This is Lesson 1 of 5 in our Mental Health in Spanish series.
In this free Medical Spanish lesson you will learn how to talk about depression with your patients in Spanish: Cómo hablar sobre la depresión en español con tus pacientes.
In this lesson we’re looking at:
- The SIG E CAPS acronym to assess mood in Spanish
- The PHQ-9 instrument (in Spanish) for depression screening
- Vocabulary and questions to describe mood in Spanish
- Titles of various mental health providers in Spanish
- Describing types of therapies in Spanish
- Describing antidepressants in Spanish
Here is the Discussing Depression in Spanish lesson that I taught on YouTube and to our Facebook group:
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Emociones: ¿Cómo se siente? – Emotions: How do you feel?
Let’s start with a basic vocabulary about emotions in Spanish. We have a handful of emotions here, but none of them are positive since we are focusing on the other end of the spectrum.
Spanish | English |
Aburrido/a | Bored |
Agitado/a | Agitated |
Agotado/a | Drained |
Ansioso/a | Anxious |
Así, así | So, so |
Cansado/a | Tired |
Confundido/a | Confused |
Decaído/a | Physically and emotionally low |
Deprimido/a | Depressed |
Desesperado/a | Hopeless |
Entumecido/a | Numb |
Enfermo/a | Sick, ill |
Enojado/a | Angry |
Frustrado/a | Frustrated |
Igual | The same |
Inquieto/a | Restless |
Inseguro/a | Unsafe |
Insensibilizado/a | Metaphorically numb |
(muy) Mal | (very) Bad, not well, ill |
Más o menos | More or less |
Nervioso/a | Nervous |
Peor | Worst |
Preocupado/a | Worried |
Regular | Just ok |
Solitario/a | Lonely, alone |
Triste | Sad |
PHQ-9 Question: ¿Se ha sentido decaído(a), deprimido(a), o sin esperanzas?
Have you felt physically and emotionally low, depressed and hopeless?
Vocabulario Útil… – Useful Vocabulary
In this section, we are going to learn how to use other verbs to ask about feelings.
Verbos útiles con emociones:
- Estar: (To be)
- ¿Está… ? – Are you…?
- ¿Ha estado…? – Have you been…?
- Sentirse (e-ie): (To feel)
- ¿Se siente… ? – Do you feel…?
- ¿Se ha sentido… ? – Have you felt…?
- Tener (e-ie): (To have)
- ¿Tiene… ? – Do you have…?
- ¿Ha tenido…? – Have you had…?
Duración/Frecuencia de tiempo:
- Casi todos los días / Almost every day
- Con frecuencia / Frequently
- De vez en cuando / From time to time
- En los últimos meses / In the recent months
- En las últimas semanas / In the last or recent weeks
- Más de la mitad de los días / More than half of the days
- Nunca / Never
- Recientemente / Recently
- Todo el día / All day long
Ejemplos de uso:
- ¿Se ha sentido culpable las últimas semanas? / Have you felt guilty in the recent weeks?
- ¿Se siente triste más de la mitad de los días? / Do you feel sad more than half of the days?
Acrónimo SIG E CAPS
This acronym is useful to talk through and figure out where someone’s at emotionally.
- S: Sleep – Sueño
- I: Interest – Interés
- G: Guilt – Culpa
- E: Energy – Energía
- C: Concentration – Concentración
- A: Appetite – Apetito
- P: Psychomotor – Psicomotor
- S: Suicide – Suicidio
Sleep – Sueño
Unas preguntas comunes sobre el sueño:
- ¿Ha tenido dificultad para dormir? – Have you had difficulty sleeping?
- ¿Ha tenido dificultad para dormirse? – Have you had difficulty falling asleep?
- ¿Duerme bien? – Do you sleep well?
- ¿Cuántas horas duerme por noche? – How many hours at night do you sleep?
- ¿Es más o menos de lo normal? – Is that more or less than normal?
- ¿Se despierta en la noche? – Do you wake up at night?
- ¿Por qué piensa que no duerme bien? – Why do you think you are not sleeping well?
PHQ-9 Question: ¿Ha tenido dificultad para quedarse o permanecer dormido(a)? ¿O ha dormido demasiado?
Have you had trouble falling or staying asleep? Or have you slept too much?
Interest – Interés
Unas preguntas comunes sobre los intereses del paciente:
- ¿Qué cosas le gustan hacer? – What things do you enjoy doing?
- Ha cambiado su interés en actividades que antes disfrutaba? – Has your interest level changed in activities you previously enjoyed?
- ¿Ha perdido interés en algo? – Has you lost interest in anything?
- ¿Ha tenido menos interés en algo? – Have you had less interest in something?
- ¿Ha notado menos deseo sexual? /¿una bajada en la libido? – Have you noticed less sexual desire or a lower libido?
PHQ-9 Question: ¿Ha tenido poco interés o placer en hacer cosas?
Have you had little interest or pleasure in doing things?
You can get all the SIG E CAPS acronym questions and the PHQ-9 Test by downloading the lesson notes right away…
Unas realidades sobre la inmigración – Some realities about immigration
When we think about life events and life situations that contribute to developing depression, it’s a good idea to think about some realities about immigration because there is a possibility that a connection exists between them.
