How do you get diagnosed with depression disorder?
How to recognize depression:- Constant feeling of sadness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all activities
- Significant change in appetite without dieting
- Insomnia or excessive sleep
- Restlessness or feeling slowed down physically or mentally
- Frequent fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or hopelessness
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
- Recurring thoughts of death, or suicidal thoughts or attempts
To be diagnosed with depression, a person must experience at least five of these symptoms for at least two weeks:
- Changes in appetite
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts
In addition, the symptoms must cause significant distress or impairment in a person's social or occupational functioning.
How Depression Is Diagnosed
- Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness.
- Psychologist: Psychologists have a PhD (doctorate) in clinical or counseling psychology. They are not medical doctors, but they are trained to evaluate and treat mental health problems.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
Questions or Screening:
- During the screening, your doctor or health professional may:
- Ask you about your symptoms and medical history
- Perform a physical examination to see if there may be a medical cause for your depression
- Give you a psychological evaluation to assess your mood, thoughts, feelings, and behavior
- Ask you to fill out questionnaires or answer questions from a diagnostic interview to understand your symptoms better
Diagnostic Criteria:
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5): The DSM-5 is the handbook used to diagnose mental disorders. It lists detailed symptoms for different types of mental disorders.
- Depression is usually diagnosed based on five or more symptoms of depression lasting for at least two weeks. The symptoms must be severe enough to cause noticeable problems with work, social activities, or other areas of life.
Possible Diagnostic Tests:
- Blood Tests: Blood tests may be done to check for physical conditions that can cause depression or affect a person's mental health, such as thyroid or vitamin deficiencies
- Imaging Tests: Imaging tests of the brain, such as MRI or CT scans, may be used to rule out other health problems that may lead to depression symptoms.
Treatment Depends On Accurate Diagnosis
- Depending on the evaluation and diagnosis, your health care provider may recommend various treatments for your depression, including therapy (psychotherapy), medication, or both.