10 - Depression & Anxiety Flashcards
Which 2 traits distinguish MDD and dysthymia?
- Severity
2. Duration
It can take up to ___ weeks for anti-depressants to take effect.
4
List 3 symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.
- Apprehension
- Motor tension
- Autonomic overactivity
What is trichotillomania?
Irresistible urge to pull hair
Schizophrenia is ___ common than bipolar disorder.
More
What is the effect of an enlarged amygdala (re: anxiety disorders)?
Cognitive bias (i.e., heightened acuity) to perceived threats
List 2 behaviours that negatively reinforce anxiety disorders.
- Avoidance
2. Escape
What are the 2 pathways for processing fear?
- Amygdala
2. Cerebral cortex
What is agoraphobia?
Fear of crowds/large open spaces/situations perceived as difficult to escape
Which piece of legislation allows 2 registered medical practitioners to detain a high-risk psychiatric patient for assessment at a hospital?
Mental Health Act of 1983
According to the World Health Organization, what is the most common cause of disability?
Depression
List 2 areas of the brain whose activity is inhibited by GABA.
- Amygdala
2. Prefrontal cortex
What percentage of anxiety disorders are experienced concurrently with depression?
60%
In anxiety disorders, the ___ of the brain is larger, causing patients to develop a cognitive bias when responding to perceived threats.
Amygdala
___ GABA can cause anxiety.
Reduced
Repeated pairing of neutral stimulus with noxious stimulus can trigger an anxious response. What is this process called?
Conditioning
Remember: Little Albert
Define dysfunctional assumptions.
Unhelpful “if, then” thoughts that cause distress
Example: “If I fail my ETA, then I will have to sell my body.”
Females are ___ likely to be diagnosed with depression.
More
According to the Mental Health Act of 1983, how many registered medical practitioners must agree to detain a high-risk psychiatric patient for assessment at a hospital?
2
Order the following mental illnesses from most to least common.
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Depression
Depression
Anxiety
Schizophrenia
Bipolar disorder
List 3 neurotransmitters linked to depressive symptoms.
- Noradrenaline
- Serotonin
- Dopamine
A patient feels anxious most days and struggles to remember the last time they felt relaxed. No additional symptoms are presented. What is the likely diagnosis?
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
According to the Mental Health Act of 1983, a psychiatric patient may be detained for assessment at a hospital if they pose a risk to the health and safety of others or ___.
Themselves
How would a panic disorder present?
Recurrent attacks of sudden, severe anxiety
List 2 situations where you would refer a depression patient to specialist services.
- Attempted interventions ineffective
2. High risk of self-harm
Compare panic disorders and phobias.
Panic disorders: no specific trigger (i.e., unpredictable)
Phobias: predictable trigger
Why might anti-depressants make things worse?
Side effects can be severe and counterintuitive (although they often lessen with time)
OCD onset is usually ___ in life.
Early
Compare panic disorders and GAD.
Panic disorders: episodic
GAD: chronic
Compare the GAD-2 and GAD-7 scales.
GAD-2: identifies anxiety
GAD-7: assesses the severity of anxiety
Compare fear reaction of the amygdala and cerebral cortex.
Amygdala: fast, unconscious (i.e., fight, flight, or freeze)
Cerebral cortex: slow, conscious
What structural changes happen to the brain in cases of depression?
Excess cortisol shrinks HIPPOCAMPUS and PREFRONTAL CORTEX
How do twin studies indicate that depression has a psychological/social component?
Twins raised in different environments have different levels of mental health