Clinical Depression - Diagnosis

Before a diagnosis of is made, a physician should perform a complete medical exam to rule out any possible physical cause for the suspected . If no such cause is found, a should be done by the physician or by referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist. The evaluation will include a complete history of symptoms, a discussion of , and whether the patient has had or is having suicidal thoughts or thinking about death. The evaluation will also include a family medical history to see if other family members suffer from any form of or similar .

There are several criteria lists and that can also aid in the diagnosis of . Most are based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), which is a book published by the American Psychiatric Association that defines the criteria used to diagnose various mental disorders, including .

The Beck Inventory, originally created by Dr. Aaron T. Beck in 1961, is a 21-question patient completed survey that covers items related to the basic symptoms of , such as hopelessness and irritability, cognitions such as guilt or feelings of being punished, as well as physical symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, and lack of interest in sex.The Beck Inventory is one of the most widely used for self-diagnosis of , although its primary purpose is not the diagnosis of , but determining the severity and presence of symptoms.

There are also two Patient available that are also self-administered questionnaires. The PHQ-2 has only two questions that asks about the frequency of and a in doing things, with a positive to either question indicating the need for further testing. The PHQ-9 is a slightly more detailed nine question survey covering some of the major symptoms of and the frequency a person has experienced them. It is based directly on the diagnostic criteria listed in the DSM-IV and often used as a follow up to a positive PHQ-2 test.

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April 9, 2008 | Filed Under Mental Disorders 

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One Response to “Clinical Depression - Diagnosis”

  1. How Do You Get A Depression Diagnosis? on July 20th, 2008 12:43 pm

    [...] or mild; therefore treatment is planed according to the severity or mildness of the depression. Depression diagnosis involves a thorough mental or psychological evaluation to find out whether the person has a [...]

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