Depression and anxiety Flashcards
What is the definition of depression according to ICD-10?
Many symptoms with lowering of mood, reduction of energy and decreased activity
What are the core symptoms of depression?
- Low/depressive mood – from patient themselves
- Loss of interest and enjoyment
- Loss of energy
- Duration: occurring for more than 2 weeks
If you suffer a stroke are you more or less likely to suffer depression?
More
Describe the epidemiology of people who suffer with depression
Female
Older people
Onset in mid 30’s
Low social economical class
What are the biological symptoms of depression?
- Loss of interest or pleasure (anhedonia)
- Lack of emotional reactivity e.g. not feeling happy in happy situations
- Loss of energy, fatigue
- Insomnia, with early morning wakening (late insomnia) or struggling to stay awake through the day (hypersomnia)
- Diurnal variation of mood – feeling at their worst or best at the end of the day
- Psychomotor retardation – slowing down physically in body movement or mentally such as not being able to concentrate
What are the somatic symptoms of depression?
- Loss of appetite (or increased = weight gain)
- Loss of weight
- Constipation
- Amenorrhoea
- Loss of libido
- Psychomotor agitation – struggling to sit still
What are the pychological symptoms of depression?
- Poor concentration and attention
- Indecisiveness
- ‘Negative’ or pessimistic thoughts
- Poor self-esteem & low self-confidence
- Guilt and worthlessness
- Hopelessness
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
What are the 3 points of the negative cognitive triad?
Self: worthless
World: critical, guilt
Future: hopeless
What are the 3 categories that the causes of depression can be split?
Predisposing – having a family member suffering from depression puts them at a higher risk
Precipitating – any events that have triggered the depression e.g. loss of job
Perpetuating – what is causing the depression to continue
