ICF Write-Up based on Diagnosis

Eastern Washington University

Alexia M. Bernardy
March 2019
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Diagnosis: Major Depression

Major depression is a common, clinical disorder that results in an impairment to carry out

specific tasks and life’s activities. Depression can be classified as a mental illness that has

multiple symptoms. Five or more of the symptoms must be present and represent a change in

mood or functioning. Those that are present for more than two weeks and reoccurring, would be

considered as major depression. “An estimated 16.2 million adults in the United States had at

least one major depressive episode. This number represented 6.7% of all U.S. adults. (National

Institute of Mental Health, 2019).

Symptoms that are associated with major depression may include feeling depressed for

the majority of the day or nearly every day. Feelings of being sad and hopeless are very common

with depression and can result in a change of mood and carrying out day-to-day tasks. Those

who do not understand depression, may not know the difference between sadness and being

depressed. “The difference doesn’t lie in the extent to which a person feels down, but rather in a

combination of factors relating to the duration of these negative feelings, other symptoms, bodily

impact, and the effect upon the individual’s ability to function in daily life. (Shelton, 2019)”

Depression can also result in extreme negative thoughts and feelings that can cause someone to

think suicidal thoughts and emotions. Those who are feeling emotions of sadness will not think

about wanting to end their life.

Depression can happen to many people and can not always be prevented. Depression can

be triggered by loss of a loved one through death, separation or divorce. Social isolation or being

deprived of emotion can not only trigger depression, but many other disorders as well. Major life

changes such as, college, graduation, retirement, etc., can prompt a depressive episode. Abuse in

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forms of physical and emotional can also give someone major depressive episodes at anytime in

their lives.

Depression can affect your energy, and a lack of motivation can make it hard to handle

life’s responsibilities and tasks. A lack of motivation can change your general mood and things

you may have once enjoyed and found interesting are no longer fun for you anymore. Recreation

and leisure activities can be therapeutic for helping people feel a sense of excitement to do

something, although when depression kicks in, it can be hard to remember what is important to

do and what you like doing.

Fatigue and a loss of appetite can also be symptoms of depression. Excessive weight gain

from over eating or loss of weight while not attempting to diet are also signs that someone is in a

depressive state. Both over eating or not eating at all can give someone chronic abdominal pain.

Fatigue, or slow moving, every day or nearly every day can be an indicator of a depressive

symptom. Those who experience hypersomnia, from oversleeping or insomnia from not sleeping

is also a part of major depression. Oversleeping and not sleeping enough can cause more health

problems for someone

Women are twice as likely to develop a major depressive episode than men, but that is

not to say that men do not experience depression as well. Many times, major depression can be

influenced more by biological factors in women. “Other factors that boost the risk of clinical

depression in women who are biologically vulnerable to it include increased stress at home or at

work, balancing family life with career, and caring for an aging parent. Raising a child alone will

also increase the risk. (WebMD, 2019)” As a result, major depression can happen to someone for

a number of reasons, and not all of them are completely caused by an outside force.

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Body Functions

Code name – b1301 Motivation

Motivation is a mental function that generates the incentive to want to carry out a specific

task. Motivation comes from having energy, which is a driving force for the majority of

completing our daily activities.

Discussion of Relevancy to Diagnosis

Motivation is relevant to the diagnosis because it pertains to a symptom of major

depression. Having a lack of energy includes a decrease in motivation and can be debilitating

when you don’t have an unconscious or subconscious drive to complete your daily

responsibilities.

Code name – b640 Sexual Functions

“Sexual functions are the mental and physical functions related to the sexual act

(Recreation Therapy and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health,

2016)”. It includes the arousal, preparatory, orgasmic and resolution stages of sex.

Discussion of Relevancy to Diagnosis

Major depression can result in a low sex drive or loss of sex drive all together. Certain

medications that can be prescribed to help treat clinical depression can also lower your libido and

decrease the sexual arousal phase.

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Code name – b1302 Appetite

Appetite coincides with the feeling or loss of hunger and/or thirst.

Discussion of Relevancy to Diagnosis

Appetite pertains to this diagnosis because one of the symptoms of major depression is

your appetite. Loss of appetite is common and can result in weight loss, while an increase in

appetite is also common and can result in overeating and weight gain.

Activities and Participation

Code name – d520 Caring for Body Parts

Caring for body parts is the broad idea that one should be able to physically care to wash

their hair and skin, teeth and fingernails.

Discussion of Relevancy to Diagnosis

In a low mood swing, one might feel a sense of hopelessness and be confined to their

home or bed. Social isolation can be a common occurrence with major depression, during this

time one might lose the feeling to need to care for themselves.

Code name – d710 Basic Interpersonal Interactions

Basic interpersonal interactions have to do with interacting with people on a social and

contextual level, while showing appropriate interest and emotion with what others have to say.

Discussion of Relevancy to Diagnosis

Those who are diagnosed with major depression may go through periods of social

isolation, loss of interest, and lack of concentration. Social isolation will affect wanting to

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interacting with others, and a loss of interest and lack of concentration can affect how they

communicate with others.

Code name – d2303 Managing One’s Own Activity Level

This code has to do with maintain the focus and drive to stay active and complete day-to-

day activities.

Discussion of Relevancy to Diagnosis

Much like the body function code for motivation, managing the activity level for oneself

can be debilitating when you are diagnosed with major depression. You may not have the

motivation to pull yourself to do what you are supposed to do for the day. A lack of motivation

can cause you to be confined to where you feel comfortable and not feel the need to do anything.

Environmental Factors

Code name – e420 Individual Attitudes of Friends

This code is described as, “general or specific opinions and beliefs of friends about the

person or about the matters that influence individual behaviors and actions ((Recreation Therapy

and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, 2016)”.

Discussion of Relevancy to Diagnosis

The attitudes of friends about your diagnosis can greatly affect how your recovery pans

out. If your friends are treating you differently, tip-toeing around you and certain conversations,

or being insensitive to your diagnosis, it can have a negative impact on you and your mental

health. When people come out about their clinical depression to friends and family, the common

feedback they receive is, “can’t you just try to be happy?” or “have you tried exercising?” These

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comments are unhelpful and can make your depression symptoms seem like an imagined

emotion, rather than a clinical disorder.

Code name – e399 Support and Relationships, Unspecified

Support and relationships are pertinent to those who are diagnosed with major

depression. Support coming from a family member, friend, therapist, or anyone who can offer

their support through a relationship, have to do with this code.

Discussion of Relevancy to Diagnosis

Support through relationships can be a facilitator to those who have major depression.

Negative attitudes and unsupportive relationships act as a barrier to having this disorder. A good

support system can be beneficial because it allows the person to know they are not alone and

shouldn’t feel hopeless. Having people to help you work through your symptoms can make sure

you aren’t feeling so low to act on any suicidal thoughts.

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References

Major Depression. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2019, from

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.shtml

Major Depression (Clinical Depression) Symptoms, Treatments, and More. (n.d.). Retrieved March

18, 2019, from https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/major-depression#1

Porter, H. R. (2016). Recreational therapy and the international classification of functioning,

disability, and health. Idyll Arbor.

Shelton, J. (n.d.). Depression Definition and DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria. Retrieved March 18, 2019,

from https://www.psycom.net/depression-definition-dsm-5-diagnostic-criteria/