Depression, Phobias and OCD

DSM

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, used to classify mental health disorders based on defined diagnostic criteria.

Mood Disorders

They are characterised by strong emotions influencing normal functioning, affecting perceptions, thinking, and behaviour.

Major Depression

A type of mood disorder involving episodes of extreme sadness, hopelessness, and despair, with symptoms lasting at least two weeks. Unipolar disorder

Manic Depression

The change in mood often in regular cycles of days or weeks. Episodes of mania involve overactivity, rapid speech and feeling extremely happy or agitated. Bipolar disorder

Physical and behavioural symptoms of depression

• Sleep disturbances- insomnia (being unable to sleep) or hypersomnia (sleeping a lot more than usual)

• Change in appetite- people may eat more or less than usual, and gain or lose weight

• Pain- especially headaches, joint aches and muscle aches

• Lack of activity- social withdrawal and loss of sex drive

Cognitive symptoms of depression

• Experiencing persistent negative thoughts about themselves and their abilities

• Suicidal thoughts

• Slower thought processes- difficulty concentrating and making decisions

Affective/emotional symptoms

• Extreme feelings of sadness, hopelessness and despair

• Diurnal mood variation- changes in mood throughout the day, e.g. feeling worse in the morning

• Anhedonia- No longer enjoying activities or hobbies that used to be pleasurable

Phobia

An extreme, irrational fear of a specific object or situation, classified into types like specific phobias, agoraphobia, and social anxiety disorder.

What are the specific phobias?

1. Animal type (zoophobia, e.g. fear of spiders)

2. Environmental dangers type (e.g. fear of water)

3. Blood-injection-injury type (e.g. fear of needles)

4. Situational type (e.g. fear of enclosed spaces or height)

5. ‘Other’ (any phobia which isn’t covered in the categories above)

What is agoraphobia?

1. This is a fear of open spaces, using public transport, being in an enclosed space, waiting in line or being in a crowd, or not being at home

2. It’s specifically linked to the fear of not being able to escape or find help if an embarrassing situation arises

3. It often involves the sufferer avoiding the situation to avoid distress

4. It may develop as a result of other phobias because the sufferer is afraid that they’ll come across the source of their fear if they leave the house

What is social anxiety disorder?

This is the fear of being in social situations (e.g. eating in public or talking in front of a group of people). It’s usually down to the possibility of being judged or being embarrassed

What are cognitive symptoms of phobias?

• Irrational beliefs about the stimulus that causes fear

• People often find it hard to concentrate because they’re preoccupied by anxious thoughts

What are behavioural symptoms of phobias

• Avoiding social situations because they cause anxiety. This happens especially if someone has social anxiety disorder (social phobia) or agoraphobia

• Altering behaviour to avoid the feared object or situation, and trying to escape if it’s encountered. People are often generally restless and easily startled

What are physical symptoms of phobias

Activation of the fight or flight response when the feared object or situation is encountered or thought about. This involves the release of adrenaline, increased heart rate and breathing, and muscle tension

What are emotional symptoms of phobias

Anxiety and a feeling of dread

What are the diagnostic criteria for phobias

1. There’s a significant prolonged fear of an object or situation which lasts more than 6 months

2. People experience an anxiety response (e.g. increased heart rate) if they’re exposed to a phobic stimulus

3. Phobias are out of proportion to any actual danger

4. Sufferers go out of their way to avoid the phobic stimulus

5. The phobia disrupts their lives, e.g. they avoid social situations

Obsessions

Intrusive and persistent thoughts, images, or impulses causing distress and anxiety, a cognitive aspect of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Compulsions

Repetitive physical or mental actions aimed at reducing anxiety caused by obsessions, an external aspect of OCD.

OCD Diagnostic Criteria

Includes repetitive behaviors or mental acts related to obsessions, aimed at reducing anxiety, interfering significantly with daily life if lasting at least one hour daily.

OCD Behaviors

Common types include checking, contamination fears, hoarding, and symmetry/orderliness obsessions.