Mental Health Flashcards
What is the definition of depression?
Depression is characterised by persistent low mood and/or loss of pleasure in most activities with a range of emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioural symptoms.
The American Psychiatric Association state there are nine defining symptoms.
An episode of depression serious enough to require treatment, occurs in how many men and women at some point in their lives?
1 in 4 women
1 in 10 men
What does sub-threshold depressive symptoms refer to?
It describes a situation when an individual has some of the 9 defining symptoms of depression, but they are insufficient in number or severity to meet the full criteria to diagnose depression
What is the cause/ what are the risk factors associated with depression? (6)
Although the cause of depression is unknown, it is believed to result from a complex interaction of factors. These factors being:
- Psychosocial issues such as unemployment, divorce and poverty
- Genetic factors
- Personality
- Failure of adaptive mechanisms to stressors
- Chronic co-morbidities e.g. diabetes, COPD, CVD, chronic pain
- A past head injury
What factors may place someone at a particularly high risk of depression? (5)
- History of depression, suicide attempt or abuse
- Significant physical illness
- Other mental health problems i.e. schizophrenia and dementia
- Family history of depression
- Frequent visits to GP or A&E
What are the complications of depression? (4)
- Exacerbates pain, disability and distress
- Increases mortality: from comorbid conditions and from suicide
- Impairs a person’s ability to function normally
- Increases the risk of substance abuse
What is the average length of an episode of depression?
6-8 months
What is the risk of recurrence after a first episode of depression?
50%
What is the risk of recurrence after a second episode of depression?
70%
What is the risk of recurrence after a third episode of depression?
90%
What % of people with sub threshold depressive symptoms progress to having depression?
70%
What diagnostic tool is used to help diagnose depression?
DSM-5
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
How do you assess for the two ‘core’ symptoms of depression?
- During the last month, have you often been bothered by feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?
- Do you have little interest or pleasure in doing things?
What are the other typical symptoms of depression, important to ask about? (7)
- Fatigue/loss of energy
- Worthlessness/excessive or inappropriate guilt
- Recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts or actual suicide attempts
- Lack of concentration/indecisiveness
- Psychomotor agitation/retardation
- Insomnia/hypersomnia
- Significant appetite and/or weight loss
What are the symptoms of atypical depression? (5)
- Reactive mood
- Increased appetite
- Weight gain
- Excessive sleepiness
- Sensitivity to rejection
Of the nine defining symptoms of depression, how many does NICE suggest the patient must have before they are diagnosed with depression?
At least 5 symptoms, with at least one of these a ‘core’ symptom.
How is sub threshold depressive symptoms diagnosed?
If the patient has at least two, but less than five symptoms that are required for the diagnosis of depression.
What are the differential diagnoses for depression?
- Grief reaction (this can be distinguished based upon certain symptoms, for example in depression the patient may feel no sense of a positive future, and finds distress in all facets of life, whereas in grief, the individual may still look forward to the future, and their distress relates to a particular loss)
- Dementia
- Substances/adverse drug effects
- Hypothyroidism
If someone is newly diagnosed with depression, what bio-psychosocial assessment needs to be completed?
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)
What does the QOF for depression assess for? (8)
- Risk of suicide
- Any safeguarding concerns for children/vulnerable adults
- Co-morbid conditions associated with depression
- The severity of depression
- Stresses contributing to the development of depression
- A persona/family history of depression
- Sources of support
- Past experience of/response to, treatment
What co-morbid conditions maybe associated with depression? (5)
- Alcohol/substance abuse
- Anxiety
- Eating disorders
- Psychotic symptoms
- Dementia
If a patient appears to be at a risk of suicide, what options are available to support them? (3)
- Contact the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment (CRHT) team for an urgent assessment.
- Voluntary or compulsory admission may be required
- Review the patient frequently in primary care
What psychological interventions are available for people with depression? (3)
- Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Individual guided self-help based on CBT (usually includes face-to-face or telephone sessions)
- Structured group-based physical activity programme
Which herbal remedy is marketed towards targeting depression, however NICE does not recommend its use?
St John’s wort
Antidepressants are not indicated for use mild depression, however in moderate depression, what is the first-line drug of choice?
SSRIs: Citalopram Fluoxetine Paroxetine Sertraline
Which SSRI is preferred if the patient has multiple health problems, due to it having a lower risk of drug interactions?
Sertraline
In addition to SSRIs, what other drugs are indicated for the treatment of depression? (4)
- Tricyclic antidepressants: lofepramine, trazodone, amitriptyline
- Duloxetine
- Mirtazapine
- Venlafaxine
What is somatisation aka somatic symptom disorder?
Somatisation is when physical symptoms are caused by psychological or emotional factors.
It is a chronic condition in which there are numerous physical complaints. It is defined as multiple, recurrent and frequently changing physical symptoms usually present for several years before the patient is referred to a psychiatrist.
Somatic symptom disorder has been associated in people with what conditions? (2)
- IBS
- Chronic pain
- PTSD
Patients with somatic symptom disorder (SSD) often seek to take on the sick role. How does taking on this role help them?
In most societies this provides them with attention, care and sometimes monetary reward.
It can be a relief rom stressful or impossible interpersonal expectations.
Although patients with SSD may take on the sick role, why is this not malingering?
Patients with SSD genuinely experience these symptoms, and are not aware that the cause is not physical. The mental or emotional problem is being expressed physically, so the pain and other symptoms e.g. diarrhoea, are real.
When is somatisation very commonly experienced?
Tension headaches, neck pain, palpitations etc, due to stress and anxiety.
Somatoform disorders are extremes of somatisation, and tend to persist long-term with no physical disease explaining the symptoms. What are the somatoform disorders? (5)
- Somatisation disorder (SSD)
- Hypochondriasis (e.g. minor headache = brain tumour, or skin rash = skin cancer)
- Conversion disorder
- Body dysmorphic disorder
- Pain disorder
At what age does SSD tend to develop, and in which gender is it more common in?
The disorder tends to begin before the age of 30 and occurs more often in women
What are the cardiac symptoms associated with SSD? (3)
- SOB
- Palpitations
- Chest pain
What are the GI symptoms associated with SSD? (6)
- Vomiting
- Abdo pain
- Difficulty in swalloing
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Diarrhoea
What are the MSK symptoms associated with SSD? (3)
- Pain in the legs or arms
- Back pain
- Joint pain
What are the neurological symptoms associated with SSD? (5)
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Amnesia
- Vision changes
- Paralysis or muscle weakness