated scales. At the beginning of the study, 62 participants  were classified as having moderately pathological use of the Internet, and 2% were severely at risk. Nine months later, the adolescents were re-assessed for anxiety and depression; 2%  had significant anxiety symptoms and 84% had developed depression. The risk of depression for those who used the Internet pathologically was about two and a half times that of those who did not. No relationship was observed between pathological Internet use and anxiety.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100802165402.htm

“Depression as Deadly as Smoking, Study Finds” was conducted by researchers at the University of Bergen, Norway, and the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) at King's College led by Dr Robert Stewar. The study was a survey taken by over 60,000 persons. It was complemented with already existent records. Researchers found that over the following 4 years using the survey, the mortality risk was increased to a similar extent in people who were depressed as in people who were smokers. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094933.htm

 

“High-School Seniors With Excessive Daytime Sleepiness Have an Increased Risk of Depression”study  was conducted by Dr. Mahmood I. Siddique, clinical associate professor of medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J. It was presented June 9, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC. 262 high school seniors with an average age of 17.7 years who were attending a public high school in Mercer County, N.J. Participant show socio-demographic characteristics using a cross-sectional survey. Excessive daytime sleepiness was indicated by a score of 10 or higher on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and mood was evaluated with a validated depression scale. The results demonstrated that high school seniors were three times more likely to have strong depression symptoms if they had excessive daytime sleepiness.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100609083221.htm

Depression

Explain the biological causes of depresion.

Biological causes are due to changes in the chemistry of the brain, such as fluctuations in the levels of important hormones. Genetic causes are the result of what you inherit from your parents. If one or both of your parents have a vulnerability to depression, then it can be transmitted to you.

Explain the environment causes of depresion.

Abuse. Past physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can cause depression later in life.
Certain medications. For example, some drugs used to treat high blood pressure, such as beta-blockers or reserpine, can increase your risk of depression.
Conflict. Depression may result from personal conflicts or disputes with family members or friends.
Death or a loss. Sadness or grief from the death or loss of a loved one, though natural, can also increase the risk of depression.
Genetics. A family history of depression may increase the risk. It's thought that depression is passed genetically from one generation to the next. The exact way this happens, though, is not known.
Major events. Even good events such as starting a new job, graduating, or getting married can lead to depression. So can moving, losing a job or income, getting divorced, or retiring.
Other personal problems. Problems such as social isolation due to other mental illnesses or being cast out of a family or social group can lead to depression.
Serious illnesses. Sometimes depression co-exists with a major illness or is a reaction to the illness.
Substance abuse. Nearly 30% of people with substance abuse problems also have major or clinical depression.

Explain the cognitive causes of depresion.

Cognitive behavioral theorists suggest that depression results from maladaptive, faulty, or irrational cognitions taking the form of distorted thoughts and judgments. Depressive cognitions can be learned socially as is the case when children in a dysfunctional family watch their parents fail to successfully cope with stressful experiences or traumatic events. Or, depressive cognitions can result from a lack of experiences that would facilitate the development of adaptive coping skills.

Explain the cognitive triad as it relates to depresion.

Negative thinking that often accompanies depression. The three components of the triad include one’s view of the world, oneself, and the future. People who are depressed tend to view the things around them negatively, evaluate themselves as unworthy and flawed, and view the future with caution and pessimism.