Symptoms / Diagnosis
By Nancy Schimelpfening, About.com Guide to Depression
The sooner depression is diagnosed, the sooner you or a loved one can get back on the road to wellness. Learn more about signs and symptoms, how doctors make a diagnosis, and the most common types of depression.
Symptoms
Symptoms of depression can seem both subtle or pronounced. Knowing what to be on the lookout for can help you determine when it's time to see a doctor.
- Most Common Depression Symptoms
- Atypical Depression Symptoms
- Signs and Symptoms of Depression in Children
Screening Tests
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.
Depression Types
Depressive disorders may be classified as major depressive, dysthymic, or not otherwise specified -- a catch-all for conditions that do not fit the other categories. Specifiers, such as atypical, postpartum, or seasonal, may be added to a diagnosis to describe the nature of the most recent episode of depression or the course of the illness over time. Depression may also be part of bipolar disorder, in which a patient experiences alternating periods of depression and mania. It may seem like depression is depression, but there are many shades of grey that set one type apart from another.
Diagnosis
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 to make a formal diagnosis.
