Depression

• Behavioural characteristics of depression:

  1. Activity levels.
  2. Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour.
  3. Aggression and self-harm.
• Activity levels:


  People with depression have reduced levels of energy making them lethargic eg. cannot get out of bed.
• Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour:

  Reduced sleep (insomnia) or increased (hypersomnia). Appetite and weight may increase or decrease.
• Aggression and self-harm:


  Depression is associated with irritability and this may extend to aggression and self-harm.
• Emotional characteristics of depression:

  1. Lowered mood.
  2. Anger.
  3. Lowered self-esteem.
• Lowered mood:


  People with depression describe themselves as 'worthless' or 'empty'.
• Anger:


  Such emotions lead to aggression or self-harming behaviour.
• Lowered self-esteem:


  The person likes themselves less, even self-loathing.
• Cognitive characteristics of depression:

  1. Poor concentration.
  2. Attention to the negative.
  3. Absolutist thinking.
• Poor concentration:


  The person may find themselves unable to stick with a task, or might find simple decision-making difficult.
• Attention to the negative:


  Depressed people have a bias towards focusing on negative aspects of current situations and recalling unhappy (instead of happy) memories.
• Absolutist thinking:


  'Black-and-white thinking', when a situation is unfortunate it is seen as an absolute disaster.
• What is depression?


  A mental disorder characterised by low mood and low energy levels.