Behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of depression

Question 1

Diagnosis of depression

Answer 1

• Depressions is classified as a mood disorder where an individual is in a depressed mood for most of the day and lacks interest in their usual activities.
• At least 5 symptoms must be present every day for two weeks to be diagnosed as depression.

Question 2

Behavioural: Shift in energy levels

Answer 2

• Might have reduced amounts of energy resulting in fatigue, lethargy and high levels of inactivity.
• This might lead them to withdraw from work or social life.
• Some might have high amounts of nervous energy whereby they become agitated and restless.
• This is called PSYCHOMOTOR AGITATION

Question 3

Behavioural: Change in weight

Answer 3

• Significant increase or decrease in weight is associated with depression.
• Some may over eat and put on a lot of weight.
• Others pay have a reduced appetite and lost a lot of weight.

Question 4

Behavioural: Aggression

Answer 4

• Sufferers are often irritable and they can become physically or verbally aggressive.
• They might also be physically aggressive towards themselves in the form of self-harming

Question 5

Emotional: Constant depressed mood

Answer 5

• A very common feeling associated amongst depression sufferers.
• People may feel worthless, hopeless, have low self esteem.

Question 6

Emotional: Loss of enthusiasm

Answer 6

• Depression is often characterised by a lessened concern and lack of pleasure in daily activities such as hobbies or things that the person used to enjoy.

Question 7

Emotional: Worthlessness

Answer 7

• Sufferers of depression often have constant feelings of reduced worth and inappropriate feelings of guilt. They might also experience very low levels of self esteem.

Question 8

Cognitive: Delusions

Answer 8

• Some depressive patients will experience delusions, generally concerning guilt, punishment, personal inadequacy or disease. Some will also experience hallucinations, which can be auditory, visual and haptic.

Question 9

Cognitive: Negative thinking

Answer 9

• Depressed people often have a negative outlook of the world and expect things to turn out badly rather than well.
• This leads to self fulfilling prophecy whereby if you expect negative things to happen, then they probably will.

Question 10

Cognitive: Poor concentration

Answer 10

• There can be difficulty in paying and maintaining attention and the person might feel that they cannot stay on task for long periods of time.
• They might have slower thought processes than normal and difficulty making decisions.
• Depressed people will also have trouble retrieving memories.

Question 11

All behavioural characteristics

Answer 11

Shift in energy levels, Social impairment, Weight changes, Poor personal hygiene, Sleep pattern disturbance and Aggression and self harm

Question 12

All cognitive characteristics

Answer 12

Delusions, Reduced concentration, Thoughts of death, Poor memory, Negative thinking and Absolutist thinking

Question 13

All emotional characteristics

Answer 13

Loss of enthusiasm, Constant depressed mood, Worthlessness and Anger