Psychomotor

If you are depressed, your psychomotor function is often significantly reduced. This means that you think, speak and act more slowly than normally. It might be physical inhibitions such as

• reduced and sparse facial expression
• lack of smiles
• less eye contact with others
• slow and brief speech; hardly saying anything
• long pauses and periods of waiting when you speak
• moving hands and arms much less when you speak
• sitting motionless for a long time
• moving at a reduced tempo and without big movements

It might also be mental inhibitions, where you

• think more slowly
• have difficulties remembering and concentrating
• have difficulties making a decision
• don't take an interest in yourself or the people around you You might therefore risk becoming unfit for work

 

Psychomotor inhibitions are characteristic of depression. But they can also occur in connection with other illnesses such as Parkinson's disease and dementia.