Treating depression Flashcards
Examples of scales which can be used to monitor mood/response to treatment
Beck depression inventory
Patient health questionnaire
Geriatric depression scale
Initial treatment of mild depression
some form of cognitive behavioural therapy; psychological therapy
When should pharmacological treatment of mild depression be considered?
If it persists after other interventions; if they have a past history of moderate or severe depression; if they have subthreshold symptoms present for at least 2 years
Treatment of moderate to severe depression
Anti depressant + CBT/IPT
When should an urgent psychiatric referral be made?
Active suicidal thoughts or plans; risk of harm to self or others; evidence of self neglect
Role of cognitive behavioural therapy
to challenge “thinking errors”
“I feel bad/guilty therefore I am bad/have something to feel guilty about”
Emotional reasoning
Focussing on negative detail, colouring perception of the entire experience
Selective abstraction
Dichotomous thinking
“All or nothing”/”black and white thinking”
Relating external events to self without cause
Personalisation
When should electroconvulsive therapy be considered?
After all other treatments have failed
First line antidepressants
SSRIs such as citalopram
Antidepressant of choice for children and young people
Fluoxetine
Drug of choice when patient has many concurrent health problems
Citalopram- has fewer interactions
