Signs and Symptoms of Psychiatric Disorders

1. LECTURE NO. 6 Signs and Symptoms of Psychiatric Disorders

2. Learning Objectives • Describe the symptoms of common psychiatric disorders • Elicit and discuss various signs of psychiatric disorders

3. Introduction • Symptoms are the complaints with which a patient presents to the clinician. • Signs are the ones which the clinician obtains on examination of the patient. • In psychiatry, the boundary between symptoms and signs is not that distinct because when explored further, a symptom can become a sign.

4. Common Psychiatric Disorders • Anxiety • Depression • Mania • Schizophrenia

5. Anxiety • One of the most commonly experienced emotions and disorders • Often experienced as excessive worrying about almost everything, tension and fear of the unknown

6. Anxiety (cont.) • Various disorders categorized under anxiety disorders include: • Generalized anxiety disorder • Panic disorder • Obsessive–compulsive disorder • Phobias • Post-traumatic stress disorder

7. Common Symptoms of Anxiety • Feelings of fear or dread • Increased heart rate • Palpitations • Sweating • Cold and clammy hands and feet • Dryness of mouth and throat

8. Common Symptoms of Anxiety (cont.) • Difficulty in talking and breathing • Light headedness or giddiness • Tremors of hands • Restlessness

9. Depression • Major depressive disorder is most closely associated with persistent sadness. • The most prominent symptom is depressed mood which is clearly different from sadness due to day-to-day events.

10. Persistent sadness Poor concentration Feelings of worthlessness Easy crying Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness Suicidal ideas Common Symptoms of Depression

11. Common Symptoms of Depression (cont.) • Poor appetite and sleep • Lack of energy • Decreased socialization • Easy irritability • Inability to experience pleasure • Decreased interest in work and surroundings

12. Mania • Characterized by the sustained elevation of mood, i.e. marked happiness or at times irritability

13. Common Symptoms of Mania • Persistent and undue happiness(at times marked irritability) • Increased self-esteem • Over-activity • Increased and rapid speech • Making big plans

14. Common Symptoms of Mania (cont.) • Spending money unnecessarily • Poor self-control • Increased socialization • Decreased need for sleep

15. Schizophrenia • Considered as one of the major psychiatric disorders • Characterized by the presence of psychotic symptoms, which include: • Disturbances of thought process (delusions, derailment, illogicality) • Disturbances of perception (sensory hallucinations)

16. Common Symptoms of Schizophrenia • Inappropriate affect • Talking to self • Neglect of personal hygiene and work • Hearing voices • Suspiciousness • Decreased socialization

17. Common Symptoms of Schizophrenia (cont.) • Unusual and illogical thoughts • Aggressive behaviour • Lack of interest in surroundings and activities

18. Common Signs of Psychiatric Disorders • Categorized into four types: • Disorders of motor activity (conation) • Disorders of emotion • Disorders of thought process • Disorders of perception

19. 1. Disorders of Motor Activity (Conation) • Commonly seen motor disorders include: • Hyperactivity • Mannerisms • Stereotypies • Tics • Psychomotor agitation

20. 1. Disorders of Motor Activity (Conation) (cont.) • Psychomotor retardation • Catatonic symptoms, i.e. stupor, muteness, posturing, waxy flexibility, echopraxia, echolalia, ambitendency and negativism

21. 2. Disorders of Emotion • Two types: • Disorders of mood: euthymic, dysphoric, irritable, euphoric, expansive, elated, exaltation, ecstasy, depression, anxiety and apathy • Disorders of affect: inappropriate, labile, emotional incontinence, blunted and flat

22. 3. Disorders of Thought Process • Various disorders of thought process can be categorized under: • Disorders of form • Disorders of stream • Disorders of content • Disorders of possession

23. 4. Disorders of Perception • Include illusions and hallucinations • Illusions: false sensory distortion of a real sensory stimulus. • Hallucinations: false sensory perception without adequate stimulus. • Depending upon the sensory organ involved, hallucinations can be auditory, visual, tactile, gustatory or olfactory.