Are you depressed? If you are bothered by fleeting feelings of sadness, well, that is part of life. We are all affected by the little highs and lows that result from winters that last too long or a week when nothing goes right. But when you experience more severe feelings of sadness, and they last for more than two weeks, is it a good idea to ask your doctor to give you a depression test.
Depression is not uncommon in U.S. society. Approximately 20.9 million adults or 9.5 percent of the population age 18 or older will experience depression in any given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Before making a diagnosis of depression, doctors will judge the severity of a patient’s symptoms, how many symptoms one has and how long they have experienced those symptoms. The National Institute of Mental Health published a list of a number of symptoms that medical professionals look for when they are trying to make a diagnosis of depression for a patient. Doctors base their diagnosis based on the results of a depression test that reveals the symptoms on this list as well as other factors.
There are several things you should consider when deciding whether you need to receive a depression test. Has someone in your family ever suffered from serious depression? Depression can be a hereditary condition. Mental health experts estimate that between 40 and 70 percent of depression cases are hereditary. This means that if a parent, grandparent, sibling or other close relative has ever suffered from depression, you are more likely to experience depression also, though this doesn’t mean you will definitely ever become depressed.
Have you experienced a traumatic or significantly stressful event in your life recently? If you are having a hard time getting over such an event, you may want to have a depression test. Events such as the death of a loved one, or an event as stressful as divorce has the potential to trigger a severe depression, especially if you have family history of depression, but even if you don’t.
Are you a woman? Women are more likely than men to become depressed but will often not receive a depression test because their symptoms are overlooked. Approximately 25 percent of all women experience symptoms of depression that are severe enough to require treatment. Women who have just given birth or who are nearing or have already experienced menopause are more likely to experience depression and should be particularly aware of their health at those times.
Do you have persistent feelings of severe sadness? Doctors giving a depression test will want to know if your have experienced profound helplessness, pessimism, worthlessness, anxiety, fatigue and irritability, or have entertained thoughts of suicide.
Are you having trouble sleeping? The symptoms a doctor will look for when giving a patient a depression test include whether the patient is suffering from insomnia, having difficulty sleeping through the night, wake up during the night and can’t return to sleep, oversleeping in the morning or sleeping too much during the day.
Are you experience significant aches and pains that won’t go away? While most people think that depression is characterized only by mood swings and feelings of sadness, chronic pain is also a symptom of depression and part of a medical depression test. Digestive disorders or persistent headaches or other chronic pain that isn’t caused by some other illness and doesn’t respond to treatment after two weeks could be a sign of depression.
If you have experienced several of these symptoms for more than two weeks, it is in your best interest to see your health care provider for a depression test to determine if you require treatment.
Ryan King
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/feeling-blue-take-a-depression-test-101804.html
Would you trust an online depression test?
I been going through a lot of mixed feelings and events over past few years. So i decided to take a test for depression…. would you trust this answer…??
Depression is one of the most prevalent and serious mental illnesses in the world today. Approximately one in four women and one in eight men experience at least one bout of depression in their lifetime. Depression is a biological illness, one that often has a devastating impact on behavior, thoughts and feelings. Although depression can be triggered or worsened by specific events or problems as well as depressive thought patterns and personality traits, medical research has shown that it occurs as a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. Almost every one of us has, at one point or another, experienced feelings of unhappiness, "a blue mood" that could be associated with a disruptive life event – but true depression entails a pervasive feeling of sadness that impairs our general functioning and lasts for more than two weeks.
This test assesses whether the diagnostic criteria for major depression is met, and evaluates depressive thought patterns.
Overall results
93/100
You responded in a way that indicates severe depressive symptoms. It is strongly recommended that you see your physician as soon as you can. Depression is treatable and the success rate is very high. You may feel now that every day is a struggle, but things WILL get better. After some time, facing another day will become easier and gradually, you will find joy again. Please, see a doctor; you really do not need to suffer this way. Remember, depression is a medical problem and it is not ”just in your head”. It is not something you did, you are not being punished, and it is not your fault. You don’t deserve to suffer, no matter how badly you feel about yourself right now. There is help, so please, go and get it.
edit.. im 24 years old.
im afraid to see a doctor. i dont know why. but i feel like i would be doing something wrong and what if someone finds out about it.
i feel like a female (dont mean to be mean) i have constant mood swing and my eating is insane. some days i wont eat and others i will eat a whole cow. i dont want to commit a suicide but im always thinking about pros and cons of it. im always pissed off at everyone and everything.
In some ways you can trust them & in other ways their total BS so my answer is yes but don’t take it so seriously
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I would trust to a certain extent. Now go make an appointment with a flesh in blood doctor, therapist or psychiatrist.
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They are not a diagnosis, but they can point to warning signs. If you scored that highly, you should definitely see your doctor or psychologist for a medical diagnosis and treatment.
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It depends on the kind of test. If it’s one of those 6 question tests that asks "Are you sometimes really sad?" , but if it was a 100 question test I’d trust it, but I’d trust a doctor more.
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You don’t necessarily need to feel sad to be depressed, all you really need is a lingering feeling of futility.
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My psychology teacher warned us against these things, unless you are doing a test with a doctor, do not believe these. They are not legitimate ways to diagnose anything, they are just a way to unnecessarily scare yourself!
If you are worried, then definitely go see your doctor. He or she can give you the information you can trust!
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Overall, do not let the test online diagnose you, a real doctor has to do that. Iv been through the same situation. Im 15 years old, i went online, did multiple tests(as i was severely depressed before this) and decided to push through my anxiety of doctors and go talk to one. It really helped and i believe the medication is working.
Overall, if your having issues with mental instability or being unsure about a situation(thinking of suicide at all[even weighing in the pros and cons]) then you are best to see a doctor. Because for all you know you have issues completely different from what you are noticing.
Talk to a Doc.
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Iv been through a bit of it, though im only 15, i have dealt with depression for 4 years now and im out of the angry, scared, worried and uncomfortable stages, now im just a bit confused and slightly depressed.