DHA Mental Health & Psychiatry Flashcards

Which of the following BEST describes the 'positive symptoms' of schizophrenia?

Answer: Hallucinations, delusions, and disorganised thinking

Positive symptoms represent excesses added to normal behaviour, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganised speech or thought.

According to DSM-5, a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) requires symptoms to be present for at least:

Answer: 2 weeks

DSM-5 requires at least five depressive symptoms, including depressed mood or anhedonia, persisting for a minimum of 2 consecutive weeks.

A patient presents with CNS and respiratory depression after benzodiazepine overdose. The correct antidote is:

Answer: Flumazenil

Flumazenil is a competitive benzodiazepine antagonist that reverses CNS and respiratory depression caused by benzodiazepine overdose.

A patient states, 'I feel like nobody cares about me.' Which therapeutic communication response is MOST appropriate?

Answer: 'Tell me more about that feeling.'

Open-ended encouragement demonstrates empathy and invites elaboration without dismissing or redirecting the patient's experience.

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is primarily used to:

Answer: Screen for cognitive impairment and track dementia progression

The MMSE is a 30-point validated tool that screens for cognitive impairment across domains including orientation, memory, attention, and language.

Which medication class is considered first-line pharmacological treatment for generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)?

Answer: SSRIs/SNRIs

SSRIs and SNRIs are first-line treatments for GAD due to their proven efficacy and favourable long-term safety profile.