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Back to Subjects - Psychology

depression

depression Suicide is a perplexing aspect of human behavior. There are hundreds of possible causes for suicide, but one underlying reason usually prevails. When life seems unbearable and hopelessly dreary, the only apparent way out for some individuals is to end their own painful existence. To other mentally "stable" individuals, suicide can be a question that can never be answered. Suicide is final, and no one comes back to explain why the decision was made to end their own life. There are some facts known about suicide, as well as many theories pertaining to why this behavioral phenomenon occurs. Recent advances in technology and furthered research into the biological basis for suicidal depression have yielded some interesting results. Accordingly, as the chemistry of suicide comes to light, there seems to be a gender-related difference in the rate and, excuse the pun, execution of suicidal Men are more likely to carry out a suicide and women are more likely to attempt (Lips, 1999). This could be due to a number of factors, but one that stands out from the rest. Women, in general, choose passive methods such as drugs and poisons to attempt suicide. Men use more drastic measures, such as shooting or hanging. So one explanation for the difference between the sexes is that women choose less lethal methods for ending their life. Even women who choose firearms to attempt suicide will do so in a manner that is less deadly than a male. A male is more likely than a female to shoot himself in the head, and a female more likely to deliver a body shot (Lester, There are some characteristics that most suicidal individuals follow. Some are specific to gender, and some are shared between the sexes. Two characteristics are exclusively feminine. Discarded women who experience rejection by both men and their parents, and harlequin women, who are masochistic and eroticize death. There are other characteristics which are primarily female, such as middle aged depression (Menopause related), women who are in a passive-dependent relationship, and women who are with a suicidal man. Shared characteristics include adolescents with identity and dependency problems and the old and alone type with failing health (Lester, 1988). Medical and Psychological technology brings us to a new understanding into the physiology of things. It is tough to dispute the fact that chemical processes throughout the body actually effect behavior, and behavior is the result of both chemical and environmental influence. In the previous text, I have examined many of the environmental factors attributed to the occurrence of suicidal behavior. Since behavior is a combination of both factors, I must address the physiological conditions that make Depression, and the physical manifestations that coincide, can be due to any number of biological processes. First, studies on hemispheric dominance indicate a strong relationship between happiness and increased activity in the left prefrontal cortex. Therefore, it makes sense that inactivity in the left prefrontal cortex and overactivity in the right prefrontal cortex is prevalent in people suffering from depression. Why this is so is still under debate, but there are treatments for such hemispheric abnormalities. One of such methods for treatment is electroshock therapy (ECT), though why ECT works in the treatment of depression is still not Other factors in brain chemistry that have noticeable effects on depression and suicide are the neurotransmitters norepenephrine and serotonin. Most anti-depressive drugs on the market work with these two chemicals. For whatever reasons, blocking the reuptake of serotonin so that the brain can utilize it longer is the foundation for most of the current antidepressants commonly prescribed today. There are three general types of serotonin-reactive antidepressants commonly used for the treatment of depression. First are monoamine oxidase inhibitors, which block the enzyme monoamine oxidase. Monoamine oxidase metabolizes seratonin into an inactive form. By blocking this reaction, serotonin remains longer than usual at the synapse, generating antidepressive effects. Secondly there are tricyclics, which prevent the reuptake of serotonin to the presynaptic neuron, thus keeping the neurotransmitter in a usable location longer. These drugs also work on other neurotransmitters such as catecholamines (Kalat, 1998). The newest of the three antidepressants are selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors, which are specific to serotonin alone, and thus have less chance of side affects. The most popular is fluoxetine (Prozac). These new serotonin selective drugs have more predictable and less harsh side effects, and, therefore, are more likely for patients to voluntarily take, as side effects are the primary reason for an individual to stop taking a prescription. If the side effects are perceived as worse than the primary effect, the patient will often quit taking the drug, which can have profound implications. If the patient stops taking the drug, he or she may slip back into a state of depression, which, in the worst case, may lead to the patient taking his or her own life (Kalat, 1998). Other methods for controlling depression include cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal psychotherapy (Kalat, 1998). Psychotherapy is very costly and is not available to everybody, therefore drug therapy is the most common method for We have clues to the biological and behavioral aspects of depression and suicide, but no clear cut method stands out as a unanimous cure. Depression can lay dormant for years, then reappear. Mental health professionals have many tools to fight depression, but the path is ambiguous. One treatment may work for one patient, but prove worthless to another. Psychologists have more tools and knowledge now than ever before in the great battle against depression. With these tools, many people have experienced relief from their state of depression, and, accordingly, many lives have been saved. The be all end all goal of science and technology is to preserve and even enhance the quality of life for everybody. Depression deprives the individual from happiness, and can lead to the choice of death over life. Hopefully, we will fully understand why people are unhappy someday. As for the present, we can only do so much, which has been, and will be a saving grace for many before and many to come. Bibliography: Bagley, Christopher, and Richard Ramsay, Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents and Adults. Ed. Robin Lovelock. Brookfield, Vermont: Ashgate Publishing Co.,1997. 5. Kalat, James W., Biological Psychology. Ed. Jim Brace-Thompson. Boston, Massachusetts: Brooks/Cole Publishing Co., 1998. 420-424. Lester, David, Why Women Kill Themselves. Ed. David Lester. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, 1988. 7-9. Lips, Hilary M., A New Psychology of Women. Ed. Franklin Graham. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1999. 217.

Word Count: 1066