Anyone know how one is diagnosed with depression?

[mazakaal]

Is it purely by the dr asking questions about one's state of mind? Is there a blood test they can run?

[secular_mom]

The Dr. asks you a list of questions, or gives you a worksheet to fill out.

[mazakaal]

The Dr. asks you a list of questions, or gives you a worksheet to fill out.

 

So it's all based on how you feel, not anything clinical or objective?

[secular_mom]

That was my experience. The questions were very much like the ones you see online (if you've ever looked at a website about depression). My husband is in the military, and he frequently has training classes to help him 'teach' and 'direct' the new recruits. He recently told me about a class he took covering stress. He said there are a few 'zones' of stress, the first one is green- which means you have normal/small amounts of stress in your daily life. The second is yellow-which means you have more. The third is orange, which means you have too much and you really need to get a handle on the situation before things get out of control. The fourth is the red zone- this one means that you are severely affected by the stressors in your life, and it can cause physical symptoms (tiredness, no energy, headaches, stomachaches,ulcers, etc.) and depression. He said that according to the data he received, almost NO one can get out of the 'red zone' without outside help.

That doesn't necessarily mean that a person in the red zone (me), needs medication or therapy, but you need someone else to help you handle the stressful situations in your life that got you in the red zone. HTH

[Ottakee]

It is more subjective. I would want to see a psychiatrist though to diagnose depression as they are experts in this area and can figure out if it is really depression or something else going on.

 

You can (and should) have blood tests though to check thyroid (a HUGE thing in depression), blood sugars, anemia, other hormone levels, etc. as those medical issues can go with or mimic depression but need other treatment.

[Tree House Academy]

No, there is no blood test. It is all mental because depression is all mental. I have suffered from depression for over 6 years now and trust me, there is no mistaking the feeling of emptyness, sadness when you have nothing to be sad about, and so on. I also notice it in my housework. When I am depressed, I have no energy. I let things go and even though it depresses me more to look at those things undone, it is also easier for me to just sink lower. It is a terrible pattern.

 

Depression can be periodic, come after a tragic event, or be ongoing like mine. There is no need for a blood test (not that one is available). If you feel horrible sadness and no zest for life for more than a few weeks, no matter what the cause, then you are probably suffering from depression.

[mazakaal]

Thanks for all the info, ladies.

[G5052]

My DH has had horrific medical problems for the last four years, and I have my internist screen me every six months at my regular visit because I'm very much "at risk." He uses the standard questionaire, but more in a conversational style that puts me at ease. He actually started out as a social worker though, so he has extra background. Both DH and I have been going to him for ten years, and he's our age and has kids the same ages as ours.

 

A year ago when he did this, he mentioned that I was beginning to have "markers" and suggested that I go for counselling, which I was leaning towards anyway. I just had my physical today, and he indicated that I seem to be doing quite a bit better than I was a year ago.

 

DH's brother seems to have all the markers though and his doctor says he's fine. Maybe he's not sharing all that we see though, or maybe the doctor just isn't as thorough that way.

[mazakaal]

This is my concern - that some drs are more thorough than others. With it all being so subjective, it's hard to know you're getting an accurate diagnosis. Wish I knew how to find a good dr.

[Sue G in PA]

Have you thought about seeing a therapist/counselor? If you even think that you are depressed, you probably are. I've suffered from minor to major depression since my teens (I'm just realizing this since seeing a therapist). As a pp said, it is unmistakable...the sadness, emptiness, lethargy, lack of motivation to do anything, etc....all for no apparent reason. A dr. might be able to "diagnose" depression and prescribe anti-depressants but a general dr. is not trained to dig deeper to find the root cause/causes. A trained counselor can do that. More and more studies have been finding that the chemical imbalances that are related to depression (I won't say CAUSE depression, b/c the jury is still out on whether the imbalance CAUSES depression or the depression CAUSES the imbalance) can be corrected by "retraining" the brain. I was on anti-depressants 3 years ago but wasn't seeing a counselor. It was only a band-aid over a more complex, serious problem. I should have sought counseling back then while on the anti-depressants. I would suggest seeing a therapist as well as your dr. I think that anti-depressants (if you are thinking about going that route) are helpful but since they only "mask" the real issues...won't CURE the problem. A therapist can be very helpful in addressing the root causes while the anti-depressant can make your life more "liveable" while the issues are being addressed. Does that make sense? Good luck!

