Low mood Flashcards
Core features of low mood
Mood
Anhedonia
Poor sleep/fatigue
Non core features of low mood
- Lack of energy
- Outlook: hopelessness/worthlessness
- Poor memory and concentration
- Poor self esteem
- Guilt
- Tearfullness
- Agitation
How long does low mood have to continue before it can be considered depression
> 2 weeks
Physical symptoms of anxiety
- Palpitations
- SOB
- tight chest
- Sweating
- dizziness
What must you ask about the timing of anxiety
- When did it start
- Is it episodic vs constant
- Any trigger
- Impact on life
- Frequency
- Avoidance
what other psychological problems can be associated with anxiety
- Low mood - depression screen
- Stress
- Worry
- Avoidance
Anxiety differential diagnoses
- obsessions,
- compulsions
- PTSD Sx
- Panic attack
- Phobia
- General anxiety disorder
- hyperthyroidism
- ACS
Features of PTSD
- psychological trauma
- flashbacks
- nightmares
- hyperarousal
What questions should you ask regarding hallucinations
- Voice detail: male/female, recognize, always same - Real/pseudo: internal/external - 2nd/3rd person: to you/about you, comments - What they say: commands
What should you ask about when discussing memory loss
● Short/long term ● Insight and concerns ● Functional levels (washing, dressing) ● Forgotten things that may put people at risk e.g. gas stove ● Perform MMSE
Differentials of low mood
- depression
- hypothyroid
- bipolar
- schizoaffective disorder
- anxiety
- psychosis
Differentials of Psychosis
- schizophrenia
- drug-induced
- delirium
- depression with
psychosis - mania
- electrolytes imbalances, endocrine, metabolic.
Somtaic symptos of depression
- Weight Changes
- Appetite changes
- Insomnia
- Loss of libido
What features suggest depression over dementia
- short history, rapid onset
- biological symptoms e.g. weight loss, sleep disturbance
- patient worried about poor memory
- reluctant to take tests, disappointed with results
- mini-mental test score: variable
- global memory loss (dementia characteristically causes recent memory loss)
Short term Side effects of ECT
headache nausea short term memory impairment memory loss of events prior to ECT cardiac arrhythmia
Long term side effects of ECT
impaired memory
Indications for ECT
treatment resistant severe depression
manic episodes
an episode of moderate depression know to respond to ECT in the past
life threatening catatonia
