Depression Flashcards
Where does depression rank in terms of worldwide disability?
4th
How often and how long do symptoms need to be present to diagnose depression?
Symptoms need to be present every, or nearly every day, without significant changes throughout the day for more than 2 weeks.
What cannot be part of the cause?
Alcohol, drugs, medical problems or bereavement.
What are the diagnostic criteria for symptoms?
2 or more core symptoms AND 2 or more typical symptoms
Give 3 core symptoms and 7 typical symptoms. How are these split into biological and psychological?
Core: Low mood, anhedonia, fatigue. Typical: 1) Poor appetite (with weight loss without dieting, but can increase!), 2) Disrupted sleep (initially insomnia or early waking), 3) Psychomotor retardation or restlessness, 4) lowered libido, 5) lowered concentration, 6) feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt (can be delusions), 7) recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
1-5 of typical are the biological symptoms. The rest are psychological.
How is mild, moderate, and severe depression classified?
Mild: 2 core, 2 typical. Moderate: 2 core, 3+ typical. Severe: 3 core, 4+ typical
What can severe depression be split into?
Non-psychotic and psychotic. Psychotic has mood congruent delusions or hallucinations.
Give 2 biological aetiological factors.
Genetics (hereditary 37% of the time), lowered monoamines.
Give one psychological factor of depression
Negative childhood events
Give 5 differential diagnoses of depression
Bipolar schizophrenia anorexia anxiety hypothyroid cancer medicine side effect Parkinson’s
What are 4 things that worsen depression?
Inactivity, alcohol, drugs, isolation
Broadly, how is depression managed?
Therapy and medicine
Give 4 lifestyle measures.
Exercise, productivity, socialising, yoga, improving sleep, reading
Give 2 social factors for depression
Life events (in 60%) i.e. job, illness, finance. Poor social environment and isolation
How is mild depression managed?
With low intensity psychological intervention: sleep hygiene, mindfulness, problem solving techniques, self-help (books, headspace), computerised CBT, structured group based physical activities.