RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2022
Mental Health Nursing
Medium
Common signs of depression are all, EXCEPT:
Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2022
Explanation
- Increased psychomotor activity, such as hyperactivity and restlessness, is a defining characteristic of a manic or hypomanic episode, not a typical depressive episode.
- While some depressed patients experience psychomotor agitation (e.g., pacing, hand-wringing), the more common finding is psychomotor retardation, which is a generalized slowing of physical and mental reactions.
- The other options—apathy, sadness, and hopelessness—are all core, classic symptoms required for a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option B: Apathy, or anhedonia (the loss of interest or pleasure), is a core diagnostic criterion for Major Depressive Disorder.
- Option C: A persistent sad or depressed mood is the primary clinical feature of a depressive episode.
- Option D: Hopelessness is a key cognitive symptom of depression, reflecting a negative view of the future.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Clinical manifestations of Major Depressive Disorder as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Accurate assessment of a patient's mood and behavior is a fundamental nursing skill. Differentiating between depression, mania, and other mood states is critical for patient safety and effective care planning.
- Feelings of hopelessness are a significant warning sign for suicide risk. Any patient expressing hopelessness must be carefully assessed for suicidal ideation, intent, and plan.
- What if? If a patient presents with a depressed mood but also has periods of increased energy, pressured speech, and a decreased need for sleep, the nurse should suspect a bipolar disorder rather than unipolar depression. This distinction is critical because antidepressants can trigger mania in patients with bipolar disorder.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the keywords in the question. The key terms are 'common signs of depression' and the negative lead-in 'EXCEPT'.
- This 'EXCEPT' format means you are looking for the option that is NOT a sign of depression.
- Review each option and evaluate if it is a known symptom of depression.
- Recall or look up the classic symptoms: Sadness (depressed mood), Apathy (anhedonia), and Hopelessness are core features.
- Analyze 'Increased psychomotor activity'. While agitation can occur, a general increase in activity is the opposite of the more common psychomotor retardation and is a hallmark of mania.
- Therefore, 'Increased psychomotor activity' is the correct answer because it is the exception.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Clinical manifestations of Major Depressive Disorder
- Stem keywords: depression, common signs
- Lead-in keywords: EXCEPT
- Negative lead-in flag: Question asks for the exception.
Question ID
QECKsx02JiLQrXXqS7hawj
Reference Book
E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) pp. 1214-1216, 1179-1181
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 5635-5637
Practise the full RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2022
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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