Information about how depression is diagnosed, including the official DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, the signs and symptoms to look for and the most common types of depression diagnoses.
1. How Is Depression Diagnosed?
Currently, no laboratory test can be used to diagnose depression. Depression is diagnosed based on your reported symptoms, signs that your doctor observes while interviewing you, your medical history and your family's medical history. Criteria outlined in a handbook called the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (
DSM-IV) are used in making the diagnosis.
2. What Are the DSM-IV Criteria?
The
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is a book which defines the criteria by which mental disorders such as depression are diagnosed. The fourth edition is currently in use so it is often referred in short as the
DSM-IV.
3. What Are the Main Types of Depression?
Depressive disorders fall into three categories -- major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder and depressive disorder not otherwise specified. The latter category includes disorders which do not fit into the first two (e.g. premenstrual dysphoric disorder). Specifiers describe the nature of the most recent episode of depression (for example, "atypical features" or "postpartum onset") or the course of the illness over time (for example, "seasonal pattern"). Depression may also be part of bipolar disorder, in which a patient experiences alternating periods of depression and mania.
4. What Are the Symptoms of Depression?
If you have experienced five or more of these symptoms within the same two-week period -- especially if a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure are among your symptoms -- this could indicate an episode of depression. The symptoms should not be accounted for by another illness, drugs of abuse or prescription medications.
5. Is There a Screening Test for Depression?
While a screening test can't diagnose depression, it can help familiarize you with the symptoms of depression so that you can determine if you may need to seek professional help.
6. I Think I'm Depressed, Whom Should I See to Get a Diagnosis?
If your score on the screening test indicates that you may have symptoms of depression, your next step is to see a doctor. But you may have questions about what kind of doctor to visit. This article will help you understand how to get proper diagnosis and treatment.
