Depression

• Depression


  A mental disorder characterised by low mood and low energy levels
• Behavioural characteristics of depression

  • activity levels: People with depression may have reduced levels of energy, making them lethargic. Withdrawing from important aspects of life. Or, may have psychomotor agitation, where individuals struggle to relax.
  • Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour: Insomnia or hypersomnia. Appetite will either increase or decrease.
  • Aggression and self-harm: Individuals are often irritable and can become verbally or physically aggressive.
• Emotional characteristics of depression

  • Lowered mood: 'worthless' 'empty'
  • Anger: Directed at the self or others.
  • Lowered self-esteem: Tend to have reduced self-esteem and self-loathing.
• Cognitive characteristics of depression:

  • poor concentration: a person is unable to stick with a task or finds it hard to make straightforward decisions. Interferes with work.
  • Attending to and dwelling on the negative: Ignores the positives. Bias to recalling unhappy events.
  • Absolutist thinking: 'black and white thinking'. When situation is unfortunate they tend to see it as an absolute disaster.