PSYB32H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Dexamethasone Suppression Test, Cyclothymia, Mania
25 Oct 2013
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Document Summary
Mood disorders involve disabling disturbances and emotion, from the sadness of depression to deletion and irritability of mania. Mood disorders are often associated with other psychological problems such as panic attacks, substance abuse, sexual dysfunction, and personality disorders. Depression is an emotional state marked by great sadness and feelings of worthlessness and guilt. Additional symptoms include withdrawal from others and loss of sleep, appetite, sexual desire, and interest and pleasure in usual activities. Paying attention is exhausting for depressed people. Conversation is also a chore; depressed individuals may speak slowly, after long pauses, using few words and the low, monotonous voice. Depressed people may make somatic complaints with no apparent physical basis. Depression in children often results in somatic complaints. In older adults, depression is often characterized by distractibility and complaints of memory loss. People from non-western cultures emphasize somatic symptoms of depression while people from western cultures emphasize emotional symptoms.
