Subjective Diagnosis

• Symptoms of depression vary greatly due to the way the disorder affects each individual differently. Depression may range from mild to extremely severe. Most doctors agree it is a chronic illness.
  
  

Objective Information

• Depressed individuals feel alone.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Nicole Makauskas
  
  Depression is a common psychological disorder. Evidence shows that people with depression have physical changes in their brains. There is also evidence showing depression to be genetic. Perhaps most frightening, no one is immune to depression.
  
  

Testing for Depression

• Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Danny Hope
  
  There are multiple ways to check for depression. In addition to a physical exam, lab tests measure blood count and can screen for alcohol or drug use. A psychological evaluation consists of a mental health provider discussing your thoughts, feelings and behavior patterns with you.
  
  

DSM Criteria

• The American Psychiatric Association publishes a manual that covers all mental health disorders. You must have several of the symptoms listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in order to be diagnosed with depression.
  
  

Treatment for Depression

• Medication is effective and common in the treatment of depression. Antidepressants come in several chemical varieties. Specific medications are prescribed based on how they affect the biochemicals inside the individual's brain, which control moods.