Application of Psychological Theory and Research to Understanding Depression
This case study concerns Tracy, a 25-year-old female indicated (by background information provided) to have come from a background of incompetent biological parents, foster homes, and a clear lack of stable, trusting relationships. It is also mentioned that Tracy has been referred for psychological help by concerned friends after suffering from an emotional breakdown coinciding with and possibly due to her sudden and unexpected breakup with her boyfriend Isaac.
Immediately evident in this case are several factors that could have been contributing to the development of Tracy’s depression as well as signs perhaps themselves indicative of depression. When taking Beck’s …show more content…
In this particular case, the trigger identified most likely would be the abrupt and unforeseen breakup with her most recent boyfriend Isaac. Isaac, as described by the background information provided, is a childhood acquaintance from Tracy’s history in the foster home system. As such, likely is the possibility that he would have been viewed as an empathising figure by Tracy, an individual with whom she could open up to about her cares and worries based on their similar backgrounds. Moreover, Tracy, having grown up with no lasting, caring relationships, would have developed a yearning for such. These factors taken into consideration, can be seen to have amplified the apparent importance of this particular relationship for at least Tracy, whom describes herself the relationship as being the “best thing that ever happened to [her]”. Hence, it is to be expected that the sudden loss of such an important part of Tracy’s life would elicit a much stronger set of automatic thoughts or responses (emotional, behavioural and physiological) relative to those that she would have had in response to other, similar situations that she had lived through previously; that is, when she again is confronted with the trigger of being abandoned once again by someone …show more content…
For example, Read and Sanders (2010) argue that while a diagnosis can help provide comfort and assuage any distress through reassuring the patient by indicating that they are not alone in as well as providing a sense of power over the situation at hand by employing an aspect of human nature (naming something supposedly giving you power over it); the reality is that any effect here relies heavily on the power of illusion. Taking the case at hand into consideration, it is unlikely that these forms of comfort would be applicable to any extent. This would be due, for the most part, to the self-centred focus of the problem where Tracy’s worries are about what she should do now in response to her emotionally traumatic breakup with Isaac rather than whether she is an abnormal and isolated case. Also, what would help Tracy is actual help rather than a mere promise of such at this stage, linking back to her trust issues which could extend to an inability to trust such a promise, its dispenser and/or such a promise ever coming to fruition – hence rendering any comfort that could be achieved as a result negligible. Read and Sanders, moreover, state clearly that while a diagnosis may indicate the presence of a mental health problem, it may not suggest that the expert who conducted the diagnosis has any idea or method of dealing with such, or even if the diagnosis
This case study concerns Tracy, a 25-year-old female indicated (by background information provided) to have come from a background of incompetent biological parents, foster homes, and a clear lack of stable, trusting relationships. It is also mentioned that Tracy has been referred for psychological help by concerned friends after suffering from an emotional breakdown coinciding with and possibly due to her sudden and unexpected breakup with her boyfriend Isaac.
Immediately evident in this case are several factors that could have been contributing to the development of Tracy’s depression as well as signs perhaps themselves indicative of depression. When taking Beck’s …show more content…
In this particular case, the trigger identified most likely would be the abrupt and unforeseen breakup with her most recent boyfriend Isaac. Isaac, as described by the background information provided, is a childhood acquaintance from Tracy’s history in the foster home system. As such, likely is the possibility that he would have been viewed as an empathising figure by Tracy, an individual with whom she could open up to about her cares and worries based on their similar backgrounds. Moreover, Tracy, having grown up with no lasting, caring relationships, would have developed a yearning for such. These factors taken into consideration, can be seen to have amplified the apparent importance of this particular relationship for at least Tracy, whom describes herself the relationship as being the “best thing that ever happened to [her]”. Hence, it is to be expected that the sudden loss of such an important part of Tracy’s life would elicit a much stronger set of automatic thoughts or responses (emotional, behavioural and physiological) relative to those that she would have had in response to other, similar situations that she had lived through previously; that is, when she again is confronted with the trigger of being abandoned once again by someone …show more content…
For example, Read and Sanders (2010) argue that while a diagnosis can help provide comfort and assuage any distress through reassuring the patient by indicating that they are not alone in as well as providing a sense of power over the situation at hand by employing an aspect of human nature (naming something supposedly giving you power over it); the reality is that any effect here relies heavily on the power of illusion. Taking the case at hand into consideration, it is unlikely that these forms of comfort would be applicable to any extent. This would be due, for the most part, to the self-centred focus of the problem where Tracy’s worries are about what she should do now in response to her emotionally traumatic breakup with Isaac rather than whether she is an abnormal and isolated case. Also, what would help Tracy is actual help rather than a mere promise of such at this stage, linking back to her trust issues which could extend to an inability to trust such a promise, its dispenser and/or such a promise ever coming to fruition – hence rendering any comfort that could be achieved as a result negligible. Read and Sanders, moreover, state clearly that while a diagnosis may indicate the presence of a mental health problem, it may not suggest that the expert who conducted the diagnosis has any idea or method of dealing with such, or even if the diagnosis