1

Andrew Solomon Depression

Student’s Name:

Institution Affiliation:

Date:
 2

Introduction

Dysfunction from Solomon’s depression was present in many situations. For example, as

a result of his depression, Andrew [CITATION And13 \l 1033 ]stopped writing his novels, answering

his telephone, and even showering. Working, answering the phone, and showering are standard

parts of his everyday life. This is considered dysfunction because depression is interfering with

his ability to function in daily life. Distress was also present in many situations. Solomon felt

physical pain or distress during his time of depression when it caused him to throw up his dinner

after one bite or when his vision began to blur [CITATION And13 \l 1033 ]. He also said at one

point, he felt like he had experienced a stroke and had many times of uncontrollable shivering

[CITATION And13 \l 1033 ]. He also had times of deviance caused by his depression. For example,

when Solomon was staying with his friends, he would wait by the phone for them, and when

they would come home from work, he would begin to cry. This is considered deviance because

other people would think that this is abnormal behavior. Most people would be happy when their

friends came home from work. They would also spend their days doing things, not waiting by the

phone.

DSM-5 Diagnosis

Multiple diagnoses came to my mind in the case of Andrew. The diagnosis that I have

considered for him is Major depressive disorder. Andrew Solomon has symptoms consistent with

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). According to [ CITATION Mor14 \l 1033 ], the ICD-10 CM-

Code for his depression is F33.40 (unspecified). His symptoms include eating disorders,

numbness, loss of feeling, irritable and explosive behaviors, defiance, troubles sleeping,

diminished loss of interest, weight loss, and suicidal attempts. Andrew's diagnosis is labeled as

severe because he has more than five symptoms present during the same period. Andrew’s
 3

specifiers are classified as Melancholic Features. One specifier for MDD is mixed features. This

specifier includes the presence of manic symptoms in which is part of the depression diagnosis in

patients who do not meet the full criteria for a manic episode.

Andrew’s Risk Factors and Diagnosis Criteria

One risk factor that may have caused Andrew Solomon’s depression was his mother’s

illness and death. Andrew never dealt with his emotions after watching his mother suffer. He

said that after three years, he came to terms with her death [CITATION And13 \l 1033 ]. That is an

extended period to be grieving. Suppressing thoughts and emotions after the death of a loved one

can cause depression. One environmental maintenance factor that contributed to Andrew's

continued depression was his work is very stressful. He talks about how he was overwhelmed

with phone calls and meetings. He said he no longer enjoyed writing, and it slowly stopped. He

said he was exhausted from his job. Being stressed at work is a maintenance factor that

contributes to the continuation of depression. Another maintenance factor that contributed to the

continuation of Andrew's depression was his lack of interest in socialization. Andrew began to

avoid going out with friends and family. He didn't care about those relationships with people

anymore. He found them exhausting and challenging to enjoy. Social isolation is unhealthy for a

depressed person. Socialization can help people feel happy and can potentially be used as an

outlet for depression. Once a depressed person is confined to their home, they are no longer

escaping from their mind and are left alone to deal with it. This will cause continued feelings of

depression.

Treatment Recommendations
 4

As a therapist for Andrew Solomon, I would like to address the risk factor of the sickness

and death of his mother first. Dealing with the death of a loved one can be very difficult for

many people. Andrew states that he had come to terms with his mother's death after three years.

That tells me that he struggled with it for an extended period. The standard grieving time for the

average person is not usually that extended. I would address this because he may be still

suppressing emotions that come with dealing with a death. By doing this, it may lessen the

overall feeling of depression. He mentioned that he was worried about things he never said to

people that are now dead [CITATION And13 \l 1033 ]. It seems to me that Solomon has a problem

with death in general. Treating these problems could potentially end his social isolation

problems. By eliminating the risk factor, we are eliminating one of the maintenance factors.

Social isolation is one of the many maintenance factors that are contributing to his continued

depression. It is possible that Andrew does not want to be around people because if he loses them

to death, he will feel pain. Once he feels better about the death of his mother and others that he is

struggling with, he may feel better about having social relationships with other people.

Conclusion

It is essential that Andrew participates in treatment. Treatment recommendations include

a combination of medications, psychotherapy, and life skills training. I would advise Andrew to

be placed on medication management as he could benefit from mood-stabilizers or antipsychotic

medications. Psychotherapy and life skills training would help him develop the appropriate

coping skills and be aware of his mental health condition and how to manage his signs and

symptoms. Additional services would be group therapy, as this would help him relate to others

with similar situations and help him decrease social isolation.

 5

References

Morrison, J. (2014). Diagnosis made easier: Principles and techniques for mental health

clinicians. Guilford Publications.

Solomon, A. (2013). Depression, The Secrets We Share. Retrieved March 31, 2020, from

https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_depression_the_secret_we_share?

utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare