If your doctor can't find a physical cause for the depression, he or she will want to ask you in more detail about your feelings. Doctors call this a psychological exam. It can also be carried out by a

 

 

 

 

 

psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in psychiatry, a branch of medicine that covers the science and practice of treating mental, emotional or behavioral disorders.

 

 

 

 

 

psychiatrist, a

 

 

 

 

 

psychologist
A psychologist is trained to study the human mind and human behaviour. A clinical psychologist provides mental health care in hospitals, clinics, schools or to private patients.

 

 

 

 

 

psychologist or a psychiatric nurse.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
National Institute of Mental Health.
Depression.
October 2007. Available at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml (accessed on 24 March 2009).

 

 

 

 

 

¹

There is no laboratory test for depression. To find out whether you're depressed, and to see how depressed you are, your doctor will ask you questions about your feelings and how you are coping with life.

Your doctor will then put together a complete history of your symptoms: when they started, how long you've had them, how bad they are, whether you've had them before, and whether you've been treated before. Your doctor might also ask about your alcohol and drug use, whether you've thought about death or suicide, whether family members have had any type of depression and how it was treated.

Lastly, you should have a mental-status exam to find out if your speech, thought patterns or memory have been affected by your depression. This sometimes happens when people have depression or a manic-depressive illness, in which they swing between high and low moods.

To find out how bad your depression is, your doctor will first look for one of three key symptoms:

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
American Psychiatric Association.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).
4th edition. American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC, USA; 2000.

 

 

 

 

 

²

A depressed person will have at least one of these symptoms on most days, most of the time, for two weeks.

If you have a key symptom, your doctor will consider how many, if any, of the following symptoms you also have:

A doctor usually decides that someone with four of these symptoms has mild depression. Someone with five or six symptoms has moderate depression. And someone with seven has severe depression.

Many people with depression are treated by their regular doctor. However, your doctor might refer you to a psychiatrist, or you might decide to see one on your own. Psychiatrists specialize in helping people with mental health problems. Your doctor is especially likely to suggest you see a psychiatrist if you have had depression more than once, or if the treatments your doctor has tried haven't worked.

The information on ConsumerReportsHealth.org should not be viewed as a substitute for a consultation with a medical or health professional. The information is meant to enhance communication with your doctor, not replace it. Consumers Union can not be liable for any loss, injury, or other damages related to your use of this information.

Your use of this information is subject to our User Agreement available at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.