REVIEW Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder

Learning Objectives

Test Yourself by taking a moment to answer each of these Learning Objective Questions (repeated here from within the module). Research suggests that trying to answer these questions on your own will improve your long-term memory of the concepts (McDaniel et al., 2009).

Question

42-1 How do major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder differ?

ANSWER: A person with major depressive disorder experiences two or more weeks with five or more symptoms, at least one of which must be either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure. A person with the less common condition of bipolar disorder experiences not only depression but also mania—episodes of hyperactive and wildly optimistic, impulsive behavior.

Question

42-2 How can the biological and social-cognitive perspectives help us understand major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder?

ANSWER: The biological perspective on major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder focuses on genetic predispositions and on abnormalities in brain structures and function (including those found in neurotransmitter systems). The social-cognitive perspective views depression as an ongoing cycle of stressful experiences (interpreted through negative beliefs, attributions, and memories) leading to negative moods and actions and fueling new stressful experiences.

Question

42-3 What factors increase the risk of suicide, and what do we know about nonsuicidal self-injury?

ANSWER: Suicide rates differ by nation, race, gender, age group, income, religious involvement, marital status, and (for gay and lesbian youth, for example) social support structure. Those with depression are more at risk for suicide than others are, but social suggestion, health status, and economic and social frustration are also contributing factors. Environmental barriers (such as jump barriers) are effective in preventing suicides. Forewarnings of suicide may include verbal hints, giving away possessions, withdrawal, preoccupation with death, and discussing one's own suicide. Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) does not usually lead to suicide but may escalate to suicidal thoughts and acts if untreated. People who engage in NSSI do not tolerate stress well and tend to be self-critical, with poor communication and problem-solving skills.

Terms and Concepts to Remember

Test yourself on these terms.

Question

major depressive disorder (p. 545)
bipolar disorder (p. 546)
mania (p. 546)
rumination (p. 550)
a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state in which dangerously poor judgment is common.
a disorder in which a person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania. (Formerly called manic-depressive disorder.)
compulsive fretting; overthinking about our problems and their causes.
a disorder in which a person experiences, in the absence of drugs or another medical condition, two or more weeks with five or more symptoms, at least one of which must be either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.

Experience the Testing Effect

Test yourself repeatedly throughout your studies. This will not only help you figure out what you know and don’t know; the testing itself will help you learn and remember the information more effectively thanks to the testing effect.

Question 14.13

1. The “gender gap” in depression refers to the finding that (men's/women's) risk of depression is nearly double that of (men's/women's).

Question 14.14

2. Rates of bipolar disorder have risen dramatically in the twenty-first century, especially among

A.
B.
C.
D.

Question 14.15

3. Treatment for depression often includes drugs that increase supplies of the neurotransmitters and .

Question 14.16

4. Psychologists who emphasize the importance of negative perceptions, beliefs, and thoughts in depression are working within the perspective.

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