3. Depressive disorders
• Considered mood disorders
• A mood is a sustained emotion
that, when extreme, affects the
person's view of the world
• Mood disorders are characterized
by disturbances in feelings,
thinking, and behavior.
4. • These disorders may occur on a
continuum ranging from severe
depression to severe mania
(hyperactivity)
• A depressive illness is painful and
can be psychophysiologically
debilitating
• Depression is much more than just
sadness
5. – it affects the way one feels about the
future and can alter basic attitudes
about the self
• A depressed person can become so
despairing as to express hopelessness
• When moods become severe or
prolonged or interfere with a person's
interpersonal or occupational
functioning
– this may signal a mood disorder.
7. • Patients may receive treatment in
acute inpatient psychiatric
hospitals or in the community in an
outpatient program
– Decision about treatment setting is
made according to the severity of
patient's illness, with primary
concern being the risk of self-harm
(suicide) as well as the presence of
symptoms that are severely disabling
8. • Inpatient treatment is directed
toward drug management and
supportive psychotherapy using
milieu management
9. Somatic therapies
• Psychopharmacologic: drugs used
to treat depression are those that
will increase serotonin and
norepinephrine.
• ECT may be used to treat severe
depression that is unresponsive to
antidepressant drugs.
10. Somatic therapies
• Ultraviolet light therapy may be
recommended for depression that
occurs during fall and winter
months (seasonal affective
disorder).
11. • Patient may select complementary
and alternative treatments
– The use of herbal supplements,
especially St. John's wort, is a popular
alternative for antidepressant drugs
– However, use of nutritional or herbal
supplements should be discussed
with the health care provider because
of the potential for drug interactions.
13. Psychodynamic therapy
• helps patient to become aware of
unconscious anger directed toward
object loss and “work through”
these feelings to alleviate
depression.
14. Cognitive therapy
• The recommended
psychotherapeutic approach for
depression
• This approach includes identifying
and challenging the accuracy of
patient's negative thought patterns
and encouraging behaviors
designed to counteract depressive
symptoms.
15. Family therapy
• Assists patient and family members
in developing a sense of self that is
separate from that of the family as
a whole
• Patient is then encouraged to take
responsibility for his own actions.
