LO: Describe symptoms and prevalence of affective disorder (depression).
Analyse etiologies (biological, cognitive and sociocultural factors) of an affective disorder (depression). 22 marks
What are the main symptoms of depression?
Why should we talk about it?
Ted Talk: Don’t suffer from depression in silence.
Living with depression – Confession of a comic
Depression (affective disorder)
Symptoms
Affective symptoms – The way people react emotionally and their ability to feel emotions.
- Feeling of sadness and despair, or;
- An absence of feeling, feeling “empty”
- Fail to display interest and find pleasure in everyday activities.
- Feeling of guilt about a real or imagined even can also occur.
Cognitive symptoms – The ability to rationalise, remember and concentrate at their usual level. The thoughts individuals have about themselves, other people and their intentions.
- Impaired thought and logic process
- Low levels of concentration
- Negative self schema
- Paranoia
- (Thoughts of) committing suicide
Behavioural symptoms – The way that the individual behaves, activities they participate in or withdraw from and psychomotor movements (e.g. moving or speaking slowly).
- Severely depressed person can stop socializing, lose interest in sex and stop taking care of themselves.
- Everyday activities may take much longer to complete.
- Withdrawal from friends and family members.
- Attempt suicide.
Physical (somatic) symptoms – Physical changes that the individuals may experience.
- Headaches, stomach upsets (and other aches and pains).
- Palpitations
- Lack of energy
- Loss of appetite leading to weight loss.
- Sleep disturbance, insomnia.
- According to Marsella, collectivist cultures might display more somatic symptoms.
Biological Etiologies
Cognitive Etiologies
Socio-cultural Etiologies
KIS Psychology 