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