Psychology diagnosis+management Flashcards
(169 cards)
Depression and risk factors
Characterised by persistent low mood and/or loss of pleasure in most activities and a range of associated emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioural symptoms
Multifactorial: biological, psychological and social factor
No definitive cause
Dysthymia or dythymic disorder is a chronic form of long term depression
Risk factors: Chronic conditions (Diabetes, COPD, CVD) Female Older age Medicines Psychological issues (divorce, unemployment, poverty, homelessness etc) Personal history of depression Genetic and family history Adverse childhood experience Personality factors (neuroticism) Past head injury (including hypopituitarism following trauma)
Depression presenation
Low mood (feel down, depressed, hopeless)
Anhedonia (lack of interest or pleasure in their normal activities)
Disturbed sleep
Decreased or increased appetite
Fatigue and loss of energy
Agitation or slowing of movement
Poor concentration of indecisiveness
Feeling of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt
Suicidal thoughts or acts
Depression investigations/diagnosis
DSM-5 (diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders)
Presence of at least 5 out of 9 defining symptoms for at least 2 weeks or severe enough to impair social, occupational or other important areas of functioning. Classified as mild, mod or severe, determined by both number of symptoms, persistence, presence of other symptoms as well as degree of functional and social impairment
PHQ9 (patient health questionnaire 9) rates severity: 0-4 = none. 5-9 mild. 10-14 mod. Mod severe 20-27. 28+ severe.
Depression categories
Subthreshold: between 2-5 symptoms
Mild: >5 symptoms but only result in minor functional impairment
Mod: if symptoms or functional impairments between mild and severe
Severe: Most symptoms and markedly interferes with functioning. Can occur without psychotic symptoms
Dysthymia (persistent subthreshold depression): subthreshold symptoms for more days than not for at least 2 years which is not consequence of partially resolved major depression
Seasonal affective disorder: episodes of depression which recur annually at same time each year with remission in between (usually appearing in winter and remitting in spring)
Depression management (medications)
Medications:
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI): sertraline (tends to have less side effects), citalopram, fluoxetine (start on any drug there is no first line, discuss what’s best for pt and start on low dose and work up)
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): venlafaxine, duloxetine
Tricyclic antidepressants TCA: amitriptyline
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs: not used much
Consider medications for mod/severe depressions.
Consider drug interactions with other medications and patient preference (side effects disturb sleep etc)
Pt compliance is extremely important: must take OD for effectiveness, impress importance on pt
May feel worse in first week of taking
Can take 2-4 wks to feel benefit
Need to be taken daily ideally for at least 4 wks before dose change
Regularly review esp for suicidal pts
Side effects: usually settle after a few wks
Depression management (psychological interventions)
Cognitive behavioural therapy CBT
High intensity therapies: interpersonal therapy (IPT) or behavioural activation
Counseling and short term psychodynamic therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
CBT: help to change the way people think, feel and behave
Problem focused and practical
Can be delivered to individuals, couples, families or groups
ECT: reserved for severe depression if persons life at risk and need urgent treatment
OR mod-severe depression when no other treatment has helped
ECT involved passing electric current through the brain so is always given in hospital under general anaesthetic
Some people have temporary memory problems after ECT
Suicide risk: important to ask and clarify thoughts, plans, intent
Assess would pt need same day admission
If actively suicidal review medications that may worsen this (SSRIs and SNRIs are associated with increased risk of suicidal thinking and self harm particularly <30 years)
Abuse of alcohol or drugs also increases
Acute reaction to stress
Acute reaction following an unexpected life crisis; serious accident; sudden bereavement or other traumatic event
Symptoms develop and resolve quickly
Events triggering are usually very severe and acute stress reaction typically occurs after unexpected life crisis
Trigger can include: Assault, serious accident, sudden loss, traumatic events
Difference between this and depression would be large life factor trigger and acute duration of symptoms
Acute reaction to stress presentation
Acute onset
Psychological : anxiety, low mood, irritability, emotional ups and downs, poor sleep, poor concentration, want to be alone
Recurrent flash backs
Trigger avoidance
Reckless or aggressive
Flat affect (no emotion)
Physical symptoms: palpitation, nausea, chest pain, headaches, abdominal pains, dyspnoea
Acute reaction to stress management and complications
Watch and wait to see if resolve
CBT: help improve functioning during episode
Counselling
Medications: beta blockers (propranolol), benzodiazepines (diazepam) use very very sparingly: very addictive and easily develop tolerance for them
Complications:
Symptoms persisting several wks (consider PTSD)
St johns wart
Herbal remedy OTC medication pts can try as alternative medications
Used to treat mild/mod depression, SAD, mild anxiety and sleep problems
Non-standardised dose so not recommended as different brands/areas will have different doses and elicit different response
Multiple drug interaction must warn pt to let you know if they are taking so can check with current medications
Uncomplicated bereavement and presentation
More common in ‘expected’ death e.g. chronic conditions or elderly
Loss of family members, pets
Presentation:
Shock/numb
Loneliness, sadness, crying
Tired, exhausted
Sleep disturbance
Anger
Guilt about things unsaid, being unable to help
Symptoms fluctuate and vary day to day (may not be there at all some days)
Symptoms tend to come over in waves and fluctuate
Stages of bereavement
Acceptance
Embracing pain of grief
