Explain stress hormones, inflammation, and prolactin side-effects to a patient and partner — CASC communication station

Station brief

Format. Communication station, approximately 7–10 minutes after reading. You are the psychiatry registrar in an outpatient clinic. [2]

Candidate instructions. Build rapport. Explain how stress systems (HPA) and inflammation can influence energy, motivation, and mood without claiming cortisol or CRP diagnose depression. Place interferon as a known risk context for mood change. Address childhood trauma as a vulnerability factor, not irreversible doom. Explain risperidone-related prolactin effects in plain language and what monitoring/management means. Invite questions; safety-net severe medical symptoms. Avoid jargon dumps and invented certainty. [1][3][4][5]

Candidate scenario

Patient may say: 'Can we just measure cortisol and prove the diagnosis?' Partner may say: 'Trauma ruined the hormone system permanently.' Respond: diagnosis is clinical (history and mental state); labs help physical health and sometimes medical differentials; stress systems can change with recovery and treatment; hope and agency matter. [2][5]

Marking domains

• Empathy, plain language, collaborative stance
• Accurate HPA/immune overview without chemical cartoons [1][2]
• Honest limits of DST/cortisol/CRP for psychiatric diagnosis [2][3]
• Trauma framed as vulnerability, not hopeless determinism [5]
• Prolactin mechanism and practical next steps at lay depth [4]
• Organic red-flag safety netting without unnecessary alarm
• Hope, shared plan, risk/safety check
• No invented legal section numbers