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In Reviewing Your Patient Paula Flynn's History of Depressive Symptoms

question 8

Multiple Choice

In reviewing your patient Paula Flynn's history of depressive symptoms, she describes an initial episode of depression at age 16 after her father unexpectedly died of a heart attack. This episode was characterized by depressed mood, anhedonia, feelings of guilt, difficulty sleeping, and lack of energy. Although she withdrew from friends and family, she continued to work part time and her school performance did not suffer. She was not diagnosed with depression at this time and the episode resolved without treatment "probably in about 4 months."
Paula experienced another episode of depression at age 24 when she was in her second semester of graduate school. Her symptoms were similar to those of the first episode, with the addition of impaired concentration and frequent thoughts that she would be better off dead. Her problems with concentration and memory and anxiety around other people were severe enough that she took a leave of absence from school. After being depressed for several months, she began seeing a therapist at the insistence of her mother and "I got back to myself, but it took about a year."
Paula is currently 27 years old and "the depression is the worst it's ever been." There was no obvious precipitant ("It just came over me like a black cloud") . She has taken a leave from her job because "I just can't get out of bed in the morning." She has not been able to successfully utilize coping skills learned in previous treatment. She thinks frequently about suicide and tells you that she has thought about jumping from a 10-story building.
-When documenting Paula's mental status, which of these choices is the best description of her mood?

Definitions:

Credit Availability

The ease with which individuals and businesses can obtain loans and other forms of credit from financial institutions.

Liquid Assets

Assets that can be quickly converted into cash with little impact on their value.

Consumption Rate

The proportion of income or resources that is spent on consumption rather than saving.

Savings Rate

The proportion of disposable income that is saved rather than spent on consumption, typically expressed as a percentage.