Characteristics of depression

• Depression is not always inherited
• anyone can become depressed
• depression can last for years if not treated
• depression can cause physical symptoms like stomach aches and headaches
• people with depression may not realise that they are depressed
• people can get depressed due to:

  • genes
  • brain chemistry
  • seasons and daylight
  • life events
  • family and social environments
  • health conditions
  • hormonal changes
• definition of depression

  • mood disorder
  • persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest
  • major depressive disorder or clinical depression
  • affects thinking, feeling and behaviour
  • leads to emotional and physical problems
  • trouble doing day-to-day activities
  • may feel like life isn't worth living
• Behavioural characteristics

  1. activity levels
  2. disruption to sleep and eating behaviours
  3. aggression and self harm
• activity levels

  • reduced
  • withdraw from work, education and social life
  • experience psychomotor agitation (struggle to relax)
• Disruption to sleep and eating patterns

  • reduced sleep (insomnia), increased sleep (hypersomnia)
  • appetite increase/ decrease= weight loss/ gain
• Aggression and self harm

  • irritable, verbally and physically aggressive
  • self harm, suicide attempts
• Emotional characteristics

  1. lowered mood
  2. anger
  3. lowered self esteem
• lowered mood

  • lethargic and sad
  • feeling "worthless" and "empty"
• Anger

  • during depressive episodes
  • anger at themselves and others
  • aggressive/ self harming behaviour
• lowered self esteem

  • negative perception of self
  • lead to self loathing
• cognitive characteristics

  1. poor concentration
  2. attending and dwelling on the negative
  3. absolutist thinking
• poor concentration

  • unable to stick to a task
  • find it hard to make decisions
  • interferes with work life
• attending and dwelling on the negative

  • pay more attention to the negative aspects of life
  • ignore the positives
  • see the world as half-empty, not half-full
  • bias towards recalling unhappy events rather than happy ones
• absolutist thinking

  • most situations are not all good or all bad
  • engage in black and white thinking
  • an unfortunate situation is seen as an absolute disaster