Adjusting to life without deceased
Channelling energy away from grieving into something new
*These are not fixed stages and vary in duration for all individuals
Uncomplicated bereavement management
CBT/counselling - cruse bereavement care
Medication: sedatives (sleep)/benzodiazepines (short term and CI in previous dependency), antidepressants
Exercise
Sleep hygiene: no blue light 1 hr before bed, routine, dark room
Mindfulness apps
Monitor for persistent or developing symptoms (depression)
Bipolar disorder
AKA bipolar affective disorder or manic depressive disorder
Long term illness characterised usually by manic and depressive episodes
Known as a heritable mental disorder (those with 1st degree relative affected 5 x more likely to also experience)
Characterised by episodic depressed and elated moods and increased activity (hypomania and mania)
Cause:
Thought to have genetic link as well as environmental triggers or influences
Environmental stressors: maternal death before <5 years, childhood trauma, childhood abuse, emotional neglect or abuse
Toxoplasma gondii exposure
Drug abuse
Manic/hypomanic episode (bipolar) diagnosis
Period of abnormally and persistently elevated or irritable mood lasting at least 1 wk accompanied by at least 3 additional symptoms resulting in: marked simpaired social or occupational function or necessitate hospitalisation OR psychotic features (delusions or hallucinations)
Usually lasts around 1 wk
Hypomanic episodes are similar to manic episode except that diagnosis only needs symptoms lasting >4 days and symptoms are not severe enough to cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning or necessitate hospitalisation and there are no psychotic features
Mania (bipolar) presentation
Abnormally elevated mood, extreme irritability, sometimes aggression
Increased energy or activity, restlessness and decreased need for sleep
Pressure of speech or incomprehensible
Flight of ideas and racing thoughts
Distractibility, poor concentration
Increased libido, disinhibition and sexual indiscretions
Extravagant or impractical plans (financial)
Psychotic symptoms: delusions (usually grandiose) or hallucinations (usually voices)
Symptoms usually begin abruptly and need to be present for at least 7 days
Hypomania (bipolar) presentation
Symptoms of mania no severe enough to cause marked impairment in social/occupational functioning and absence of psychotic features
May have mild mood elevation or irritability
Increased energy and activity which may lead to increased performance socially or at work
Feeling of well-being or physical and mental efficiency
Increased sociability, talkativeness and over familiarity
Diagnosis requires at least 4 days persistence of symptoms
Depressive period of bipolar diagnosis and presentation
Usually around 2 wks
Depressed mood or loss of interest in nearly all activities (or irritability in children and adolescents) with at least 4 additional symptoms
Depressive presentation:
Feelings of persistent sadness or low mood
Loss of interest or pleasure
Low energy
Poor concentration
History is important:
‘Do you currently (or have you in the past) experienced a mood that is higher than normal, or do you feel much more irritable than usual, and have others noticed?’
‘At the same time, do you have increased energy levels so that you are much more active or do not need as much sleep?’
Mixed episode (bipolar)
Rapidly flips between manic and depressive episodes
OR period of time (1> wk) criteria met for either manic or hypomanic episode and at least 3 symptoms of depression present during majority of days)
OR period of time (2> wk) in which criteria for major depressive episode met and at least 3 manic or hypomanic symptoms are present during majority of days of current or most recent episode of depression
Possibly shows psychotic symptoms also
Rapid cycling bipolar disorder is defined as experience of at least four depressive, manic, hypomanic or mixed episodes within 12 month period
Bipolar disorder investigations and classifications
Investigation:
DSM-5
Classification:
Bipolar I: at least one manic episode with/without history of major depressive episodes
Bipolar II: one or more major depressive episodes and by at least one hypomanic episode but no evidence of mania
Bipolar management
primary care:
Referral to mental health team to confirm diagnosis
Refer urgently for mental health assessment if severe mania, severe depression or danger to themselves or others
Assess safeguarding of pt and any defendants - vulnerable to exploitation or violence
Review medications - antidepressants can worsen mania episodes
Secondary care:
1st line oral antipsychotic: haloperidol, olanzapine, quetiapine or risperidone
2nd line: lithium or sodium valproate (caution women at childbearing age) risk of foetal malformations and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes after any exposure during pregnancy.
During depressive episode: quetiapine alone (mood stabiliser) or fluoxetine with olanzapine or olanzapine alone or lamotrigine alone
Constantly have to take these medications. Review all regularly (unlikely to change doses; more for psychiatrists)
Generalized anxiety disorder
Disproportionate, pervasive, uncontrollable and widespread worry and range of somatic, cognitive and behavioural symptoms that occur on continuum of severity
Is one of a range of anxiety disorders which includes acute stress disorder, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, social phobia and specific phobias
Most common in those aged 35-55 years
More common in women (rate is 1.5-2.5 x more likely)
Cause:
Multifactorial with both genetic and environmental factors
More common in women
Generalised anxiety disorder risk factors
Females
Family History of psychiatric disorders
Childhood adversity such as maltreatment, parental problems (alcohol, drugs, violence), bullying, exposure to overprotective or overly harsh parenting
Bullying or peer victimisation
Environmental stressors: physical or emotional trauma, domestic violence, unemployment, low socioeconomic status
Substance dependence or exposure to organic solvents (exacerbators)
Chronic and/or painful illness
Generalised anxiety disorder presentation
Irritable Trouble relaxing Nausea Chest tightness Tachycardia SOB/dyspnoea Trembling Exaggerated startle response