Symptom Definitions Flashcards
Elevated mood
The subject is euphoric or elated most of the time. The mood often has an infectious quality. The mood is out of proportion to the subject’s circumstances
Irritable mood (mania)
A pervasive mood of angry impatience, hasty temper, and easily aroused aggressiveness.
No sense of guilt whilst they feel this way.
Thoughts racing
This symptom is the subjective aspect of flight of ideas. Images and ideas flash through the mind, each suggesting others, at a fast rate.
Excessive activity
Overactivity is expressed in motor behaviour as well as speech and ideation. Lots of energy, far more active than usual, their movements are rapid and they do not need so much sleep as usual.
Pressured speech
pressure to keep talking but, more often, it is others who notice an abnormality. Speech is fluent, rapid and loud. May be witty and shifts of topic
Distractibility
This is the external equivalent of flight of ideas, external things grab their attention easily and distract them
Increased self esteem
Feel superbly healthy, have exceptionally high
intelligence or extraordinary abilities.
Different from grandiose delusions as they are just exaggerations of themselves, not entirely impossible.
Reckless activity
Risky actions which are very unusual for the person to do, no consideration for consequences
Reduced need for sleep
Not getting tired, doing exhausting stuff without getting tired, not sleeping at all, 4 hours or less sleep
Increased sociability (socially embarrassing behaviour)
Loss of normal social inhibition, overly familiar, embarrassing and out of character behaviour which is inappropriate to the situation
Increased sexual activity
Sexual interest or sexual activity increased, flirtatiousness or sexual indiscretions
Dysphoric mania
depressive symptoms or ideas during a manic episode e.g. suicidal thoughts whilst manic
Dysphoria
Low mood, blue, despair
Loss of energy
Everything too much trouble, can’t make themself do anything
Loss of pleasure
Anhedonia, lost their capacity for enjoyment, the ability to
take pleasure in activities that they normally enjoy, no excitement
Diurnal mood variation
Depression worse at a certain time of day then easing at other times e.g. really bad in the morning then gets a bit better later
Excessive self reproach
Pathological guilt- intense and exaggerated guilty about a real event, they are aware it is out of proportion but cannot stop themselves
low self esteem- lowering from normal opinion of themself, holding themself to unrealistic standards compared to other people, unpleasant
Poor concentration
Inefficient thinking- can’t think clearly, can’t hold information in their mind to make decisions
Poor concentration- can’t complete tasks or activities as they once could due to inability to focus
unpleasant
Slowed activity
Not our observation
Subjective experience of feeling slow- moving through treacle, effort to move limbs as feel heavy, moving as if older than their age
Appetite and weight
Loss or gain
deviation from normal weight/ appetite and not purposeful. Find out how much they have lost or gained and over what period
Diminished Libido
Less interest in sexual activities or sex than usual
Agitated activity
Muscular tension resulting in fidgeting or at extremes pacing and inability to sit down.
Unpleasant, involuntary and inappropriate
Disturbed sleep
Initial insomnia- hour or more to get to sleep for at least 1 week
Middle insomnia- waking during the night for most nights
early morning waking- waking up far earlier than usual with a difficulty to get back to sleep. At least an hour earlier for at least 1 week
excessive sleep- inability to resist sleep, tired even though sleeping, sleepy in day, at least an hour for at least 1 week
