Characteristics of depression

Question 1

What is the definition of depression?

Answer 1

A mental disorder characterized by low mood and low energy levels

Question 2

What are the 3 behavioural characteristics of depression?

Answer 2

• Activity levels: They lower, which can make people withdraw from work,education and social life.
• Disruption to sleep and eating: May sleep more or less. Their eating may increase or decrease leading to weight gain or loss.
• Aggression and self harm: They are often irritable, they may show physical aggression or verbal aggression such as leaving a job.

Question 3

What are the 3 emotional characteristics of depression?

Answer 3

• Lowered mood
• Anger: This feeling can be directed at themselves or others and may lead to selfr harming behaviour.
• Lowered self-esteem: They often have a poor view of themselves, it can be described as ‘self-loathing’.

Question 4

What are the 3 cognitive characteristics of depression?

Answer 4

• Poor concentration: They may find it hard to stick to a task or make desicions like normal, which can disrupt their work.
• Dwelling on negatives: They also have a bias of dwelling on the unhappy events rather than happy ones.
• Absolutist thinking: People with depression often think events are all-bad.