Treatment for Depression: a Critical Evaluation of the Effects of Social Support on Depression
Treatment for Depression: A Critical Evaluation of
The Effects of Social Support on Depression
Adriann Conner
Massey University
Abstract
Social support is defined as information leading the subject to believe that he is cared for and loved, esteemed, and a member of a network of mutual obligations. There are various types of social support that can be used to overcome the effects of depression. This essay will discuss 3 aspects of depression and social support. The first topic addressed is the benefit of belongingness. The second is the role of gender in regards to social support and depression, and thirdly it will discuss how adaptive inferential feedback, and emotion regulation can be powerful tools in reducing depressive thinking. There are benefits when using social support to counter depression, and knowing which type of social support to use and when can help reduce recovery time.
The research into whether social support helps to improve the effects of depression has led to a broad range of hypothesise on the subject. This essay will look at addressing a few of these ideas, and how they purport to answer the question. Social support can be defined as: “information leading the subject to believe that he is cared for and loved, esteemed, and a member of a network of mutual obligations” (Cobb, 1976, p. 1). It is useful to note that there are many diverse types of social support that can be both beneficial and/or detrimental to the recovery from depression (Arditte & Joorman, 2011; Blais & Renshaw, 2012; Dolokin, Panzarella, Fernandez, Alloy, & Cascardi, 2004; Grav, Hellzen, & Romild, 2011; Marroquin, 2011). This essay will cover the topics of the benefits of social support on depression, and how one goes about seeking and receiving social support. It will also discuss the role of gender in social support,
The Effects of Social Support on Depression
Adriann Conner
Massey University
Abstract
Social support is defined as information leading the subject to believe that he is cared for and loved, esteemed, and a member of a network of mutual obligations. There are various types of social support that can be used to overcome the effects of depression. This essay will discuss 3 aspects of depression and social support. The first topic addressed is the benefit of belongingness. The second is the role of gender in regards to social support and depression, and thirdly it will discuss how adaptive inferential feedback, and emotion regulation can be powerful tools in reducing depressive thinking. There are benefits when using social support to counter depression, and knowing which type of social support to use and when can help reduce recovery time.
The research into whether social support helps to improve the effects of depression has led to a broad range of hypothesise on the subject. This essay will look at addressing a few of these ideas, and how they purport to answer the question. Social support can be defined as: “information leading the subject to believe that he is cared for and loved, esteemed, and a member of a network of mutual obligations” (Cobb, 1976, p. 1). It is useful to note that there are many diverse types of social support that can be both beneficial and/or detrimental to the recovery from depression (Arditte & Joorman, 2011; Blais & Renshaw, 2012; Dolokin, Panzarella, Fernandez, Alloy, & Cascardi, 2004; Grav, Hellzen, & Romild, 2011; Marroquin, 2011). This essay will cover the topics of the benefits of social support on depression, and how one goes about seeking and receiving social support. It will also discuss the role of gender in social support,
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