Unipolar Depression - Symptoms and Features

Question 1

What is an affective disorder?

Answer 1

Disorders relating to our mood and emotions

Question 2

What are psychological symptoms?

Answer 2

E.g. loss of interest and pleasure

Question 3

What are cognitive symptoms?

Answer 3

E.g pessimism

Question 4

What are social symptoms?

Answer 4

E.g. avoiding social activities

Question 5

What are physical symptoms?

Answer 5

E.g. disturbances in appetite

Question 6

What are psychological symptoms of unipolar depression?

Answer 6

Low mood, irritability, anxiety

Anhedonia - loss of interest and enjoyment in all activities that you once liked; the feeling of not caring anymore

Question 7

What are physical symptoms of unipolar depression?

Answer 7

Headaches, disturbances in sleep and appetite, agitation

Appetite can be increased or decreased - e.g. 5% change in weight

Question 8

What are social symptoms of unipolar depression?

Answer 8

Problems interacting at work, with friends, family etc.

Social withdrawal - extreme avoidance of social situations

Question 9

What are cognitive symptoms of unipolar depression?

Answer 9

Affect our memory and concentration, thinking, guilty thoughts, low self-esteem, extreme cases - suicidal thoughts

Pessimism - tendency to focus on negative aspects of a situation and ignore the good parts (may blame ourselves for bad things)

Question 10

What is unipolar depression an example of?

Answer 10

Example of a mood disorder

Mood disorders characterised by disabling moods, unipolar depression - persistent low mood

Question 11

How many more times likely are women to have depression than men?

Answer 11

Women are twice as likely to have depression than men

Question 12

What are the age of onsets like for unipolar depression?

Answer 12

No difference in age of onset

25-44 for both men and women

Question 13

What are the prevalence rates like for unipolar depression?

Answer 13

Prevalence rate - 10%

• 50% full recovery after one episode
• 35% experience at least one or more episode after recovery
• 15% chronic

Question 14

When diagnosing for depression, how long do individuals have to display symptoms?

Answer 14

Individuals have to display symptoms for more than two weeks

Question 15

How many symptoms of depression must individuals display (at least) nearly every day to be diagnosed?

Answer 15

Must display 5 of 9 symptoms (at least) nearly everyday

Question 16

What are 4 examples of symptoms of depression that individuals need to display (at least) nearly everyday?

Answer 16

Depressed mood/irritability most of the day

Decreased interest/pleasure in most activities

Significant weight change/appetite

Change in sleep - insomnia/hypersomnia