The Cause Of Clinical Depression

Another factor that leads to a depressed state of being, is the feeling of isolation. As patients frequently lack a diagnosis, they are often left "to blame him or herself, leading to guilt and depressed mood" (McLean & Taylor, 1998, p.128). This occurs as tests come back negative, there is no known cause, and doctors claim that they are healthy; leading individuals to assume that there must be something wrong with them instead. This relates to the emotional isolation that can occur as individuals try to explain their condition to someone else, people's lack of understanding makes individuals feel like they are in the battle alone. Even when individuals are "used to being rejected and told not to exist," it isn't relatable "to the outsider

Along with this universal guidelines should require emotional testing after diagnosis, as a way to avert some cases of suffering. It is important to recognize that depression in this group is often missed, undiagnosed, and therefore goes without treatment because "the assessment is narrowly focused on pain and pathophysiological processes" (McLean & Taylor, 1998, p.133). This seems striking as research indicates a large presence of patients developing depression and also having significantly higher risk for suicide. In addition to addressing the patient's quality of life, a referral to a counselor or access to support groups should be granted through insurance to acquire proper coping skills as well as provide emotional comfort. This referral would benefit as social support for the individual, giving the patient someone to talk with and someone who can provide guidance to make the best of their circumstances. The presence of social support is essential, and as "Pain does not occur in isolation," it has a substantial impact on the caregiver and causes diminishment of their support (Green & McPhail-Pruitt, 2004, p.188). This effect is critical as the lower support "may have an additive effect in increasing an individual's risk for psychological distress and suffering due to pain" (Green & McPhail-Pruitt, 2004, p.188). As patients lose this essential relationship, it is important to challenge this by medical professionals advising professional social support. Through the medical process consisting of an assessment of psychological well-being, along with a referral to social support, it will help reduce the suffering of patient and provide more effective tools. It is already difficult to recover and enjoy life when experiencing chronic pain, but it is nearly impossible to relieve the pain when the