Lesson 8 - Characteristics of Depression Flashcards
Behavioural Characteristics of Depression
Change in activity levels
Disruption to sleep
Disruption to eating behaviour
Aggression
Behavioural Characteristics of Depression
Change in Activity Levels
Some people with depression experience lethargy and withdrawal from activities that were once enjoyed
They may also neglect personal hygiene
Other people with depression experience increase activity levels/agitation
Behavioural Characteristics of Depression
Disruption to Sleep
Depression is often characterised by constant insomnia whereby they have difficulty falling and staying asleep
Alternatively they might require large amounts of sleep and they might oversleep - hypersomnia
Behavioural Characteristics of Depression
Disruption to Eating Behaviour
Significant increase or decrease in weight is associated with depression
Some people might eat a great deal when they are depressed and therefore put on weight
Other people have a reduced appetite and eat dry little and therefore lose weight
Behavioural Characteristics of Depression
Aggression
Sufferers of depression are often irritable and they can become physically or verbally aggressive
They might also be psychically aggressive towards themselves in the form of self-harm
Emotional Characteristics of Depression
Low mood
Feelings of worthlessness
Anger
Emotional Characteristics of Depression
Low Mood
Key characteristic of depression is the ever present and overwhelming feelings of sadness and hopelessness and feeling empty
Emotional Characteristics of Depression
Feelings of Worthlessness
Sufferers of depression often have constant feelings of reduced worth and/or inappropriate feelings of guilt
They might also experience very low levels of self esteem
Emotional Characteristics of Depression
Anger
The person might feel anger towards others or towards themselves
Depression may arise from feelings of being hurt and wishing to retaliate
Cognitive Characteristics of Depression
Negative Scheme
Poor Concentration
Cognitive Characteristics of Depression
Negative Scheme
Depressed people often have a negative view of the world, themselves and the future
This leads to the self-fulfilling prophecy whereby if you expect negative things to happen, they will happen because you make them happen
Positive factors in their life will be ignored
Cognitive Characteristics of Depression
Poor Concentration
There can be difficulty in paying/maintain attention and the person might feel that they cannot stay on tasks for long periods of time
They might have slower thought processes than normal and difficulty making decisions
Depressed people will also have trouble retrieving memories