Reflection Essay: Major Depressive Disorder
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
Reflection Essay: Major Depressive Disorder
The journal article “Social functioning in major depressive disorder” describes the social risk factors, social impairments, and poor social functioning associated with depression (Kupferberg et al., 2016). Looking at the article, I realized that people with major depressive disorder (MDD) find it difficult to have a normal social life, and it’s not something they have control over. In the past, I used to think that people who were depressed just hated social interactions. However, through the article, I now understand that many factors contribute to the impairment of social functioning experienced by patients with MDD. These factors include social-emotional dysfunction and reduced motivation.
In my family, we have always been healthy people with no history of mental disorders. However, a few years ago, one of my cousins was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Reading this article has shed light on so many things that I did not understand about my cousin’s condition. For example, my cousin hated family gatherings and had trouble interacting with people. Her marriage failed after only a few months, but her performance at work was not that bad. The article has helped me understand that the social impairment associated with depression significantly affects interpersonal and marital functioning less than an individual’s work role. I now understand why my cousin was so inexpressive. I used to think of her as impolite and uninterested in people, but now I know she had problems interacting with others.
Additionally, I have learned that interactions between biological, psychological, and social factors explain why some individuals have a higher risk of developing MDD. Looking at my cousin, I know she was bullied as a child and sometimes has difficulty recognizing her emotions. I feel that somehow these factors contributed to her MDD diagnosis. Also, I understand that people with MDD struggle to form social attachments and communicate. They also have a problem understanding themselves and others. These factors affect their social lives causing impairments in how they interact with people. Generally, the article has helped me to understand Major depressive disorder and how it affects one’s social functioning.
The article was published on 2 October 2016
The authors include Aleksandra Kupferberg, Lucy Bicks and Gregor Hasler
References
Kupferberg, A., Bicks, L., & Hasler, G. (2016). Social functioning in major depressive disorder. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 69, 313-332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.07.002