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Cognitive Perspective on Cause of Depression

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Cognitive Perspective on Cause of Depression
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Cognitive Perspective on the Cause of Depression
Jasmine Elyse Fore
Developing a Psychological Perspective
Persuasive Paper
Capella University
June, 2013

Depression is a common mental health disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control (2011) depression affects 1 in 10 Americans in the U.S. alone. Depression does not know race, ethnicity, age or gender. “The cognitive perspective on the cause of depression believes that depression can be caused by faulty thinking, low-self-esteem, a negative outlook on life, or influenced on ones gender, race, socioeconomic status, levels of social support, and stress or other environmental events” (Capella University, 2013). Cognitive relates to conscious intellectual activity such as thinking, reasoning, and remembering (Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2013). Early life trauma, stress and how it affects the genes and the environment all fall under the umbrella of the cognitive perspective. They can all play a role on the cause of depression. This paper will discuss how early life trauma can predict depression as well as effect genes that cause depression, and will also discuss how a neighborhood can influence depression.

Early Life Trauma and Depression. Any person experiencing trauma in their life can have a difficult time managing through it. Those who experience early life trauma can have it possibly lead to depression. “Early life trauma is generally referred to as the traumatic experiences that occur to children aged 0-6. These traumas are situations that threaten the safety of the child or their caregiver. Which can include intentional violence, the result of a natural disaster, accidents, or war. Young children also may experience traumatic stress in response to painful medical procedures or the sudden loss of a parent/caregiver” (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, n.d.). “When children experience negative events in life they try to the cause of the event so that they can attach some



References: Capella University (2013). My Blackboard. Retrieved May 31, 2013, from http://courseroom2.capella.edu/webct/urw/tp0.lc5122011/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011, March 31). CDC Data & Statistics | Feature: An Estimated 1 in 10 U.S Retrieved April 21, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdepression/ Cutrona, C Drevets, W. (2009). Depression – Stressors and the environment cause depression. In Genes to Cognition Online 2013, from http://www.nctsn.org/trauma-types/early-childhood-trauma Wisegeek (2013)

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