Abnormal week 11

Particularly struck this week with depression, that is the study of. We talked much this week about different types of depression and how they can be intertwined and how complex properly diagnosing someone and treating them can be. I found it quite interesting when people may be experiencing dysthymia as well as a major depression and how these two stages overlap. This would be reflected in an individual who has a particularly crappy mood all the time and then every once in awhile has a super crummy mood and feel like total shit. Basically depression and these states are negative thoughts and moods sometimes developing into schemas, or particular attitudes or beliefs about something. What seems to be most affective to me would be to help people integrate these negative thoghts and understand their root but knowing that the present feelings you have are of more relevance than these past behaviors and beliefs. I would say that this approach of cutting off these thoughts before they start would be particularly unhelpful and inaffective because it may eliminate a very big part of that person that they have gotten to know through depression. In fact depression may be the way that they acclimate themselves to an environment. So basically what I am encouraging is helping people understanding the roots of these feelings recognizing there prevalence in the past and then moving on with new ideas and beliefs that reflect new forming schemas. I would support this happening preferably without the use of drugs as I think that can be particularly confusing for some people, and create feelings which may not be true to their own. The power is all ready there its the desire that may sometimes need help to be cultivated.
-nate