5-1 Discussion: Emotion and Neuropsychological Disorders
The disorder I have chosen is depression because of my experience with it. Depression is a very serious
disorder and can lead to loss of interest, feelings of sadness, and may lead to physical issues. Depression
directly affects the brain and can affect anyone. The most successful treatment, according to numerous
studies, is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) since it focuses on altering the thought or behavior
patterns that underlie people's problems. CBT addresses thought patterns that are problematic to the
individual and can be used alone or in conjunction with medication such as antidepressants. Some
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) medications that I have personally been prescribed to in
the past were fluoxetine or Prozac and Escitalopram or Lexapro. When I was taking the Lexapro, I was
also prescribed with Abilify which helped tremendously. Other SSRI medications include Zoloft, Paxil,
and Celexa. In addition to the above, regular mindfulness meditation, either by itself or in conjunction
with CBT, has been shown to effectively disengage attention from the recurring negative thoughts that
frequently trigger the downward spiral. It is vitally important that individual's experiencing depression
get the help they need immediately or it could lead to suicide.
