Nursing Depression Care Plan

Depression is a severe mental illness which is characterized by feelings of sadness and emptiness, loss of interest and energy, changes in appetite or weight, sleep changes, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, reduced self-esteem and thoughts of suicide. Depression can affect your ability to work and enjoy life. Depression is treatable.

Nursing Diagnosis for Depression

Nursing Diagnosis for Depression

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by low mood, a feeling of sadness and loss of interest or pleasure in activities that you used to enjoy. Depression can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, environmental stressors and medical conditions. It’s important to take depression seriously because it can affect your ability to work, sleep and enjoy life.

Nursing diagnosis for depression goals

Goals for nursing care of depression include:

• Improving the patient’s quality of life.
• Improving the patient’s ability to function.
• Improving the patient’s ability to cope.
• Improving the patient’s ability to relate to others.
• Improving the patient’s ability to relate to self.

Causes of depression

Causes of depression

Depression can be caused by a combination of factors, including:

• Lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation is a common cause of depression and fatigue. The National Institute of Mental Health says that people with insomnia have twice the risk for developing clinical depression, compared to those who get adequate sleep. People with insomnia are also more likely to develop other psychiatric disorders such as anxiety or substance abuse disorders.
• Stressful events. Stressful events in life can lead to depression, but everyone handles stress differently — what causes one person to become depressed may not affect another person at all, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Some people become sad when they’re stressed out; others might feel anxious or angry instead; and some people react with both emotions at once. But even though stress alone doesn’t necessarily mean that someone has depression, it’s still an important factor in how we think and feel about ourselves — so if you’re feeling depressed after something stressful happens in your life (like losing your job), talk about it with your doctor or therapist right away! You may need treatment beyond just seeing him/her occasionally now too (like antidepressants).

Risk factors of depression

• Family history of depression
• Genetic factors
• Major life changes and stressors (e.g., death or illness of a loved one, loss of a job)
• Chronic medical conditions (e.g., HIV)
• Substance abuse (alcohol or drugs)
• Trauma (physical, psychological, sexual abuse)
• Lack of social support

Symptoms of depression

• Feelings of sadness, emptiness and/or hopelessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyed
• Problems concentrating, remembering details or making decisions
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
• Sleep disturbances (insomnia), including increased sleep during the day and oversleeping at night (hypersomnia)
• Appetite changes such as loss of appetite or binge eating

Assessment and diagnosis of depression

• History of present illness (HPI)
• Mental status examination (MSE)
• Laboratory tests
• Physical examination

Management of depression

The management of depression includes a collaborative approach between patient and provider. The provider will take into consideration the patient’s individual needs and preferences, as well as their current mental state.

Mood disorders are often treated with medication and psychotherapy. Medications may include antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or other mood stabilizers such as lithium carbonate (Eskalith®). These drugs aim to elevate brain chemicals that regulate mood; however, they do not cure depression but rather treat the symptoms.

Psychotherapy may involve one-on-one sessions or group therapy sessions led by a licensed therapist. It can take place in person or over the phone; some patients prefer talking face-to-face while others prefer speaking via video chat software like Skype™ because it makes them feel more comfortable discussing personal issues with distant “doctors” who are actually psychologists or therapists trained in helping people deal with depression on an emotional level—not just through prescription drugs!

The two most common types of psychotherapy used to treat depression include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT). CBT focuses on changing negative thought patterns that contribute to feelings of sadness while IPT addresses relationships between family members through communication exercises geared toward improving interactions among loved ones who may be struggling due to interpersonal conflicts caused by differences in personalities–such as being overly critical versus being too passive during disagreements!

Depression is a severe mental illness which should be treated.

Depression is a severe mental illness that can lead to suicide. It is not a normal part of life, and should be treated. Depression affects all aspects of the person’s life, including daily functioning, social interactions and personal relationships.

Depression symptoms include:

• feelings of sadness or worthlessness
• loss of interest in once pleasurable activities
• changes in appetite (weight gain or loss)
• difficulty concentrating on tasks

Depression is a severe mental illness which should be treated.