Depression Diagnosis

Before depression can be treated, it must be accurately diagnosed. Your health care provider will:

Ask about your symptoms.

Ask about your general health.

Ask about your family history of general medical and mental disorders. Give you a physical examination.

Conduct some basic laboratory tests.

Preparing For Your First Visit

You can help your health care provider diagnose and treat you by giving as much information as possible about your health. Write down some of that information. Information that you share with a health care provider is confidential.

If your depression is causing you to have a hard time talking and remembering, take a family member or friend along on your first visit to help.

A general medical history, physical examination, and basic laboratory tests can help find out if a general medical disorder is the cause of your depression. About 10 to 15 percent of all depressions are caused by general medical illness (such as thyroid disease, cancers, or neurologic diseases) or medicines. Once the condition is treated or the medicines are changed or adjusted, the depression will usually go away.

If you have a general medical illness and feel depressed, it is important to tell your health care provider. Sometimes depression is a reaction to a life-threatening condition. Getting help during a difficult time in your life may help you to cope with your general medical illness.

If your first episode of major depressive disorder occurred after age 40, a very thorough medical evaluation is important.

Depression Diagnosis

Severe? Moderate? Mild?

In the treatment section, the terms severe, moderate, and mild depression are used. In general...

Severe depression is present when a person has nearly all of the symptoms of depression, and the depression almost always keeps them from doing their regular day-to-day activities.

Moderate depression is present when a person has many symptoms of depression that often keep them from doing things that they need to do.

Mild depression is present when a person has some of the symptoms of depression and it takes extra effort to do the things they need to do.

For each type of depression there is a treatment that works best. You should talk with your health care provider about your depression and the best treatment for you.

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