Explain psychotic depression and combination treatment — CASC communication station

Station brief

Format. Communication station, approximately 7–10 minutes active time after reading. You are the psychiatry registrar on the inpatient unit preparing discharge education. ^[3]

Candidate instructions. Explain what psychotic depression means, why both an antidepressant and an antipsychotic are used, what monitoring is needed, why the antipsychotic may continue for a period after mood improves, how this differs from schizophrenia, safety-net suicide risk, and when ECT is considered. Check understanding. The examiner plays the patient; a second role may play the partner. ^[3]