[KristenS]

I would ditto seeing a (good) therapist or counselor, as well as seeking medical help. Many health issues can cause depression (like someone mentioned above, thyroid issues are one), and depression/anxiety can cause health issues too. So you want someone to help you take care of your body as well as your mind, if that makes sense. You may or may not be comfortable starting off medication right away, but you at least want to know there's not some other problem contributing, and you want to know what your options are if you do choose to pursue medication. And since so many meds do have initial periods of side effects, you want good coping strategies and support when you start them.

[KidsHappen]

The very first thing that you would want to do it see a medical dr. to check for anything medically wrong that could be causing depression such as thyroid, hormone or blood sugar problems. Barring any of these kind of problems there could be two different causes of depression: situational or chemical. Situational depression is caused by a stressor in your life: grief, marriage problems, financial problems. The depression with probably improve once the stressor is removed. SOmetimes however, people suffer from depression for no obvious reason. Many times a family dr. can start anti-depressants and see how the patient responds. Sometimes that is all the patient needs to either help them deal with the stress until they are able to resolve it or give their body a boost in being able to deal with depression of an unknown cause. If a patient does not respond to medication or has an adverse reaction then it is probably better to move on to someone who specializes in depression.

[GreenKitty]

Is it purely by the dr asking questions about one's state of mind? Is there a blood test they can run?

 

It's both, the Dr may have you fill out papers, take blood test and/or just talk with you.

[buddhabelly]

I just want to clarify that depression can occur because of tragic events in your life that cause your moods to spiral out of control, OR it can occur for purely biochemical reasons. If your mom died recently and my depression is caused by a brain chemical imbalance, our serotonin levels might be exactly the same. Two different causes, same result.

 

But since even depression that occurs for "no reason" (the kind I have) results from many different brain chemical imbalances, I do not believe they have come up with medical testing for it. Probably because the questions reveal whether you are depressed, and most importantly HOW depressed you are. If you are suicidal and you have a plan, you would probably be admitted into an inpatient setting.

 

The reason why there are so many antidepressants on the market is not because they haven't quite got the magic formula right yet. It is because there are many biochemical causes for depression, and it might take three or four "tries" to find out which kind works for you. For example, my depression brings with it a huge surge of energy and anxiety, so they used to give me tricyclic antidepressants (they have a sedative side effect). But now they have more precise medications that can treat your problem more exactly with not as many unwanted side effects (dry mouth, etc.)

 

There are ways to get help! Unfortunately, when one is depressed it is really hard to take the first step because of, well, the depression. You just don't have the energy to figure out who to call. Oh, I almost forgot my other recommendation. Try to find a psychiatrist who has been to school within the last 10 years. I actually wasted a lot of time with a shrink who still practiced Freudian psychoanalysis ALONE with no other therapy. In that system, it is all the parents' fault. My poor, blameless, loving parents!

 

Julie

[mazakaal]

Thank you for all the responses. I haven't responded to each post because it's still very ... difficult. But I have read all the responses and thank each one of you for opening up.

[Ria]

So it's all based on how you feel, not anything clinical or objective?

 

Clinical depression is linked to a lack of neurotransmitters in the brain. I'm not sure if there is a test for this. Depression can sneak up on someone...they might not realize how bad things are getting because they can't observe themselves objectively.

 

I can tell you about our recent experience. One of our older sons has, for the past year and a half, seemed to display more and more symptoms of depression. I suffer from depression, and know there is a family history, so I was aware of the signs. Things finally got bad enough (his grades are affected, he just wants to lie on his bed and avoid everyone, etc) that we insisted he see the doctor. Now, this son said he was fine. Dh and I knew he was not. The doctor is a good friend of ours, and was torn...ds did not appear to him to be depressed, but, as we told him, he only saw what ds wanted him to see. We saw the daily depressed kid. So, our doc decided to try ds on Zoloft. After 2 weeks this son began hanging out with our family. Laughing with us. Wanting to participate in conversations. The difference was dramatic. And you know what ds told me last week (week 3 of meds)? He said he didn't realize how bad he felt until he started feeling better. I told this to our doc and he said, "Praise God." He was so glad that we had talked to him about our observations of ds.

 

If you think you are experiencing signs of depression, please find a good doc. A good family doctor will listen to you and offer the help he/she feels is best.

