Depression Characteristics Flashcards
What is depression?
Depression is a category of mood disorders.
What are the 2 main types of depression?
1) Unipolar depression - exceptionally low mood.
2) Bipolar depression (manic-depression) - really eccentric then low mood - fluctuating mood.
What is needed to be given a diagnosis of depression?
To be given a diagnosis of depression, sufferers are required to display at least 5 symptoms, every day for at least 2 weeks.
e.g., lack of interest in activities, insomnia, and loss of energy.
1) Behavioural
Activity levels: reduced energy levels, making them lethargic. They tend to withdraw from work, education and social life. But it sometimes causes the opposite effect - psychomotor agitation - they can’t relax and pace a lot.
Disruption in sleeping and eating: may experience insomnia or hypersomnia. Appetite can increase or decrease.
Aggression/self-harm: often irritable and can become verbally or physically aggressive. Sometimes the physical aggression is targeted against themselves - cutting or suicide attempts.
2) Emotional
Low mood: a defining emotion of depression. It is more than feeling sad. Sufferers often describe themselves as worthless or empty.
Anger: often irritable and can become verbally or physically aggressive. Sometimes the physical aggression is targeted against themselves - cutting or suicide attempts.
Lowered self-esteem: this is how much we like ourselves - depressives like themselves less than usual. Some even hate themselves.
3) Cognitive
Poor concentration: they find themselves unable to stick with a task as they usually would or might find it hard to make decisions.
Dwelling on the negative: their perceptions are distorted and out of proportion so they pay attention to the negative and don’t see the positive. They are half-empty. Can be regarded as pessimistic.
Absolutist thinking: they have a very black and white thinking - it is either all good or all bad.
