25 - Depression, Self-harm, Suicide Flashcards
What characterises bipolar (manic) depression?
Excessive elation, irritability, talkativeness
Inflated self-esteem followed/preceded by period of depression
What is unipolar depression?
No mania
What is dysthmyia?
Persistent mild depression (perhaps with severe episodes dispersed within it)
What are the 3 major types of depression?
- Bipolar (manic) depression
- Unipolar depression
- Dysthymia
What questions should be asked when diagnosing depression?
Is the depression:
- an illness or normal unhappiness?
- secondary to a physical illness or alcohol/other drugs?
- presenting with physical symptoms?
- co-occurring with anxiety?
- placing person at risk of suicide?
What are the 3 core features of depression?
- pervasive low mood
- loss of interest & enjoyment (anhedonia)
- reduced energy, diminished activity
What are the screening questions for depression?
How have you been feeling recently?
Have you been low in spirits?
Have you been able to enjoy the things you usually enjoy?
Have you had your usual level of energy, or have you been feeling tired?
How has your sleep been?
Have you been able to concentrate on your favourite television or radio programmes?
What antidepressants are commonly used?
MAOIs, tricyclics, SSRIs
Are MAOIs commonly used?
Generally, been replaced by other antidepressants with fewer side effects (can cause hypertension)
Are MAOIs commonly used?
Generally, been replaced by other antidepressants with fewer side effects (can cause hypertension)
How do SSRIs work?
Monoamine reuptake inhibitor: blocks reuptake of one or more of the 3 major monoamine neurotransmitters, causing increase in monoamines within synapse.
What are TCAs?
Tricyclic antidepressants (monoamine reuptake inhibitors)
What role can exercise play in depression?
Can be as effective as treating mild depression as antidepressants or CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy)
What is ECT?
Electro-convulsive therapy: small electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seisure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental health conditions.
What is ECT used to treat?
Intractable or psychotic depression
What is Beck’s cognitive theory of depression?
The cognitive triad are three forms of negative thinking that are typical of individuals with depression. These thoughts tended to be automatic in depressed people. Together produce depression.
Forms basis for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
What forms the cognitive triad for Beck’s theory?
- Negative views of the world (e.g. everyone is against be because I’m worthless)
- Negative views about oneself (I’m worthless and inadequate)
- Negative views about the future (I’ll never be good at anything)
What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy?
A short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. Its goal is to change patterns of thinking or behaviour that are behind people’s difficulties, and so change the way they feel.
What predictable errors did Beck’s find in the way that people with depression people think about themselves/the world?
- Overgeneralisation (fail at one thing so useless at everything)
- Magnification and minimisations (making disasters, failure to take praise)
- Personalisation (taking all the blame)
Study of Winnie the Pooh: what disorders could the animals potentially have?
Eeyore - Depression
Owl - Reading disorder
Piglet - Generalised anxiety disorder
Tigger - ADHD, hyperactivity, impulsivity subtype
Christopher Robin -Possible gender identity disorder
What are cognitive therapy techniques?
Reality testing automatic thoughts (elicit and check evidence for and against)
Changing depressogenic assumptions (e.g. if i make a mistake, it means that I am inept)
What are the 2 main types of self harm?
- Self-poisoning
2. Self-injury
What does self-poisoning involve?
- Prescribed drugs
- Recreational drugs
- Non-ingestible substances
What does self-injury involve?
- Self-cutting
- Jumping from a height
- Attempted hanging
- Swallowing foreign bodies
- Self-burning