 

Ria

[Joanne]

The reason why there are so many antidepressants on the market is not because they haven't quite got the magic formula right yet. It is because there are many biochemical causes for depression, and it might take three or four "tries" to find out which kind works for you. For example, my depression brings with it a huge surge of energy and anxiety, so they used to give me tricyclic antidepressants (they have a sedative side effect). But now they have more precise medications that can treat your problem more exactly with not as many unwanted side effects (dry mouth, etc.)

 

Exactly. I've suffered from clinical depression (I believe the propensity for my body to "go there" is genetic). Another poster mentioned it's "mental" and I don't agree it is all mental. It's biology; it's something not working correctly in the body.

 

Lifestyle, mental, emotional and other factors can exacerbate the syptoms (which is why a comprehensive approach to healing is best) but they don't *cause* it.

 

The diagnosis of depression is best made as a diagnosis of exclusion; it is diagnosed according to a list of symptoms *after* other possible medical issues are tested.

[Ria]

I think that anti-depressants (if you are thinking about going that route) are helpful but since they only "mask" the real issues...won't CURE the problem

.

 

This is simply untrue if the person suffering from depression has no issues. Clinical depression can be and often is entirely biological.

 

Ria

[Joanne]

I think that anti-depressants (if you are thinking about going that route) are helpful but since they only "mask" the real issues...won't CURE the problem

 

 

.

 

This is simply untrue if the person suffering from depression has no issues. Clinical depression can be and often is entirely biological.

 

Ria

 

Yes. I couldn't even begin the more "natural" and life enhancing changes until I was on meds. More sunlight, exercise, a therapist, loosing weight, eating better, better choices for reading and tv........none of that could happen until my body was corrected.

 

Then, and only then, could I get to make some changes to make my quality of life improve. Nothing was "only masked" during my (short term) period of time on drugs. The drugs leveled the playing field, enabling me to face each day with normal perspective and thinking.

[Jill- OK]

It is more subjective. I would want to see a psychiatrist though to diagnose depression as they are experts in this area and can figure out if it is really depression or something else going on.

 

I would recommend getting a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist (specialist) once a general practitioner has pointed you towards depression, just as you would for another type of diagnosis.

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

I'll add my two cents. :)

 

Last year I began feeling *terrible* physically. Everything hurt. I was exhausted. I had no appetite (which was alarming for me!) as well as being nauseous. I don't know what came first, but I was also feeling extremely anxious about my health. And I was scared/depressed about life on this planet. I went to see my GP doctor, who happens to be an *awesome* dr. He should have been a counselor. He did a big blood work-up, ordered a chest x-ray (I was having a pain in my chest and back). But he also mentioned that all of my physical symptoms were also symptoms of depression. I knew I was feeling incredibly stressed and emotional, but I thought that came *after* the not feeling well.

 

I decided to go to a chiropractor for my back (my muscles were starting to spasm). He definitely found things to correct, but I don't know if that happened first or if my depression/anxiety affected my muscles and pulled stuff out of whack. I went back to the dr to tell him that I wanted to try meds for depression and anxiety. He spent a very long time talking with me (conversational, not questions of a list). He agreed that would be the best way to go, even if we just found out what physical stuff was left after we took care of the depression and anxiety. Between the chiropractor and the meds, I felt like a new person in about a month. Seriously. There is a bounce to my step, and a joy springing up in me.

 

I have some other things I need to start doing now (diet, exercise, Bible study), but I don't think I could have worked on those things without my chemical imbalance being corrected first. I'll be working on those and then hopefully this summer (when it is nice and sunny) I can try to work my way off the meds and try more natural supplements. But you can be sure I would go back on the meds if I felt myself slipping into that hole again.

 

{{Megan}}

[Cindy in the NH Woods]

Get help, honey. ((hug)) I thank God for His common grace to mankind, in that we have medications to relieve depression. You are not alone! Many fine people~ Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, David Brainerd, probably Emily Dickenson, and so many more bore this affliction.

 

Don't let days turn to weeks,then months ,then years before seeking help. You WILL get a reprieve! Hang in there. The way I look at it is... a (relatively) healthy mommy in the home who may need some medical/counseling intervention sure beats mommy being in an institution. It is a private soapbox of mine when there is a stigma attached to being depressed and seeking help. I still feel sad over "the lost years" during a particularly bad post-partum depression, and the fact that I have very few memories of that babys' first months. But even in the worst times, Jesus is in the trenches with you, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He so totally understands our struggles.

