Developmental Theories on Depression - Essay Example

? Depression and Developmental Theories Depression occurs due to several factors and may manifest in different degrees depending on circumstances. The case study reveals a scenario where a middle-aged woman struggles with life in order to make ends meet and survive in a life that is full of hardships. She clearly demonstrates her sense of hard work by bringing up her two children single handedly without the help of her estranged husband. Through her resilience and kindness, the woman, who goes by the name Lupe, balances between taking care of her elderly mother and maintaining a motherly attention to her two children. Despite the fact that she faces a number of problems, she firmly retains her personal resilience. Her personal struggle reveals her need for companionship where she contemplates on getting a life companion to confide in her at times of adversity. Overall, the story depicts a strong woman who is ready to confront life head-on without paying much regard to the enormity of the challenges that life brings forth. This essay aims at describing this case in detail clearly describing depression, the issues and challenges, and finally coming up with possible intervention processes based on developmental theories. Key words: Psychodynamic theory, Personality, Consciousness, Depression Introduction This case study reveals a scenario where a middle-aged woman struggles with life to make ends meet and survive in life. She undoubtedly demonstrates her sense of hard work by bringing up her two children single handedly without the help of her estranged husband. Through her resilience and kindness, the woman, who goes by the name Lupe, balances between taking care of her elderly mother and maintaining a motherly attention to her two children. Despite the fact that her daughter comes back with a little baby after a marriage gone sour, she warmly welcomes her and accords her the necessary support even in times of adversity. Her biggest blow is when she gets hurt while trying to help a patient, an injury that is likely to keep her off her job for a while as she undergoes physiotherapy. This huge setback leads her to a state of depression as she ponders her next move. This essay intends to enlighten about the causes, impacts of depression, and developmental theories on depression. Challenges and depression Lam (2011) states that a number of issues arise in the case of Lupe ranging from consciousness, behavioral, to personality issues, all depending on the given situation and circumstance. To start with, this case portrays a woman with a strong personality in that she sticks to her ideals irrespective of the trials that she undergoes. She decides to raise her children as a single parent, instilling discipline and the necessary responsibility that come in handy when they grow up. A strong and unique personality is very crucial as far as the physical, mental, and social growth of and individual are concerned (Dimitrovsky, Levy-Shiff & Schattner-Zanany , 2002). Through her impeccable personality, she evidently demonstrates her ability to take good care of her aging mother while at the same time juggling the responsibility of being a single parent. Her good personality traits enable her to mingle freely with other members of the society like her church members. Although faced with various encounters and responsibilities, a key issue of consciousness plays around her mind throughout the period considered. Consciousness enables an individual to be aware and realize the critical aspects within their immediate environment (Beck & Alford, 2009). The woman keenly recognized the fact that she was single and if she did not get a life partner, she would end up like her elderly mother. This realization ignites in her the need to find a responsible husband in prospect of a happy old age. Lupe is mindful of her mother acknowledging the fact that since her mother is aging, her health deteriorates accordingly, and she may need both emotional and physical support to enable her age gracefully. Through consciousness, an individual is able to gain mental development and enhance their relationship with others. An aspect too important to ignore is the issue of responsibility, especially of fathers. Ordinarily, it is incumbent upon father to provide basic stuff to their children and to be there for their children and wives (Devito, 2005). However, this critical aspect of the family is missing in this scenario, which leads to a state of hopelessness among the families of Lupe and her daughter, respectively. This has caused a significant level of depression within the three close families. Various challenges present themselves in this case study, some of which may be life threatening. One major ordeal is the issue of single parenthood. Regardless of the nature of the prevailing challenge, a concrete fact is that all these challenges lead to depression. Dimitrovsky, Levy-Shiff and Schattner-Zanany (2002) state that being a single parent can at times be stressful considering the fact that virtually all children desire a father figure to share love and tenderness. It is apparent that Lupe has closely followed the footsteps of her mother in that her mother decided to stay single for the rest of her life reasons notwithstanding while Lupe, due to the irresponsible behavior of her husband, stayed single for close to sixteen years. Whatever the reason, living as a single parent is a key source of problems to both the children who need fatherly love, and their mother who needs companionship and moral support. Devito (2005) cites irresponsible fatherhood as a potential challenge that leads most family members into depression is. This presents itself in the way Lupe’s husband, who when overwhelmed with parental responsibilities runs away, leaving behind a host domestic problems. Lupe’s mother is supposedly single for the same reason. On the other hand, Lupe’s daughter separates from her extravagant husband despite having a small baby. Irresponsible fatherhood is the main cause of depression in today’s world, as more men seem to be suffering from inadequate commitment. Theories of depression There are various theories explaining why depression occurs to a person, some of which may directly connect to the victim’s immediate environment. Beck and Alford (2009) identify one major theory that explains the origin of depression as the psychodynamic theory. It entails the forces of emotion, and mind that tend to form the personality of an individual. The theory further suggests that in order for a person to overcome psychodynamic depression, they ought to understand and overcome the overriding conflicts of development (Beck & Alford, 2009). In the case study, Lupe feels depressed because of the thought that she will be unable to perform her duties for a while, as these do earn her a living. Likewise, Lupe’s daughter might have some element of depression because of the pain that her husband has caused her. Lupe’s mother has a depression originating from living a life of singlehood. Developmental theories supporting intervention process Palombo, Bendicsen and Koch (2009) define development of a person as the manner in which a person reacts, adapts, or makes the necessary changes in order to fit in a particular environment. Psychologists have developed various theories of development in attempt to explain how humans use their innate capabilities to intervene in specific set-ups. Feud’s theory of psychosexual development entails the role of personal motives and emotions in the development of a person. This means that an individual’s personality largely depends on what the persons went through in their earlier lives (Devito, 2005). Lupe’s strong personality has a connection to her upbringing by a single mother. Her emotions play a part in how she handles other people, as she feels compassionate to the suffering. Lupe’s style of intervention when confronting challenges is unique in that her strong personality and childhood experienced has changed her perception in terms of how she manages go through a life full of depressing moments without losing a trace of confidence (Palombo, Bendicsen & Koch, 2009) To sum up, depression is a multifaceted aspect of human life, often triggered by such factors as economic hardships, poor upbringing, loneliness, poor physical health, and painful experience from others. Various developmental theories elucidate on how a depressed person can handle depressive moments knowingly or unknowingly. However, this largely depends on the personality of individual and past experiences in handling similar situations. Overall depression has adverse impacts on a person as it negates the mental, physical, and spiritual health and growth of the victim (Devito, 2005). References Beck, A. T., & Alford, B. A. (2009). Depression: Causes and treatment. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Devito, J. T. (2005). Focus on depression research. New York: Nova Biomedical Books. Dimitrovsky, L., Levy-Shiff, R., & Schattner-Zanany, I. (2002). Dimensions of depression and perfectionism in pregnant and nonpregnant women: Their levels and interrelationships and their relationship to martial satisfaction. The Journal of Psychology, 136(6), 631-46. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/213833495?accountid=45049 Lam, R. W. (2011). Depression. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Palombo, J., Bendicsen, H. K., & Koch, B. J. (2009). Guide to psychoanalytic developmental theories. New York, NY: Springer. Read More