Working with Anxiety and Depression (1 day)

Anxiety and Depression can be highly debilitating; causing great distress to the person and to those around them. A ‘pull yourself together’ attitude can be most unhelpful and indeed increase the person’s despair, fragility and risk.

This course aims to provide an overview of the conditions, why people experience them and what strategies tend to be helpful in supporting them; both from medical and social perspectives.

Learning objectives:

By the end of the course learners should understand:

• DSM definitions of Depression and Anxiety
• The relationship between the two
• Who is vulnerable: Issues of Culture, Gender, Age, Ethnicity, Sexuality
• The different types of Depression:
• Reactive Depression:
        -Signs & Symptoms
        -Causation
        -The Medical model & treatment
        -A Social Care response
• Endogenous Depression
        -Signs & Symptoms
        -Causation
        -The Medical model & treatment
        -A Social Care response
• Bi-polar Disorder
        -Signs & Symptoms
        -Causation
        -The Medical model & treatment
        -A Social Care response
• What it might be like for the person who experiences Depression
• How this may impact on their ability to manage their lives
• The risk of suicide*
• What support/care workers can do to support someone experiencing Depression: To include:
        -Supporting continuing involvement
        -Supporting maintenance of skills and interest
        -Supporting the person’s dignity
        -Protection
        -Risk Assessment and Management
        -Preventing collusive responses to the service user’s condition
        -Knowing our limitations
        -Promoting Motivation
• DSM definitions of Anxiety Related Disorders:
        -Anxiety
        -Phobia
        -Panic
        -Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• What “causes” Anxiety Disorders:
        -The Medical model
        -A Psychodynamic model
        -The Social model
• What can be done to “treat” Anxiety? To include:
        -Counselling, Therapies, Analysis
        -Medication
        -Cognitive Behavioural Treatment
        -Social approaches etc.
• What the support/care worker can do to support someone with an Anxiety Disorder:
        -The limitation of the role
        -Where it would be useful to offer support compatible with the role
        -Knowing where to get support/advice/consultancy e.g. Nurse Therapist, Psychologist etc.

* Please note that due to time constraints and the very full course programme, the important issue of suicide will not be explored with any depth. It is strongly recommended that participants attending this course also attend a specific Suicide course.

Learning methods:

• Tutor presentation
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Handouts
• Discussion
• Word shower method
• Pairs work
• Small groups
• Chalk & talk

CP39/4.9