 

I'll be praying for you, Megan.

 

Cindy

 

If you do have a health care worker you like, they should be able to refer you to a doctor who is a good diagnostician. While there is yet no blood test for depression, a doctor could check vitamin D 3 levels. Apparently, vitamin D 3 is very necessary to the biological processes involved in the brain's ability to make seratonins, etc. Just some food for thought. ;-)

Edited February 8, 2009 by Cindy in the NH Woods

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

Get help, honey. ((hug)) I thank God for His common grace to mankind, in that we have medications to relieve depression. You are not alone! Many fine people~ Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, David Brainerd, probably Emily Dickenson, and so many more bore this affliction.

 

Don't let days turn to weeks,then months ,then years before seeking help. You WILL get a reprieve! Hang in there. The way I look at it is... a (relatively) healthy mommy in the home who may need some medical/counseling intervention sure beats mommy being in an institution. ;-)

this is good advice.

I only want to add, please don't let anyone make you feel bad if you and your healthcare professional decide that medication is the best route for you. There should be absolutely NO stigma attached to taking medication for depression, any more than taking medication for diabetes, hypothyroidism, or any other condition that is treatable with medication. Keep in mind that sometimes a combination of medication may be necessary, and it may not be an overnight "cure." Many times, patients begin taking medication for depression and do not see results for up to three weeks. Sometimes the results kind of sneek up on patients, and the patient's family members will actually notice a difference before the patient does.

I commend you for being brave enough to bring this up here, and encourage you to continue to be brave enough to bring it up to your doctor.

[Susan in KY]

He said that according to the data he received, almost NO one can get out of the 'red zone' without outside help.

That doesn't necessarily mean that a person in the red zone (me), needs medication or therapy, but you need someone else to help you handle the stressful situations in your life that got you in the red zone.

 

:iagree: :iagree:

 

About 10 years ago, I remember chuckling with DH that when we added up all the "good" stress (having a couple babies, among others) and "bad" stress (changing financial situation, among others) in our lives, we were at a higher number than the highest number on the chart. We actually laughed that we were in mental breakdown territory!

 

Well, when all was said and done and we surveyed the fallout, it was mighty nice to have some good pastoral counseling to pick up all the pieces. We didn't need meds, but boy, howdy, it was nice to have someone to talk to and put it all back into perspective as we moved on. :)

[tibbyl]

Subjectively based upon self-reporting.

[Linda in Oregon]

Clinical depression is linked to a lack of neurotransmitters in the brain. I'm not sure if there is a test for this.

 

 

This may have already been answered, but, yes, there is a test for this. My ND ordered a neurotransmitter test through ths lab -

 

https://www.neurorelief.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=12&Itemid=46

 

But, I really don't know how accurate it is.

 

Just thought I'd mention it.

[PollyOR]

:grouphug:

 

I want to share our experiences as you may be able to relate.

 

I seem to experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) every year about this time.

 

My DH has been on anti-depressants for almost 10 years. He was an angry man for many years. He rarely has the "let me crawl in bed and hide" days.

 

Last March my sweet 12yodd sobbed and snubbed for an hour while she told me that she didn't want to live in this world. I was devastated. Her pediatrician agreed that she was depressed by what we shared with him. I think he did have some blood work done though for what I'm not sure (thyroid?). The hardest part was waiting a month and a half before we could get an appointment with a psychologist. DD attended counseling for six weeks before she was started on an antidepressant. It actually made her feel worse, so she is already trying a second medication.

 

For us, having two doctors (pediatrician and psychologist) has brought us to a halt. The pediatrician is out of his comfort zone and it is being recommended that we move on to a psychiatrist who can do both jobs rather than two people trying to coordinate their efforts.

 

Also, at my suggestion, dd is taking an oral contraceptive to regulate her periods. I think fluctuating hormones may be part of the problem. After two years she isn't regular. It will be a few months before we find out if it helps.

 

Even though my DH had been taking anti-depressants for many years, I wasn't involved with his counseling, etc. It was all new territory for me when dd confided in me that she was depressed. Due to family history, I realize we MAY be in this for the long haul.

 

I'm so thankful that there is so much help in modern times. I cannot imagine how stressful this would be without the medical and behavioral help that we have available to us.

 

Sometimes I wonder if I should put our story on the web, but I feel it is worth it if it helps just one person to know that they are not alone.

 

Polly