Read story D04: Is she depressed? (image and text)
Is she depressed?
Leila becomes withdrawn and loses track of conversations over a few days. These changes need urgent medical assessment, even when tiredness or depression seems possible.
Delirium may make someone slow to respond, less interested in food or company, and unable to sustain attention. Staff need to assess the whole change. Tell them about recent medicines as well as the person’s usual abilities. In this example, the team reviews a new painkiller and checks for other causes.
Story text
Panel 1. Leila usually phones her son every evening. For three days she has not called.
Panel 2.
- Dariush: Mum, you haven't touched your tea. What's wrong?
- Leila: Nothing. I'm tired.
Panel 3. On the phone, the GP wonders if she is low after weeks of back pain.
Panel 4.
- Dariush: She seems muddled more than sad. She loses track halfway through a sentence.
Panel 5. An urgent face-to-face assessment follows.
- GP: Could you say the months backwards, starting at December?
- Leila: December… November… sorry, what was I doing?
Panel 6.
- GP: This looks like delirium. Did anything change recently?
- Dariush: She started a strong painkiller for her back last week.
Panel 7. The painkiller is changed, and other causes are checked.
Panel 8. A week later.
- Leila: Dariush, I'm making dolma on Sunday.
Bottom band. Suddenly withdrawn and slow? It may be delirium rather than depression.