This a project for a high school AP Psychology course. This is a fictionalized account of having a psychological ailment. For questions about this blog project or its content please email the teacher, Laura Astorian: laura.astorian@cobbk12.org
2. What is it?
- Depression is categorized as a mood disorder
- A mood disorder is defined as a psychological disorder
characterized by emotional extremes
- Causes a persistent feeling of sadness
- One of the most common disorders in the US
3. Statistics
- 6.7% of American adults exhibited
symptoms of a major depressive episode
in 2014
- 3-5% of adults suffer from major
depressive disorder at any given time
- 1 in 50 children and 2 in 25 teens show
symptoms of major depression
Percentage of Students in AISD Who
Missed School Because They Felt Too
Sad or Depressed to Attend
4. Types of Depression Include
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Catatonic Depression
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Dysthymic Disorder
- Bipolar Depression
- Clinical Depression
5. Major Depressive Disorder
This disorder occurs when
symptoms of depression last
two weeks or more and are not
caused by drugs or a medical
condition
6. Causes of Depression
Biological differences: there can be
physical problems in the brains of
depressed people
Brain chemistry: There may be an
imbalance of the amount of
neurotransmitter exposure
Hormones: There may be a chemical
imbalance in the brain
Inherited traits: Depression can be
genetic
7. Risk Factors
Certain personality traits
Traumatic or stressful events
Childhood trauma
Blood relatives with a history of
depression
Being lesbian, gay, bisexual or
transgender in an unsupportive
situation
History of other mental health
disorders
Abuse of alcohol or illegal drugs
Serious or chronic illness
Certain medications
8. Symptoms
Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness
or hopelessness
Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration
Loss of interest or pleasure
Sleep disturbances
Tiredness and lack of energy
Changes in appetite
Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
Slowed thinking, speaking or body
movements
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Trouble thinking
Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death
Unexplained physical problems
9. Treatments
Talk to a psychologist
about psychological counseling
(psychotherapy)
Talk to a psychiatrist about
getting prescribed an
antidepressant
10. Not-so-Fun Facts
Depressed people are more prone to colds than non-
depressed people
Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as
men
Exposure to abuse and violence make people more
vulnerable to depression
There is a relationship between depression and physical
health
Many creative poets and writers have experienced
depression
Even positive events can lead to depression
11. Famous People with Depression
Kristen Bell
Lady Gaga
The Rock
Sarah Silverman
Cara Delevingne
Demi Lovato
Sheryl Crow
J.K. Rowling
12. To see a movie about depression
Cyberbully
Starring Emily Osment
About a young girl who is betrayed by
a friend
She is bullied at school
She attempts to kill herself after
showing many symptoms of
depression
14. Hopelessness
Many people feel hopeless when they
are depressed
They find it hard to think logically
about the future
They often lack motivation
They feel alone in the world
15. Sadness
People with depression can feel sad
for no known reason
They might find themselves crying
and not know why
Anxiety often intertwines with
depression, but not always
16. Lost of Interest
Many people have trouble with daily
activities
Things that used to be enjoyable are
now pleasureless
Things like school and work no longer
are interesting
Some people have trouble thinking
straight and concentrating
17. Physical Exhaustion
Cramps and pains may be felt
Headaches are common
Physical exhaustion can sometimes be
worse than the mental exhaustion
It can feel like trying to breathe with a
weight on our chest
18. Separation
A lot of people feel like they are
watching the world spin from behind
a glass wall
Other people say they feel like they
are ghosts watching normal people
walk around and "living" "normal"
lives
Others say it is like a dark hole that
surrounds your entire life
19. Internal Struggles
Depression can be said to be like a
heartbreak
Many people say they feel numb
Others say that it's like the death
eaters of Harry Potter have sucked all
the happiness out of you
Some people lose themselves in the
struggle of it
20. A Quote from It's Kind of a Funny
Story."
“I didn't want to wake up. I was having
a much better time asleep. And that's
really sad. It was almost like a reverse
nightmare, like when you wake up
from a nightmare you're so relieved. I
woke up into a nightmare.”
― Ned Vizzini
21. A Quote from The Bean Trees
“There is no point treating a
depressed person as though she were
just feeling sad, saying, 'There now,
hang on, you'll get over it.' Sadness is
more or less like a head cold- with
patience, it passes. Depression is like
cancer.”
― Barbara Kingsolver
22. Sources
Depression. (2016, August). Retrieved December 09, 2016,
from https://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/depression
Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Retrieved December 09,
2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/
Myers, D. G. (2007). Psychology. New York: Worth.