Es probable que un inmigrante experimenta/vive – It is likely that an immigrant experiences / lives:
- Inestabilidad en el trabajo – instability at work
- Múltiples trabajos – multiple jobs
- Inestabilidad del hogar – housing instability
- Separación de familiares – familial separation
- Traumas durante inmigración – Traumas during immigration
- Ingresos bajos – Lower income
- Dificultades sistémicas en buscar atención médica – Systemic difficulties in seeking medical attention
¿Ha pasado algún cambio grande en la vida recientemente? – Has there been a big change in life recently?
When you think about those life situations that might be contributing to depression, you might ask questions regarding the following topics:
- Muerte – Death
- Divorcio – Divorce
- Demasiadas responsabilidades – Too many responsibilities
- Mudarse – Moving
- Enfermedades graves – Serious illnesses
- Pérdida de empleo o problemas en el trabajo – Job loss or problems at work
- Problemas con finanzas – Financial issues
- Problemas con otros miembros de la familia – Issues with other family members
Now let’s talk about medication – Medicamentos
¿Alguna vez ha tomado un antidepresivo? – Have you ever tried taking an antidepressant?
- ¿Cómo le fue? – How did it go?
- ¿Le ayudó? – Did it help?
- ¿Se sintió mejor? – Did you feel better?
Los antidepresivos – Antidepressants
- Inhibidores selectivos de recaptación de serotonina – Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
- Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft
- Inhibidores selectivos de recaptación de serotonina y norepinefrina – Selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
- Effexor, Cymbalta
- Tricíclicos – Tricyclic
- Inhibidores de monoamino oxidasa – Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
Apuntes – Notes
When talking about medications, specially antidepressants, you might find yourself expressing some of these instructions:
- Es muy importante tomar los medicamentos como están indicados.
- It’s very important to take medications as directed.
- Cuando empieza un medicamento nuevo, es normal tardar hasta 3-4 semanas para sentir los efectos del medicamento.
- When you are starting a new medication, it is normal to take up to 3-4 weeks to feel the effects of the medication.
Psicoterapia y Profesionales – Psycotherapy & Professionals
- Asociado médico psiquiátrico – Psychiatric PA
- Consejero(a) certificado – Certified counselor
- Consejero pastoral – Pastoral counselor
- Enfermera de práctica avanzada psiquiátrica – Psychiatric MP
- Proveedor de salud mental – Mental Health provider
- Psicólogo(a) – Psychologist
- Psiquiatra – Psychiatrist
- Terapeuta familiar y de matrimonios Marriage and Family therapist
- Trabajador social – Social worker
Some questions about therapy:
¿Alguna vez ha intentado la terapia (consejería, asesorías) con un terapeuta certificado? – Have you ever tried therapy with a certified therapist?
- ¿Cómo le fue? – How did it go?
- ¿Le ayudó? – Did it help?
- ¿Se sintió mejor? – Did you feel better?
¿Le gustaría que le remitiera a un proveedor de salud mental certificado? – Would you like me to I refer you to a certified mental health provider?
Terapias para la depresión – Therapies for Depression
Hay dos tipos principales de psicoterapia: de corto plazo (10-20 semanas) o de largo plazo (más tiempo 🙂
1. Terapia cognitivo-conductual – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Hay una énfasis en enseñar nuevas maneras de pensar y comportarse.
- There is an emphasis on teaching new ways of thinking and behaving.
- Ayuda a las personas a cambiar sus pensamientos y comportamientos negativos por un estilo de pensar y portarse más positivo.
- It helps people change their negative thoughts and behaviors into a more positive way of thinking and behaving
2. Terapia interpersonal – Interpersonal Therapy
- Ayuda a las personas a entender y resolver relaciones personales que pueden causar o empeorar su depresión.
- It helps people understand and resolve personal relationships that either cause or worsen their depression.
More relevant vocabulary – Más vocabulario relevante
Spanish | English |
El autocuidado | Selfcare |
El ejercicio | Exercise |
El sueño | Sleep |
La aceptación | Aceptance |
La atención | Attention, Mindfulness |
La conexión familiar | Family connection |
La conexión social | Social connection |
La dopamina | Dopamine |
La higiene | Hygiene |
La nutrición | Nutrition |
La participación social | Social engagement |
La serotonina | Serotonin |
Las habilidades para enfrentar situaciones en la vida | Coping skills |
Los ejercicios para relajarse | Relaxation exercises |
Químicos en el cerebro | Chemicals in the brain |
Su tarea – Your Homework
- Talk through SIG E CAPS and/or the PHQ-9 with your conversation partner
- Ask the questions
- Use the vocabulary
- Talk about treatment options
Now it’s your turn! I packaged all of this vocabulary in Spanish into some flashcards for you to study.
I packaged all of this into easily downloadable .pdf notes–>Get your copy for free today!
Keep up the good work speaking responsible Spanish to your patients! Check out our other books, classes & products to help you learn medical Spanish!
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