Abnormal Psychology | Unipolar and Bipolar Depression | Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment |

Shawn M Best
10/16/2011
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Identifying the causes of unipolar and bipolar depression can be a complicated task because there are no known exact causes, just theories. These theories include chemical and hormonal imbalances within the brain, a misfiring of ion activity, and inherited genetics or biological abnormalities (Comer, 2005).

Individuals who suffer with unipolar depression, which is the ordinary template of mood disorders, experience only the depression side of the disorder. Women are twice as probable to encounter unipolar depression then men. Depression symptoms stretch across five features of human functioning such as
He or she will also become depressed when he or she figures out that the fault of this loss of control over reinforcements are intrinsic, constant, and global (Comer, 2005).

Beck’s cognitive theory explains that maladaptive dispositions, mistakes in reasoning, and mechanical thoughts aid in producing unipolar depression. Cognitive therapy for depression supports patients in boosting activities, challenges mechanical thinking, identifies negative thinking, and changes his or her maladaptive dispositions (Comer, 2005).

Sociocultural theorists assert that unipolar depression is compelled by social elements. Validatory research supports that stressful circumstances frequently prompts unipolar depression. Depression can deviate by race, gender, and culture. Meager social exponents are also associated with depression. Interpersonal psychotherapy approaches the problems areas in relationships and people with depression. Couples therapy also can be helpful when depression is spliced into strained relationships (Comer, 2005).

As mentioned before within this article, the cause for bipolar disorder is not entirely certain, but research evidence proposes that biological abnormalities, whether inherited or primed by life’s stresses can cause bipolar disorder (Comer, 2005).

Two types of bipolar disorder exists, which are bipolar I disorder and bipolar