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Ariana Adkins

Mrs. Graue

English Composition II

11 March 2019

Online Casebook

In my research I will be analyzing research based on the question, “Is Depression a

Choice?” My research will both explore both sides of this world-wide debate by identifying the

facts of this disorder or choice. With my research i should be able to create an argument that will

identify whether depression is a choice or if depression is actually a mental disorder.

Bullmore, Edward. Psychology Today. Jan/Feb2019, Vol. 51 Issue 1, p50-88. 10p. Accessed

February 25.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/teen-angst/201704/depression-is-not-choice

“It is a common and serious mood disorder that alters how individuals think, feel, and

behave. Unlike being unhappy, depression is an intense feeling of deep sadness and despair that

can last for days, weeks, or even months. The symptoms can include feelings of hopelessness,

rejection, poor concentration, lack of energy, sleep problems, and sometimes suicidal thoughts.”

This source tells the reader that depression is actually a mood disorder and that depression is not

a choice. But depression can make one feel hopelessness and this is what they label a mood

disorder. They even go so far to saying that depression is a serious medical condition that affects

8 percent of the United States but honestly depression seems to be much more frequent whether

it is labeled as a mood disorder of not because everyone can feel a wave of depression but does it

fit the standards that doctors have labeled it under.

Krebs, Erin E., et al. “Review Article: Treating the Physical Symptoms of Depression With
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Second-Generation Antidepressants: A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis.”

Psychosomatics, vol. 49, Jan. 2008, pp. 191–198. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1176/appi.psy.49.3.191.

“Approximately two-thirds of patients with depression experience physical pain

symptoms. Coexisting pain complicates the treatment of depression and is associated with worse

depression outcomes.” This source has actual statistics which gives a good background about

depression and even explains how many patients experience this which would make the side that

is decided to argue about very reliable. Adding statistics to this paper is probably one of the key

things I could do for this argument because this not only makes the side chosen reliable but this

also gives pathos and logos to the audience by tieing in real life experiences and how those

people are affected.

Leblanc, Annie, et al. “Translating Comparative Effectiveness of Depression Medications into

Practice by Comparing the Depression Medication Choice Decision Aid to Usual Care:

Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.” Trials, vol. 14, no. 1, Jan. 2013, p.

127. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1186/1745-6215-14-127.

“The objective of this study is to develop the Depression Medication Choice decision aid

for use during primary care encounters, and to test its efficacy by conducting a clustered practical

randomized trial comparing the decision aid to usual depression care in primary care practices.”

This source tells about depression medication and how this could be a choice to aid depression.

This also tests if this medication even works enough by giving experiences of actual people

suffering from depression.

McPhee, Larkin, Michael Murphy, Michael Bacon, Brian Olson, and Jane Pauley. Depression:

Out of the Shadows. Arlington, Va.: PBS Home Video, 2008.

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This is a documentary that speaks about depression and how depression can creep up on

you. In this source, this documentary can be used to dig up more facts about depression and even

explain how to deal with depression. I could not really find quotes for this because one it is a

documentary so one would actually have to listen to it. But listening to this for someone who has

depression would be a great idea because this could help out even if it just helps for the moment

it can still help.

Minirth, Frank B., and Paul D. Meier. Happiness Is a Choice. [Electronic Resource] : New

Ways to Enhance Joy and Meaning in Your Life. Grand Rapids : Baker Pub. Group, 2013,

2013. EBSCOhost,

sinclair.ohionet.org:80/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d

b=cat01128a&AN=scc.b1491401&site=eds-live.

“Whether depression is felt mildly or acutely, temporarily or persistently, it strikes just

about everyone at some point. Drs. Minirth and Meier believe, however, that the emotional pain

of depression can be overcome and avoided.” With this source it ties in the fact that depression

can strike at any point. It also explains what I said about depression being temporary and this

explains the effects of depression on your mind and that this is not a choice but happiness is a

choice. Happiness is a choice because anything can make you happy but I also believe happiness

just happens, just like depression something has to trigger it in order for it to happen.

Miyagi, Madoka, et al. “Relation between Choice-Induced Preference Change and Depression.”

PLoS ONE, vol. 12, no. 6, June 2017, pp. 1–14. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180041.

“Many studies of depression effects on decision-making have used tasks in which a

particularly more or less predictable answer is available, called externally guided decision-
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making [12,13]. In such situations, people must adjust their choices to comply with an externally

defined single correct answer indicated by feedback.” With this source, this source ties the

decisions we as people make and this is why depression takes its course that it does. I could see

why this could be valid because I feel as if we do have some part in why we may be depressed or

under the weather because our emotions are tied to our actions and vice versa. This could be why

we as people may believe that our depression is indeed a choice.

Takahashi, Taiki, et al. Depressive Patients Are More Impulsive and Inconsistent in

Intertemporal

Choice Behavior for Monetary Gain and Loss than Healthy Subjects- an Analysis Based

on Tsallis’ Statistics. 2011. EBSCOhost,

sinclair.ohionet.org:80/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d

b=edsarx&AN=edsarx.1111.6493&site=eds-live.

“Depression has been associated with impaired neural processing of reward and

punishment.” Depression is basically a disorder where your mind and nerves allows your body

and emotions to fall in line with the symptoms of depression. This is caused by situations in your

life that have caused a temporary trauma in ones life that can be remembered at any moment and

that is when your mind sends signals to your brain that makes you feel depression.