| Are you depressed? If you are bothered by | | | | stressful as divorce has the potential to |
| fleeting feelings of sadness, well, that is | | | | trigger a severe depression, especially if |
| part of life. We are all affected by the | | | | you have family history of depression, but |
| little highs and lows that result from | | | | even if you don't. |
| winters that last too long or a week when | | | | |
| nothing goes right. But when you experience | | | | Are you a woman? Women are more likely than |
| more severe feelings of sadness, and they | | | | men to become depressed but will often not |
| last for more than two weeks, is it a good | | | | receive a depression test because their |
| idea to ask your doctor to give you a | | | | symptoms are overlooked. Approximately 25 |
| depression test. | | | | percent of all women experience symptoms of |
| | | | depression that are severe enough to require |
| Depression is not uncommon in U.S. society. | | | | treatment. Women who have just given birth or |
| Approximately 20.9 million adults or 9.5 | | | | who are nearing or have already experienced |
| percent of the population age 18 or older | | | | menopause are more likely to experience |
| will experience depression in any given year, | | | | depression and should be particularly aware |
| according to the National Institute of Mental | | | | of their health at those times. |
| Health. | | | | |
| | | | Do you have persistent feelings of severe |
| Before making a diagnosis of depression, | | | | sadness? Doctors giving a depression test |
| doctors will judge the severity of a | | | | will want to know if your have experienced |
| patient's symptoms, how many symptoms one has | | | | profound helplessness, pessimism, |
| and how long they have experienced those | | | | worthlessness, anxiety, fatigue and |
| symptoms. The National Institute of Mental | | | | irritability, or have entertained thoughts of |
| Health published a list of a number of | | | | suicide. |
| symptoms that medical professionals look for | | | | |
| when they are trying to make a diagnosis of | | | | Are you having trouble sleeping? The symptoms |
| depression for a patient. Doctors base their | | | | a doctor will look for when giving a patient |
| diagnosis based on the results of a | | | | a depression test include whether the patient |
| depression test that reveals the symptoms on | | | | is suffering from insomnia, having difficulty |
| this list as well as other factors. | | | | sleeping through the night, wake up during |
| | | | the night and can't return to sleep, |
| There are several things you should consider | | | | oversleeping in the morning or sleeping too |
| when deciding whether you need to receive a | | | | much during the day. |
| depression test. Has someone in your family | | | | |
| ever suffered from serious depression? | | | | Are you experience significant aches and |
| Depression can be a hereditary condition. | | | | pains that won't go away? While most people |
| Mental health experts estimate that between | | | | think that depression is characterized only |
| 40 and 70 percent of depression cases are | | | | by mood swings and feelings of sadness, |
| hereditary. This means that if a parent, | | | | chronic pain is also a symptom of depression |
| grandparent, sibling or other close relative | | | | and part of a medical depression test. |
| has ever suffered from depression, you are | | | | Digestive disorders or persistent headaches |
| more likely to experience depression also, | | | | or other chronic pain that isn't caused by |
| though this doesn't mean you will definitely | | | | some other illness and doesn't respond to |
| ever become depressed. | | | | treatment after two weeks could be a sign of |
| | | | depression. |
| Have you experienced a traumatic or | | | | |
| significantly stressful event in your life | | | | If you have experienced several of these |
| recently? If you are having a hard time | | | | symptoms for more than two weeks, it is in |
| getting over such an event, you may want to | | | | your best interest to see your health care |
| have a depression test. Events such as the | | | | provider for a depression test to determine |
| death of a loved one, or an event as | | | | if you require treatment. |