Depression

Question 1

What is depression?

Answer 1

Depression is classified as a mood disorder. Individuals struggling with depression are characterised as having low mood and low energy levels.
Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders, affecting around 1 in 6 adults in the UK.

Question 2

What are the 4 types of depression?

Answer 2

Major depressive disorder
Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Question 3

What is Major depressive disorder?

Answer 3

severe but often short-term

Question 4

What is Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)?

Answer 4

long-term or recurring depression

Question 5

What is Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder?

Answer 5

childhood temper tantrums

Question 6

What is Premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

Answer 6

disruption to mood prior to and/or during menstruation

Question 7

What are the 3 behavioural characteristics for depression?

Answer 7

Activity levels
Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour
Aggression and self-harm

Question 8

what is the behavioural characteristic activity levels?

Answer 8

Reduced energy levels and lethargy often resulting in withdrawing from work, education and social life. In extreme cases, the sufferer may not be able to get out of bed.

Psychomotor agitation describes the opposite effect – individuals may struggle to relax and often pace up and down.

Question 9

What is the behavioural characteristic disruption to sleep and eating behaviour?

Answer 9

Sufferers may be unable to sleep (insomnia), experience frequent premature waking, or have an increased need for sleep (hypersomnia).
Eating behaviours may change resulting in weight loss or gain.
Key point being that these behaviours are disrupted by depression.

Question 10

What is the behavioural characteristic aggression and self-harm?

Answer 10

Sufferers may show verbal or physical aggression. This could be outwardly – impulsively ending a relationship or quitting a job – or inwardly, manifesting in self harm or suicide attempts.

Question 11

What are the 3 emotional characteristics for depression?

Answer 11

Low mood
Anger
Low self-esteem

Question 12

What is the emotional characteristic low mood?

Answer 12

This is much more severe than ‘having a bad day’ or feeling sad. Sufferers may describe themselves as ‘worthless’ or ‘empty’ and feel no pleasure in any activities.

Question 13

What is the emotional characteristic anger?

Answer 13

Sufferers may experience extreme anger directed towards their situation, themselves, or others. Anger towards oneself is often a trigger for self harming.

Question 14

What is the emotional characteristic low self-esteem?

Answer 14

Sufferers often describe their self esteem as extremely low, and may report self-loathing or a feeling that they ‘hate’ themselves.

Question 15

What are the 3 cognitive characteristics for depression?

Answer 15

Poor concentration
Attending to and dwelling on the negative
Absolutist thinking

Question 16

What is the cognitive characteristic poor concentration?

Answer 16

Sufferers may find greater difficulty than usual in completing tasks or making decisions. Consequently this can interfere with their work or education.

Question 17

What is the cognitive characteristic attending to and dwelling on the negative?

Answer 17

Sufferers have a bias to recalling negative events or focusing on negative aspects of their life, eg. the glass is half empty.

Question 18

what is the cognitive characteristic absolutist thinking?

Answer 18

Sufferers experience periods of ‘black and white’. Something that is mildly unfortunate may be seen as a complete disaster, for example.