Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It's more than just a feeling of being "down in the dumps" or "blue" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 20 million people in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life. Symptoms can include
- Sadness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
- Change in weight
- Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
- Energy loss
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Depression can run in families, and usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30. It is much more common in women. Women can also get postpartum depression after the birth of a baby. Some people get seasonal affective disorder in the winter. Depression is one part of bipolar disorder.
There are effective treatments for depression, including antidepressants and talk therapy. Most people do best by using both.
NIH: National Institute of Mental Health
Source : nlm.nih.gov
Nursing Care Plan for Depression
Nursing Assessment
Depression
a. Subjective Data:
Not able to express opinions and lazy speech. Often expressed somatic complaints. Feeling themselves are not useful anymore, feel insignificant, there is no purpose in life, feeling desperate and likely to commit suicide.
b. Objective data:
Body movements that are blocked, the body is curved and when sitting in an attitude of slump, depressed facial expression, a slow gait with dragging step. Sometimes it can happen stupor. Patients appear lazy, tired, no appetite, difficulty sleeping and often cry. Thought process too late, as if the mind is empty, disturbed concentration, has no interest, can not think, do not have the imagination depressive psychosis patients have deep feelings of guilt, no sense (irrational), delusions of sin, depersonalization, and hallucinations. Sometimes patients prefer hostile, irritable and does not like to be disturbed.
Maladaptive Coping
a. Subjective Data: states hopeless and helpless, unhappy, hopeless.
b. Objective Data: looks sad, irritable, restless, unable to control impulses.
Read More :
NANDA Depression
Depression Nursing Diagnosis and Nursing Interventions
