Depression can be punishing for both health and mind that is why nursing diagnosis for depression becomes vitally important. It is the most common observed and heard symptom and medical condition experienced in today’s lifestyle. This is a type mental condition, where mind always remains in state of helplessness and anxiety and is always shrouded in clouds of self doubt and restlessness. There is no specific reason why and how this disorder grips the person but surely this is a most dangerous type of mental framework that requires proper treatment and patient approach. Some of the vital signs that can be seen and observed in the people who are going through depression are as listed below:
Signs that when observed must be prevented or cured:
• People start cutting themselves from their regular groups and family members.
• They start experiencing long and prolonged sessions of sadness and anxiety.
• Eating disorders develop in a person, they either starts eating too much or stops eating at all.
• The concentration power of the person diminishes, they are not able to focus properly and are not attentive in their daily routinely activities.
• The most fatal effect of this symptom is that person starts encouraging suicidal thoughts.
• Headaches, frequent anger burnouts are common observant in the behavior of the person who is depression.
Depression is a state of mind where through proper consultation and medication all the negative and restless thoughts can be silenced and controlled. In proper nursing diagnosis for depression; patient has to be cured and treated with patience and empathy. The mental condition in depression is divided into different stages, with first stage being least dangerous while the fifth one the most. People in fifth stage are the ones who commit suicide or try to harm themselves in one way or the other. The feeling for forlornness and hopelessness are the ones that push a person in this direction and overall efforts from everyone from family to friends to the doctors must be applied to make sure that person doesn’t succumb into this medical condition deeply.
Things that must be done to come out of this condition:
• Experts guidance is imperative, these are the people who are well trained to tackle this condition; they have an empathetic way in which they listen and talk to the patient that gives them new hope and courage to face the situation.
• Person, who is in this frame of mind, must never be left alone; they must always be accompanied with someone and natural affection towards them must be displayed and shown.
• People must not encourage any negative talk or situation in front of a person who is in depression; this will further break down their confidence.
• Talking most of the times sway away all the negative emotions, so a positive word of encouragement must always be spoken or embraced to give person a positive outlook to think.
The most important thing to keep in mind while nursing diagnosis for depression; is the person must not be considered sick and this condition must not be seen as kind of disease. In fast growing competitive environment, people tend to feel alone, neglected and ignored and all these factors and negative thoughts can result and prosper a frame of mind that can bring down the confidence of the person and make them feel like the victims of situation.
Target population:
Adult patients admitted to the psychiatric unit with a diagnosis of depression.
1. CLINICAL SITUATION
Process description.
Depression is an illness framed within mood disorders, affective or mood. The concept is a basic mood alteration, usually recurrent excess (mania) or down (depression). Basic mood means that state of mind which, in normal ranges within acceptable limits and controllable by the subject. The affectivity, a sense or feel as if balance exceeds these limits, in most cases, passes become evident or objectified in the form of various mental disorders.
Epidemiology.
Mood disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders and disabling. Up to 15% of the population are in some point in their life depressive disorder, about 3% dysthymia, and 1% or cyclothymic bipolar disorders. Pathology depression occurs at twice in women than in men, but not in bipolar disorders is parallel. Depression is prevalent among the 4th and 5th decade of life. Depression is involved in two thirds of suicides committed by elderly whose rate is the highest of any age group.
Etiology:
The data that is currently suggest, is involved a combination of physical, psychological and environmental.
Biological factors:
– Genetic.
– Somatic (biochemical, metabolic).
– Psychosocial Factors:
– Dependent personality.
– Life events triggers.
– Psychological stress.
– Lack of social support.
– Chronic frustration, exhaustion, loss of values, marginality, job failure.
2. CLINICAL: SIGNS, SYMPTOMS AND DETERMINING PROCESS
Depression is a disease of the “whole body” involving emotional, physical, intellectual and social.
Depression can be mild, moderate or severe. Severe depression that persists longer than two weeks is called depressive episode, greater number of depressive episodes previously exist for more than two years. Dysthymic disorder is depression moderate daily that persists for more than 2 years.
Behaviors associated in depression:
Emotional:
– Anxiety
– Apathy
– Abatement
– Guilt and Discouragement
– solitude
– Low self-esteem
– Sadness
– Feeling of lack of self-worth
Physical:
– Anorexia. Weight changes
– Constipation. Indigestion. Nausea
– Fatigue
– Sleep Disorders. Insomnia
Cognitive:
– Inability to concentrate
– Loss of interest and motivation
– Pessimism
– self Contempt
– self-defeating thoughts
– Uncertainty
Behavioral:
– self-aggressiveness. Agitation. Irritability.
– Altered level of activity
– Excessive dependence
– Poor personal hygiene
– Emotional liability
3. COMPLICATIONS: Signs and symptoms
Complications:
– Aspiration pneumonia
– Intestinal obstruction
4. Nursing assessment
Need Breathing. Patient no alterations in this need.
Need Food – Hydration. Anorexia is characteristic of depressive episodes may be accompanied by loss weight.
Need Elimination. Autonomic system is altered frequently, bowel habits. This coupled with the medication side effects we can find a BM altered by decreased peristalsis.
Need Activity – Mobility – Rest. Dependence for self-care due to lack of motivation in grade II (food, hygiene, toilet use, grooming). The patient feels lethargic and unwilling to perform activities of daily living. Dream altered: insomnia, circadian rhythm changes and rarely hypersomnia.
Need Perception – Cognition – Development. Distorted perception of himself and events.
Need Emotional State. Inappropriate affect: overreaction to the stimulus. Anxiety
Need Relationship. Inability to express feelings. Self-destructive attitude. Rejection communication (isolation) Alterations in sexuality.
Need Security. Homing violence can file. The physical discomfort tolerance decreases, so trivial annoyances are expressed by the patient as unbearable.
Health Care Needs. Attitude to the disease can be passive and lack of motivation can lead to a dropout. Lack of motivation to maintain health.
Proper medical procedures must be followed in such situations, only the medicines that are prescribed by the doctors must be followed and no lapses in the appointment with the doctors must be allowed. Feeling of sadness is the worst feeling for any person therefore they must treated with care and attention to encourage effective nursing diagnosis for depression.