Question

Julia lost her job last year due to economic recession, and although she has spent many months looking for any available work, she has not been able to find anything. Finally, deeply unhappy with her lack of success she has given up completely, claiming that it would be useless for her to search for a job any longer, that she is too stupid to train for any new career, and that not employer would ever want to hire her after so many months of unemployment. She now stays home, avoids concerned friends and family, rarely leaves her bed despite not being able to sleep, lacks the energy to do house hold chores or even groom herself, and is often tearful and unhappy.
a. If you were Julia's psychiatrist, what psychological disorder would you diagnose her as experiencing? What are the general symptoms of that disorder?
b. What are some of the causes of Julia's disorder? ( please use at least Three different perspectives in psychology to answer the question. psychodynamic, Bilogical, Behavioral, Humanistic, cognitive,cross cultural and or Evolutionary.

Answer 1

a. I think she is suffering from depression. In depression, a person looses interests in daily routines. He/she searches for isolation. Patient does not want to spend time even on himself/herself. In given case she is suffering from following remarkable features-

1. Sadness

2. Low mood

3. General loss of interest in things

4. Isolation

5. Feelings of being failed.

All these are clear symptoms of depression.

b. Psycho-dynamic is also known as psycho-dynamic psychology. It deals with systematic studies of psychological forces. These forces underlie human behaviour.

In the given case, she is suffering from hopelessness. She is not able to grab a job opportunity. This situation is causing loss of her hope. Unemployment is filling her with the dejected feelings. She is feeling rejected. This is causing depression.

Cognitive means something is related to thinking or conscious mental processes. It is being related with thinking and reasoning. It also explains the attributes and attitudes.

In the given case study, she has lost her mental consciousness. She does not want to give more efforts. She is taking responsibility of her failures on herself only. This is causing her depression.

Cross culture means something is being done to increase the understandings of different groups. She is comparing herself with others who are doing some kind of job. She is not feeling satisfied. She is feeling low. This feeling is strongly causing her depression.