Depression

• One of the most predominant mental health problems worldwide

  Prevalence of depression in UK adults estimated to be 4.5%

  Mild depression accounts for 70% of all cases, moderate for 20% and severe for 10%

  Depression is responsible for 109 million lost working days every year in England, at a cost of £9 billion to the economy
• DSM-IV Criteria for Major Depressive Disorder?

  Depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities for more than 2 weeks

  Mood represents a change from the person's baseline

  Impaired function: social, occupational, educational

  Specific symptoms, at least 5/9, present nearly every day - must include 1 and 2
• 1. Depressed mood or irritable most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g. feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g. appears tearful)
• 2) Decreased interest or pleasure in most activities, most of each day
• 3) Significant weight change (5%) or change in appetite
• 4) Change in sleep: insomnia or hypersomnia
• 5) Change in activity: psychomotor agitation being unable to relax or retardation (can't do anything)
• 6)Fatigue or loss of energy
• 7) Guilt/ worthlessness: feelings of worthlessness or excessive/inappropriate guilt
• 8) Concentration: diminished ability to think or concentrate, or more indecisiveness
• 9) Suicidality: thoughts of death or suicide, or has suicide plan
• What are the three categories of characteristics of depression?


  Cognitive - the way people think

  Emotional - the way people feel

  Behavioural - the way people act
• Dwelling on the negative?

  Cognitive - pay more attention to negative aspects of thigs, glass half empty, repeatedly recalling unhappy events
• Anger?


  Emotional - Depression is not limited to sadness, the negative emotions could by anger
• Lowered self-esteem?


  Cognitive - Self-loathing, self-hate
• Aggression and self harm?

  Behavioural - Irritability, aggression (verbal and physical) can be directed towards the self
• Poor concentration?


  Cognitive - unable to stick at tasks, can interfere with work/school
• Lowered mood?


  Emotional - more than just sadness, feeling worthless/empty
• Absolutist thinking?


  Cognitive - Black and white thinking - all bad/ all good, bad things are an absolute disaster
• Activity levels?


  Behavioural - reduced energy levels, withdrawn from life experience or opposite: psychomotor agitation
• Disruption to sleep and eating?

  Behavioual - insomnia, hypersomnia, appetite changes