Depressive and Bipolar Disorders: Crash Course Psychology #30

CrashCourse
8 Sept 201410:00
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video details bipolar disorder and other mood disorders through the life story of psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison. It describes the extreme emotional highs and lows of bipolar disorder, including impulsive and risky behavior during manic episodes. It discusses the prolonged sadness of depression, its physical and mental effects, and the criteria for clinical diagnosis. Potential genetic and biological causes are explained, including brain chemistry imbalances. The social-cognitive model is also introduced, emphasizing how negative thought patterns can worsen disorders. Though complex with no single cure, the video conveys that mood disorders are manageable.

Takeaways
  • 😀 Mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder are common but serious conditions that are often misunderstood
  • 🧠 They involve disturbances in mood that last longer than normal emotions, caused by a complex interplay of biological, genetic, environmental and psychological factors
  • 😥 The main mood disorders are depressive disorders like major depression, characterized by prolonged and severe low mood, and bipolar disorders with alternating highs and lows
  • 😔 Symptoms of depression include sadness, lack of interest, weight/appetite changes, fatigue and suicidal thoughts
  • 😊 Manic episodes in bipolar disorder involve high energy, grandiose thoughts and poor judgment that can become dangerous
  • 💊 Treatments include therapy and medications that target neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine
  • 🧠 Negative thought patterns can feed into vicious cycles that exacerbate depression
  • 👪 Genetics play a strong role - if your family members have a mood disorder, your risk is much higher
  • 😀 With proper treatment and self-care, many people with mood disorders live happy and productive lives
  • 😊 Increased public awareness and compassion about these conditions is important to support those suffering from them
Q & A

  • What are some key symptoms of major depressive disorder?

    -Key symptoms include depressed mood, significant weight or appetite changes, sleep disturbances, decreased interest in activities, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

  • How does a manic episode differ from simply feeling energetic or happy?

    -A manic episode involves intense, restless hyperactivity and often an unrealistic increase in self-confidence or grandiose ideas that can lead to poor judgment and risky behavior.

  • Why do more women tend to be diagnosed with depression than men?

    -Many psychologists believe this is because women are more likely to seek treatment, not because depression is necessarily more common in women. Depression in men may also present more as anger and aggression.

  • What is the relationship between genetics and mood disorders?

    -Mood disorders often run in families, indicating a genetic component. Studies of identical twins show a high correlation in bipolar disorder diagnoses regardless of whether twins are raised together or apart.

  • How do medications used to treat depression work?

    -Most antidepressant medications work by raising levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. These chemicals are often deficient in people with depression.

  • How can negative thinking contribute to depression?

    -Negative thought patterns like learned helplessness and self-blame can feed on themselves, creating a self-fulfilling cycle that worsens feelings of depression over time.

  • Can stressful life events cause someone to develop a mood disorder?

    -No, you must have an underlying predisposition. However, stress can trigger episodes in someone with bipolar disorder or cause a major depressive episode in a person vulnerable to depression.

  • What are some examples of impulsive behavior during a manic episode?

    -Examples include going on lavish shopping sprees, racking up credit card debt, engaging in risky sexual behavior, and displaying poor judgment in ways that can be destructive.

  • Why can it be difficult to treat mood disorders?

    -Mood disorders have complex causes, including biological, genetic, environmental and psychological factors. There is rarely a single cure that treats every aspect, so management often involves medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, etc.

  • How did Kay Redfield Jamison try to kill herself when she was 28?

    -Jamison took an overdose of Lithium and lapsed into a coma, but thankfully regained consciousness determined to find help through medication and therapy.

Outlines
00:00
😊 Explaining Bipolar Disorder Through a Renowned Psychiatrist's Personal Experience

This paragraph introduces Kay Redfield Jamison, a renowned psychiatrist who struggled with bipolar disorder throughout her life. It details the extreme highs and lows Jamison experienced during manic and depressive episodes, including impulsive behavior and suicidal thoughts. Her research, writing, and advocacy have greatly furthered our understanding of bipolar disorder.

05:05
😞 Clarifying Common Misconceptions About Mood Disorders

This paragraph emphasizes the need to understand what mood disorders truly entail, beyond misconceptions. It notes key characteristics of depressive and bipolar disorders, highlighting emotional extremes and mood regulation challenges. The complex psychological and physiological nature of these disorders is acknowledged.

😀 Living Fully with a Mood Disorder

This closing paragraph affirms that while mood disorders are serious conditions, they can often be managed sufficiently to live a fulfilling life. Jamison is cited as an example of someone who has prospered while coping with bipolar disorder through treatment and self-care.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡mood disorders
Psychological conditions characterized by extreme or inappropriate moods outside the normal range of emotions. Examples from the video include depressive disorders like major depression and bipolar disorders. Mood disorders are a key focus of the video, which aims to explain what they are and what causes them.
💡depression
A mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and lack of energy. The video explains the specific DSM-5 criteria for diagnosing major depressive disorder. It also notes biological, genetic, and social-cognitive factors that can contribute to depression.
💡bipolar disorder
A mood disorder characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania. Mania involves elevated energy levels, racing thoughts, poor judgment, and inflated self-confidence. The video profiles Kay Redfield Jamison's personal experiences with bipolar disorder to illustrate the highs and lows of the condition.
💡mania
An emotional state of intense excitement, hyperactivity, rushed thinking, and poor decision-making that is a hallmark of bipolar disorder. The video gives examples of Jamison's lavish spending and unrealistic ideas during manic episodes.
💡mood
A prolonged emotional state that is more subjective and difficult to define than discrete emotions. Mood disorders involve inappropriate extremes of mood (depression, mania) that persist over long periods.
💡neurotransmitters
Chemicals like serotonin and norepinephrine that enable communication between neurons. The video explains how neurotransmitter levels differ in depressed vs. manic brains and how medications seek to correct these imbalances.
💡genetics
Hereditary DNA factors that get passed down from parents to children. The video notes research showing mood disorders tend to run in families, indicating a genetic contribution.
💡social-cognitive theory
A perspective holding that thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes influence human behavior and psychology. The video discusses how depressive thoughts and negative explanatory styles can feed into mood disorders.
💡triggers
External events that can set off or worsen episodes of illness in someone predisposed to a disorder. The video states major life stressors may trigger depressive or manic episodes.
💡treatment
Interventions aimed at managing illness and improving functioning. The video notes medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, and social support can all help treat mood disorders like depression.
Highlights

Mood disorders are misunderstood and often diluted by inaccurate depictions in media

Mood disorders are longer-term disturbances compared to fleeting emotions

Depression is common but still a serious physiological and psychological illness

Bipolar disorders involve alternating between depression and mania

Manic episodes feature intense, restless hyperactivity and skewed self-perception

Mood disorders likely involve a combination of biological, genetic, psychological and environmental factors

Genes play a clear role as mood disorders run in families

Stress can trigger episodes in those predisposed to mood disorders

Depressed brains show slowed activity while manic brains show increased, erratic activity

Imbalances in neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and serotonin correlate with mood disorders

Social-cognitive factors like negative thinking can feed into vicious cycles

Positive thinking alone is often inadequate for serious neurological mood disorders

Mood disorders may require living with the condition long-term

Successful, productive lives are possible while managing mental illness

Mood disorders involve complex combinations of factors, not single causes or cures

Transcripts

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