Andrew, a thirty-two-year-old married man, has a very demanding job as a junior partner in a huge law firm. As a high achiever, Andrew has always set very high standards for himself. He often gets very critical of himself whenever he fails to meet his high standards. Of late, Andrew has been struggling with significant feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and shame because he has been unable to perform well in recent days. He has been having unusual feelings of fatigue and concentration in his work has increasingly been very difficult. He is irritable and withdrawn from his coworkers while at work. Lately, he has been calling in sick on very many occasions, something he never does on his normal days. When he calls in sick, he spends all day sleeping in bed or watching the television. At home, his wife has also seen the changes in Andrew, some of which have affected her as well as their relationship. He has shown quite very little interest in his wife or their intimacy. It has been difficult for him falling asleep, an issue which has consequently affected the sleep of his wife as well. Andrew does not want to open up to his wife about his problems. He has reached a point at which he is having thoughts of dying. He is quite frustrated with himself. Andrew’s parents have also struggled with major depression in their entire lives.
Does Andrew meet the criteria for a person suffering from Major Depression?
Major Depression Overview
Major Depression, also known as to as clinical depression, is described as a depressed or stressed mood that occurs throughout the day but mostly in the morning, which renders an individual uninterested in normal activities, roles and relationships ( Akhondzadeh et al. 2009) . This state may last for at least two weeks, in which a person may show signs of hopelessness, worthlessness and a great feeling of despair. Major depression makes it quick difficult for an individual to concentrate at work which may lead to loss of job. For a student, it becomes quite difficult to study, which also leads to failure in exams. Severe symptoms may cause loss of appetite which then causes malnutrition and further affects the individual's health. A person suffering from major depression can no longer get involved with friends, enjoy their company or participate in group activities with other people willingly. While major depression may occur due to family history as it is hereditary, people whose families have no history of the disease condition may also suffer from depression.
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Clinical depression or major depression comes with a lot of symptoms, which together brings a stressed or depressed mood with feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness to an individual. There is a constant and an unusual feeling of fatigue that seems to occur every single day. Insomnia, a state in which the individual sleeps a lot, also comes in. The individual has impaired concentration and an inability to make decisions correctly. The individual has very little or no interest in pleasure in many activities almost every day. There is a markedly decreased interest in intimacy among married couples. The person feels unsettled and restless with recurring thoughts of committing suicide or wishing death. Such an individual will have a significant loss or gain in weight in a period of a few weeks.
Andrew clearly fits in this criterion given his symptoms and depressed state. He is increasingly showing signs of hopelessness and worthlessness. For a person who loves his work and likes to keep high standards, his absenteeism from work speaks a lot about his health. He also has other symptoms associated with major depression such as insomnia. He is withdrawn while at work and finds it quite difficult to concentrate. More seriously, he has thoughts of committing suicide as he feels dissatisfied with his life. Andrew is also restless, especially in his sleep, and often feels frustrated. To add to all these symptoms, Andrew’s parents have long histories of depression. All these conditions put Andrew in the criteria of an individual suffering from clinical or major depression.
Biopsychosocial Model on the cause of Andrew’s Struggle
According to the biopsychosocial model, biological, psychological and social factors, are linked together in the cause of a disease condition or in the process of promoting health. This suggests that, when it comes to matters of health, both the mind and body play important roles. Depression presents as a complex health condition with more than one specific cause. Depression can, therefore, be caused by biological, psychological and social factors. Biological factors for depression include genetic factors such as hereditary. The history of having many negative occurrences in one's life and continuous stress are examples of psychological factors. Social incidents such as death or the loss of a job are examples of social factors that may cause depression ( Buckner et al. 2013) .
Given Andrew's case, the biopsychosocial model may apply as well in trying to come up with the cause of his condition. The fact that his parents have very long histories of depression renders Andrew vulnerable to becoming depressed. This can be considered as a biological factor by the biopsychosocial model. Andrew' job is highly stressful, and he, himself has set high standards for himself. His recent failure to meet his standards at work has contributed to his depressed nature. These can both satisfy the psychological and the social factors of depression. The model, therefore, brings out the possible cause of Andrew's depressed condition as biological, psychological and sociological.
