Diagnosing Major Depression
When you visit your doctor and she suspects that you may be experiencing major depressive disorder (also known as “severe depression”), she will conduct a variety of tests to help determine whether your symptoms are clinically diagnostic for depression. She will also want to examine you for other possible medical disorders that might account for your symptoms.
Symptom Test for Depression
Before your doctor examines you for physical signs of depression, she’ll ask you about the symptoms you’re experiencing. Signs of depression refer to objective physical and laboratory characteristics your doctor can determine from examining you. Symptoms refer to your subjective feelings, thoughts and behaviors.
Make sure to share all of your symptoms with your doctor so she can formulate a proper diagnosis. Because your initial medical appointment may be short, it’s a good idea to write down your symptoms and other important information beforehand. This will ensure that you don’t leave anything out during the appointment.
When diagnosing major depression, your doctor will need to know:
- A list of medications, vitamins and supplements you’re taking
- All of your symptoms (relevant thoughts, feelings, behaviors)
- Any family history of major depressive disorder
- Any major events and/or sources of stress in your life that may have triggered these symptoms
- How long you’ve been experiencing these symptoms.
You may also want to bring along a friend or family member who has observed your symptoms and can help you provide this information.
Diagnosing Major Depression: Physical Examination
Your doctor will also want to conduct a full physical examination to check for signs of major depressive disorder or another medical condition that might be causing your symptoms. Part of diagnosing major depression involves ruling out the possibility of other potential illnesses, such as hypothyroidism.
Diagnosing Major Depression: Neurological Examination
A neurological exam is important for the diagnosis of depression because it provides additional information about the health of your brain, your mental function, and nervous system, all of which are often affected by major depressive disorder.
Diagnosing Major Depression: Lab Tests
The purpose of conducting lab tests (i.e. blood, stool and urine tests) is to test for an underlying medical condition that could be responsible for your symptoms. At present, no single lab test is dependable enough to be used as a definitive test for depression.
Diagnosing Major Depression: Psychiatric Examination
A psychiatric exam can also provide information about your mental functions, such as your:
- Ability to process information quickly and logically
- Attention span
- Memory
- Mood.
Conclusion: A Diagnosis of Depression
Using all the information gleaned from the tests mentioned above, your doctor will likely be able to make an accurate diagnosis as to whether or not you have major depressive disorder. A correct diagnosis of depression is important, as it will influence the course of treatment your doctor will prescribe.
Depression is one of the most common emotional problems in society today, as well as one of the most treatable conditions. According to the Nemours Foundation, approximately 80 percent of people respond to treatment and enjoy a better quality of life as a result.
Resources
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010). Preparing for your appointment. Retrieved May 6, 2010, from the Mayo Clinic website: www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/DS00175/DSECTION=preparing-for-your-appointment.
National Alliance on Mental Illness Staff. (n.d.). Depression symptoms, causes and diagnosis. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from the National Alliance on Mental Illness website: www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Mental_Illnesses/Depression/Depression_ Symptoms,_Causes_and_Diagnosis.htm.
Nemade, R. et al. (n.d.). Depression: Major depression and unipolar varieties. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from the MentalHealth.net website: www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=438&cn=5.
Nemours Foundation Staff. (n.d.). Getting help. Retrieved May 7, 2010, from the TeensHealth® website: kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/feeling_sad/depression.html#a_Getting_Help.