Depression - Symptoms• Thoughts of suicide or death• Anhedonia (the loss of ability to experience

pleasure, or the inability to gain pleasure from normally pleasurable activities.

• Difficulty concentrating• Reduced energy or feeling fatigued• Altered sleep patterns – insomnia (difficulty

going/ staying asleep), hypersomnia (feeling tired after excessive sleep – 12hrs + per day)

• Prolonged sadness for the majority of the day for at least 2 weeks.

• Dramatic change in weight (either loss or gain)

• Change in appetite – either loss or increase• Inappropriate guilt or self-blame• Agitated for retarded psychological/ physical

activity

Application of Biopsychosocial framework to understanding a Mood disorder: Depression

1: Biological triggers• Genes – more likely to develop

depression if a/ both parents suffered from mood disorder

• Low levels of Serotonin• Which is a neurotransmitter that

has an inhibitory (calming effect) on Central.N.S

• Serotonin deficiencies – linked to – anorexia, bulimia, social anxiety & mood disorders, OCD, Schizophrenia, sleep disorders

• Low levels of Noradrenalin aka norepinephrine also linked to symptoms of depression

SSRI’s: (Selective Serotonin re-uptake inhibitors)• Typically mimic the effect of

serotonin• Which after 2-6 weeks start to

take effect• Short-term side effects:

anxiety, insomnia, weight gain• SSRI’s block the reabsorption

of serotonin at the pre-synaptic neuron, thus increasing serotonin activity at post-synaptic neuron