Approaching a Similar Situation in which a Friend needs Psychological Counselling
Psychological counseling is one of the ways by which a depressed individual can get help in order to cope with his or her condition. As a friend, one must be able to get the aid of a person showing signs of depression and provide them with the advice of going for counseling. Psychological counselors normally apply the use of the biopsychosocial model in order to have a correct understanding of an individual's cause of depression. This way, it is easier to prescribe certain treatment and preventive actions for the individual. As a friend, one must get the individual to open up about his or her condition and advise such a person to seek the help of a psychological counselor. It is advisable that the family members such as a spouse also attend such counseling session in order to help the individual cope much better with his situation. Encouraging a friend to seek the help of a psychological counselor is an excellent step towards the individual's recovery.
Effective Treatment Strategies for Helping Andrew Recover from the Disorder
As suggested above, seeing a psychological counselor is one step towards recovery from depression. In order for Andrew to recover from the disorder, a few things must happen first. Andrew must open up about his situation and allow those who care about his condition, such as his wife to help him out. His parents might be needed to get his on his feet and open up. A psychological counselor might be contacted in order to help Andrew with his condition and promote his recovery. He needs social support from those close to him such as his parents and wife. Regular exercise, especially in the morning may also help a lot in dealing with his depressed state.
Other treatment strategies include psychotherapy, electroconvulsive treatment and the use of antidepressant medication among other therapies. Psychotherapy and antidepressant medications are commonly used as strategies in the attempt of treating depression ( Akhondzadeh et al. 2009) . Electroconvulsive treatment is often avoided and only used in severe or very extreme circumstances. Any individual experiencing any symptoms of depression is always advised to seek medical assistance before the symptoms become severe. Andrew's situation seems quite severe, and these medical solutions might be needed in order to ensure full recovery. Various antidepressant drugs might be prescribed for him to use regularly ( Dobson, 2008) . Psychotherapy or psychological counseling may be sought as well to help with his quick and proper recovery. Treatment is aimed at bringing Andrew back to his normal state for him to concentrate on his work and other daily activities. Treatment strategies will also bring his health status back to the normal levels and reconstruct his relationship with those close to him. His recovery will also prevent other affected people such as his wife from getting stressed or depressed as well ( Boss et al. 2016) .
Major depression brings about a stressed or a depressed state in an individual, in which the individual feels hopeless and worthless. The symptoms presented in Andrew’s suggest that he is suffering from major depression. The biopsychosocial model can be used to try to get to the root of the health condition. According to the mode, Andrew’s condition may have been caused by biological, psychological and social factors. For instance, the fact that his parents have long histories of suffering from major depression makes Andrew vulnerable. The help of a psychological counselor is necessary in order to recover from major depression. Other treatment strategies include the use of antidepressants and electroconvulsive treatment.
References
Akhondzadeh, S., Jafari, S., Raisi, F., Nasehi, A. A., Ghoreishi, A., Salehi, B., ... & Kamalipour, A. (2009). A clinical trial of adjunctive celecoxib treatment in patients with major depression: a double-blind and placebo-controlled trial. Depression and anxiety , 26 (7), 607-611.
Boss, P., Bryant, C. M., & Mancini, J. A. (2016). Family stress management: A contextual approach . Sage Publications.
Buckner, J. D., Heimberg, R. G., Ecker, A. H., & Vinci, C. (2013). A biopsychosocial model of social anxiety and substance use. Depression and Anxiety , 30 (3), 276-284.
Dobson, K. S., Hollon, S. D., Dimidjian, S., Schmaling, K. B., Kohlenberg, R. J., Gallop, R. J., ... & Jacobson, N. S. (2008). Randomized trial of behavioral activation, cognitive therapy, and antidepressant medication in the prevention of relapse and recurrence in major depression. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology , 76 (3), 468.
