Characteristics

• What is depression ?

  • mood disorder
  • unipolar disorder
  • one’s mood changes from normal to depressed
  • people are aware their mood has changes
  • seek help or make a spontaneous recovery
• What is the demographic ?

  • under 30’s most at risk
  • females twice as likely
  • no difference between social classes
• What is the diagnosis ?

  • DSM-5 + clinical interview + ICD-10
  • low mood for minimum of 2 weeks + 5 other symptoms
• To be diagnosed what must an individual have ?

  • symptoms present all day everyday
  • must be a change from previous levels of functioning
  • not due to greif
  • not caused from substance use
  • not due to another illness
• Why is it difficult to diagnose ?

  • subjective symptoms
  • Remus on self report
  • hard to talk about
  • exaggerate or downplay symptoms
  • interpret questioen dirferently
• What are the emotional symptoms ?

  how you feel

  • low mood
  • sadness
  • crying
• What are behavioural symptoms ?


  how you behave

  • hygejne
  • sleep patterns
  • appetite
• What are the cognitive symptoms ?


  How you think

  • suicidal thoughts
  • pesimistic thinking
  • negative thinking
• What are the implications of being diagnosed ?

  • suitable treatment applies
  • lead to labelling
  • create expectations
  • act according to the label
  • treated differently
• What are the are the sex differences ?

  • twice as many females
  • most common 16-30
  • least common over 60
  • in children affects both genders the same
  • females more likely to seek help( biological reasons )
  • post natal depression
  • women more likely victims of SA