Treatment, especially in regard to depression and PTSD, is like hitting a moving target. Due to the Bio/Cog/Social etiological origins and the complexity of our brains, no two depression/PTSD patients are exactly alike. Thus, treating them necessitates a great deal of nuance and diversity.
Psychologists are learning to appreciate this fact, as well as the fact that our bodies and minds are more interrelated than we’ve previously understood.
The result has been a boom in the “eclectic” approach to treatment as well as the explosion of “alternative” treatments such as: exercise, yoga, midfulness, meditation, role playing, sleep therapy, and psychedelic drugs such as LSD and Ketamine. These treatments are in their early stages but are supported by published research, however they are supported by some research by institutions as famous as Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Imperial College London and the National Institute of Health!
The Hamilton Depression Severity Scale HERE
The learning outcomes in regard to IB psychology for the Treatment Portion of Abnormal psych are as follows:
Testable Treatment Concepts
- Biological Treatment
- Psychological Treatment
- The Role of Culture in treatment
- Assessing the effectiveness of treatments
Biological Treatment Resources For Treatment Jigsaw Activity (collaboration):
****Research and Conceptual Understsanding of Ketamine and Psychadelics for treatment of Depression***
- Ketamine as treatment for depression
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Research: (carpenter et al. 2012) / Article explaining the basics of Trans Cranial Magnetic Stimulation from the Washington Post article
- VOX article discussing research as well as bio markers. Link to Drysdale et al. 2017
- LSD as a treatment for depression written by award winning journalist Michael Pollen / Short BIG THINK article on micro dosing study involving 1000 participants
Cognitive Treatment Resources (including Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy mBCT):
- https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/looking-for-evidence-that-therapy-works/?_r=0
- http://time.com/3431098/cbt-social-anxiety/
- Journal NATURE summary on effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: http://www.nature.com/news/depression-a-change-of-mind-1.16325
- Research, FARB et al., demonstrating mindfulness changes neural networks: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18985137
- Research illustrating mindfulness based cognitive therapy effectiveness: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behavioural-and-cognitive-psychotherapy/article/participants-experiences-of-mindfulness-based-cognitive-therapy-it-changed-me-in-just-about-every-way-possible/F55887EF2347B44650ECBE7F19D4491A
Behavioral Treatment Resources (sleep, exercise, etc):
- Atlantic piece on effectiveness of exercise and lack of effectiveness of SSRIs https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/for-depression-prescribing-exercise-before-medication/284587/
In order to APPLY all the above, we’ll complete the following Treatment Activity for Depression : Collaborative Treatment Case Study Application
A goal of ours this year will be to stay current and relevant in regard to the latest research. Here is a great article on a “revolutionary new approach” to treating PTSD:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/25/magazine/a-revolutionary-approach-to-treating-ptsd.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar%2C%7B%221%22%3A%22RI%3A11%22%7D&_r=1
Link to Google Doc where we’ll collate all our awesome, unique and current research regarding treatment for depression and PTSD !!!!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tzdO9ZTt4muIee5HiS-pPbOzfuhzvwg64Qoa19eY7A8/edit#gid=0