characteristics of depression

Question 1

define unipolar/major depression disorder (MDD)

Answer 1

characterised by the persistent feeling of sadness or lack of interest in outside stimuli

Question 2

define bipolar depressive disorder (BDD)

Answer 2

refers to the oscillating state between depression and mania

Question 3

define depression

Answer 3

a mental disorder characterised by low mood and low energy levels

Question 4

according to the DSM-5 what are the 4 categories of depression

Answer 4

major depressive disorder - severe but short term depression

persistent depressive disorder - long term or recurring depression

disruptive mood dysregulation disorder - childhood temper tantrums

premenstrual dysphoric disorder - disruption to mood prior to/ during menstruation

Question 5

list the 3 behavioural characteristics of depression

Answer 5

-activity levels
-disruption to sleeping and eating behavior
- aggression and self-harm

Question 6

explain activity levels as a behavioural characteristic of depression

Answer 6

• typically people with depression have reduced activity levels making them lethargic
• this has a knock-on effect causing them to withdraw from work and social life

extreme cases
a person can’t get out of bed or psychomotor agitation (struggle to sleep and pace)

Question 7

define psychomotor agitation

Answer 7

when a person struggles to sleep so paces

Question 8

explain disruption to sleep and eating behaviour as a behavioural characteristic of depression

Answer 8

• a person may experience

insomnia = reduced sleep
hypersomnia = increased need for sleep

appetite and eating may increase or decrease resulting in weight loss/gain

Question 9

define hypersomnia

Answer 9

increased need for sleep

Question 10

define insomnia

Answer 10

reduced sleep

Question 11

explain aggression and self harm as a behavioural characteristic of depression

Answer 11

people with depression are irritable and can become verbally or physically aggressive
(e.g: someone may end their relationship, or quit their job)

can lead to physical aggression directed against the self
(e.g: self-harm - cutting, suicide attempts)

Question 12

give the 3 emotional characteristics of depression

Answer 12

• lowered mood
• anger
• lowered self esteem

Question 13

explain lowered mood as an emotional characteristic of depression

Answer 13

people with depression often describe themselves as “worthless” “empty”

Question 14

explain anger as an emotional characteristic of depression

Answer 14

extreme anger can be directed at self or others leads to aggressive or self harming behaviour

Question 15

explain lowered self esteem as an emotional characteristic of depression

Answer 15

people with depression tend to report reduced self-esteem

this can be to the extreme of self-loathing (where people hate themselves)

Question 16

define self esteem

Answer 16

emotional experience of how much we like ourselves

Question 17

give the 3 cognitive characteristics of depression

Answer 17

• poor concentration
• attending to and dwelling on the negative
• absolutist thinking

Question 18

explain poor concentration as an cognitive characteristic of depression

Answer 18

a person may find themselves unable to stick with a task they normally would or make decisions that are usually straight forward

Question 19

explain attending to and dwelling on the negative as an cognitive characteristic of depression

Answer 19

people who are depressed tend to see the glass as half-empty rather than half full

people with depression have a bias to recalling unhappy events

Question 20

explain absolutist thinking as an cognitive characteristic of depression

Answer 20

“black and white thinking”

when a situation is unfortunate they tend to see it as a disaster