The Big Sad: Simplified

In the latest unit of my class Disease, called “Mind” my class and I have studied mental disorders. We were asked to select one disorder and research it in more depth. I chose Dysthymia, a mild, long-lasting and/or recurring depression. It is a mood disorder that causes thoughts of hopelessness or suicide, lack of concentration, and can lead to other disorders like Major Depressive Disorder. Mostly this affects the Theta, Beta, and Gamma brain waves causing lack of sleep, lack of concentration, and amplifies intense emotions. Treatments would mostly include social interaction but negative interaction can make it worse. Katty Perry is a prime example when explaining that, quote:
"I have had bouts of situational depression and my heart was broken last year because, unknowingly, I put so much validity in the reaction of the public, and the public didn’t react in the way I had expected to … which broke my heart,”. When being diagnosed the things looked for would include a long list that I’m getting straight from the DSM-5:

A. Depressed mood for most of the day, for more days than not, as indicated by either
subjective account or observation by others, for at least 2 years.
Note: In children and adolescents, mood can be irritable and duration must be at least
1 year.
B. Presence, while depressed, of two (or more) of the following:
1. Poor appetite or overeating.
2. Insomnia or hypersomnia.
3. Low energy or fatigue.
4. Low self-esteem.
5. Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions.
6. Feelings of hopelessness.
C. During the 2-year period (1 year for children or adolescents) of the disturbance, the individual has never been without the symptoms in Criteria A and B for more than 2 months at a time.
D. Criteria for a major depressive disorder may be continuously present for 2 years.
E. There has never been a manic episode or a hypomanic episode, and criteria have
never been met for cyclothymic disorder.
F. The disturbance is not better explained by a persistent schizoaffective disorder,
schizophrenia, delusional disorder, or other specified or unspecified schizophrenia
spectrum and other psychotic disorders.
G. The symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a
drug of abuse, a medication) or another medical condition (e.g. hypothyroidism).
H. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational,
or other important areas of functioning.

In the following you will look at a simulatory presentation, a lesson plan for the presentation, and a flier made by CDH for public use.

Topic of the Lesson: Dysthymia

Purpose of the Lesson: To guide someone in how a diagnosed loved one might feel, what they think they might need or want, and how you might help them. It is focused more on the treatment because dysthymia is long-lasting and/or recurring.

Minute	Activity	Students are...	Teacher is...	Dominant  Brainwave
1	Description then writing.	Writing the things that are of most value to them then most happy.	Walking them through exactly what they need to be writing.	Beta
2	Sharing then listening.	Some shared their answers from above then listened to the teacher.	Asking for a response then asking what the single most important thing is to them.	Alpha
3	Beginning of the acting phase.	One student volunteers to act out their worst fear for their most important thing.	Asks for volunteers then guides the actor.	Beta
4	First actor finishes.	Guessing what the actor is implying.	Watching and seeing how the actor will behave.	Beta
5	Questions then second actor.	Thinking of the questions then guessing what the actor is implying.	Asking the questions to think about. Interaction with an actor.	Alpha
6	Explanation.	Listening to the questions the diagnosed patient might need to think about.	Giving more questions for the patient to ask themselves.	Alpha
7	Explanation.	Listening attentively to the teacher.	Describing more symptoms and treatments of dysthymia.	Alpha
8	Questions.	Giving personal thoughts.	Asking students about what they think they might want or need to say.	Beta
9	Question.	Actor gives thoughts to the other actor.	Pose the question before listening to the response.	Beta
10	Explanation.	Listening attentively.	Give final comments and statistics before the end.	Alpha

Brain waves + Piece-wise function: