Depression: A Case Study Of Positive Psychology

Great Essays
It was the Saturday following her graduation that Judy affirmed her decision to seek treatment. She had first considered the idea at the start of her last year in high school, and in the weeks leading up to the end of year ceremony, she found more reasons than not to embark on a treatment. Her conviction was firm, and on a chilly morning, she opened the subject with her parents. She first said to her parents that she wants to go to therapy because she wants correct her weakness and build her strength. When Judy came to therapy, she was disheveled. It was clear that she had not brushed her hair, cleaned her teeth, and did not take a recent shower in the past 24 hours. At 19 years old, Judy explained that she was feeling down, and had a lack …show more content…
Positive psychology along with depression has fruitful effects in therapy because it builds pleasure through meaning and engagement. In addition, positive emotions eradicates the negative emotions in depression itself. Frederickson (2004) claimed that positive emotions led negative emotions to disappear more rapidly. Thus Judy can benefit from positive psychology by creating positive emotions. In addition, Frederickson (2004) argued that positive emotions diminishes the “cardiovascular aftereffects of negative emotions which is shown in increased heart rate and increased blood pressure (p.641). In another study, Lyubomiskymos (2005) concentrated on two groups of participants that participated in a 6-week kindness study. He focused on one group of participants that did 5 acts of kindness all in one day and another group of participants who did 5 acts of kindness in separate days. Interestingly, he found out that participants who committed 5 acts of kindness all in one day reported to be …show more content…
(2004.) Positive psychology in clinical practice. Annual Reviews Clinical Psychology, 1, doi: 10.1146, 629-651. Elliot, T. (2002.) Psychological explanations of personal journeys: hope for a positive psychology in theory, practice, and policy. Psychological Inquiry, 13(2), 295-298. Frederickson, B. (2004.) The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences, 359(1449), doi: 10.1098, 1367-1377. Frederickson, B. (2003.) The value of positive emotions: the emerging science of positive psychology is coming to understand why it’s good to feel good. American Scientist, 91(4), 330-335. Frederickson, B. & Joiner, T. (2002.) Positive emotions trigger upward spirals toward emotional well-being. Psychological Science, 13(2), 172-175. Peterson, C. & Park, N. (2003.) Positive psychology as the evenhanded positive psychologist views it. Psychological Inquiry, 14(2), 143-147. Ryff, C. & Singer, B. (1998.) The contours of positive human health. Psychological Inquiry, 9(1), 1-28.
Seligman, M., Parks, A., & Steen, T. (2004.) A balanced psychology and a full life. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences, 359(1449), doi: 10.1098,

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