Depression can be one of the most debilitating psychiatric condition within the group of affective mood disorders, yet telling the difference from anxiety or bipolar can be difficult. It makes up the highest percentage of diagnosed psychiatric conditions (45% of all mental health diagnoses) yet 2-4% of men and 7-8% women have depression.
A simple and useful set of questions would address the following issues;
‘DEAD SWAMP’
D – Depressions
E – Energy levels
A – Anhedonia
D – Death – thoughts about death and self harm – i.e. Risk!
S – Sleep pattern
W – Worthlessness, guilt
A – Appetite
M – Mentation – decreased ability to think and concentrate
P – Psychomotor agitation and retardation
Generally symptoms are mostly worse early mornings and late at night
If the severity of their condition totally numbs all emotions this is termed ‘Melancholia’