Essay Sample on Abnormal Psychology: Major Depression

Introduction

The disorder in the video has been described well with the video presenting the symptoms, the causes as well as the diagnostic features. The video also describes the important diagnostic features of the disorder and that makes it easier to understand the disorder. The video is in different sections making it easier to navigate it. The presenter has presented the video well making it easily understood and thus making it well explained.

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The video presents the symptoms that are present in people with major depression. The video has presented four major symptoms. Depression or sometimes referred to as Major Depressive Disorder is a condition characterized by loss of interest in things. These symptoms are the ones that are present majorly in people suffering from major depression. Some of the symptoms are for typical depression whereas others are for atypical depression. The symptoms mentioned in the video include diminished thinking memory and decision making, lack of motivation and negative mood, apathy, and social withdrawal, and physically unwell and rundown. The symptoms that are an inconsistency with the textbook are lack of motivation and negative mood, apathy, and social withdrawal and diminished thinking and decision making. The symptom that is not consistent with the textbook is physically unwell and rundown. The typical symptoms in these are diminished thinking memory and decision making, apathy and social withdrawal. The atypical symptoms are physically unwell and rundown and lack of motivation and negative mood. Some of these symptoms may be observable or can be reported in behaviors whereas others need a diagnosis because they might be symptoms for something else other than depression like sadness which can be confused as depression. The diagnostic criteria should include looking for at least 5 symptoms.

Although the video has presented good information that may go along to help people with depression the manner in which the information is presented begs some questions. The video has presented the disorder in a way that shows stigmatization. This can make the public perceive the individuals with the condition in a negative way. The video has shown the people as beings who are dependent and that they can do nothing. This is a move that brings a bad attitude towards people that we refer to as 'abnormal'. The video could have used better ways so that we can see the positives and how to help individuals who suffer from the condition. First, the authors have shown the people who are not normal but rather people who suffer.

If I would present the information then I would make sure I make the public understand that these people need empathy and not sympathy. Sympathizing with these people makes them feel unworthy and a load to the society. This way brings a lot of stigmatization and people look at them in a negative way. These people need to be accepted and helped and not to be frowned at. The public needs to remain positive regarding them and as such, there is a need to present the disorder better. I would first make sure the video tackles issues of having a good attitude towards the people and also how to help the people better. I would make sure the public understands their role in dealing with the people and helping them out in one way or the other. In summary, we can say that presenting information in a way that puts the people as 'abnormal' is stigmatizing and should not be applied to the public.

References

Nolen-Hoekesma, S. (2016). Abnormal Psychology (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill