How much of a hassle is it to get tested for depression?

[More Than A Feeling]

I am concerned that I might be depressed, but I'm afraid of wasting a lot of time and money if it turns out that I'm not. I've taken a self-inventory, but surely that is a dubious tool at best? How would I go about getting the process started if I decide to get tested?

Also, I'm worried that if I do get tested, it won't be accurate because the power of suggestion will cause a false positive, or else my worries about false positives will cause a false negative...

and now you know why i haven't been tested for depression yet. lol

[hedgehog]

1. Here are two pretty typical self screening tests:

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Depression/nimh/depression_screening_test.asp


https://j.ovm1.net/ahp1/effexor/consumer/quiz.aspx

If you score as depressed on them, you should see your main doctor to get a referral to someone who specializes in treating depression who will take the time to talk to you about treatments. I think most people fare best on a combination of talk therapy and medication.

For what it's worth, I used to take the tests in the newspaper and come up positive but then discount my score as meaningless "because everyone feels like this, right?" Now I wish I'd gotten treatment much earlier.

[FuzzySlippers]

2. The Burns Depression Checklist is well respected.

http://www.suicideforum.com/bdc/index.html

It will give you an indication not only of whether you are depressed but also of its degree of severity.

[More Than A Feeling]

3. That's the self-inventory I took.

I was not pleased with the results.

[Critters2]

10. It's considered an accurate test.

If it shows you as depressed, you should probably seek help.

Good luck!! :hi:

[EFerrari]

5. Holy cow! I'm really depressed!

But, I knew that.

That's a good inventory. I'm saving that link. Thanks. :)

[SPKrazy]

12. Wow, I am too

more than I thought

54/100

damn

glad I'm getting help

[UndertheOcean]

8. OMG , I scored 99/100 on the above test

:(

[EFerrari]

4. I've felt the same way about every test I've ever taken

including algebra tests, lol.

So, why do you think you're depressed, Heaven and Earth? I'm working through a depressive episode that has curled my hair myself.

[More Than A Feeling]

6. Because I eat too much, which causes me to spend too much money on food

which causes me not to have enough money to do nice things for my girlfriend after I'm done paying the bills, and I eat too much because it temporarily soothes the anxiety I feel whenever I think of doing pretty much any of the things you need to do to be a functioning human being, from dishes to schoolwork. I suspect that the anxiety comes of negative thoughts concerning my future success at any of those things, even though I've been relatively successful even while sabotaging myself. That constant stream of self-sabotage, that I'm barely conscious of when I'm not trying to seek out the source of my emotions? That's the depression...I think.

Was that too much information?

Oh, and in case you couldn't tell, my sleep has been highly irregular.;-)

[EFerrari]

7. No, not too much information. I'm in pretty much the same

situation, minus a girlfriend. But, it sure is hard to take care of my hairy and furry friends sometimes.

This week I tried something new. I called the three people in my family that I'm closest to and asked them to spend half an hour with me every week until the Attack of the 10 Foot Depression abates a bit. And, I told them pretty much what was going on and how it's hard to answer the phone sometimes. They did pretty well with that info.

Now, all I have to do is not cancel. :)

[qb]

9. If I was going through what you described I would make an appointment.

Anxiety and depression must be related... the med my doctor prescribed for anxiety is also for depression. Anyway, just getting in to talk to someone is bound to get you on the right track. You don't necessarily need formal testing to get started on some kind of treatment.

[TZ]

13. self delete

[BluePatriot]

11. Hm...

So many of the physical symptoms overlap with thyroid disease. No wonder my docs missed it for 2 years. I think a thyroid blood test should be run on anyone with ANY mood symptoms. Lazy docs.

[Sanity Claws]

14. Waste of time and money?

Do you have medical insurance? If not, let me suggest you see you a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A lot cheaper. The testing, diagnosis and treatment will be different but can be very effective.

Edit -- I see the opening post was made about six months ago. I hope he comes back on the board tells us what he decided to do and how he's feeling.

[More Than A Feeling]

15. You get your wish. I'm back.

Sadly, things have gotten much worse. I should have gotten tested back when I first posted, but I went to a school psychologist, who told me I wasn't depressed. Like an idiot, I listened, because I didn't want to be in the business of making excuses for my mistakes. Now, though, I've fallen off the track that I'm supposed to be on, and nobody who is close to me knows, because I'm too scared to tell them. I'm feeling very trapped, and I've read enough to know that that is a very bad sign. I've made the appointment now, and I'm anxious for it to be the day of my appointment, because I am desperate to get away from this irrational self-sabotage.

[hunter]

16. Go to your appointment.

Many years ago, the first time I was "asked" to leave college, I just walked away quietly and that was one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

I got back on track after about two years of wandering around in the darkness, but graduating from college wasn't something I managed to do on my own -- eventually I succeeded by building up a support system of personal relationships with professionals and non-professionals that got me past the low points.

It totally sucks to admit to yourself that some part of your mind is unreliable, but pushing through the darkest days alone ("being strong" as my similarly afflicted and sometimes disturbingly eccentric mom puts it) is usually a very bad idea.

[qb]

17. I'm sorry to hear things have gotten worse. It will get better.

You're in my thoughts. It is good you made the appointment. I hope you find someone close to you who will understand and I hope you find peace of mind.

[fed-up]

18. while you're at it be sure to test for bipolar-took over 20 years for my correct diagnosis

if they give you anti-depressants for depression but you are really bipolar it could really knock you for a loop and send you down, down, down

also look at descriptions for bipolar II which is what I am

I brushed off the bipolar self-diagnosis for many years as I did not quite fit the wild descriptions of the mania, I do fit into the bipolar II category with hypomania

[More Than A Feeling]

19. Wow, I may have been hypomaniacal my whole life!

I definitely qualify for the attention deficit (I've actually been diagnosed with ADD, but I guess with your story as an example, it could be possible that there was a misdiagnosis), the grandiosity (I do often feel like I have to save the world. That's part of why I'm in law school), the steep involvement in the pleasurable activities that result in negative consequences (I think they generally mean drugs and alcohol, but for me, its things like reading, watching tv, or posting online, when I know I should be working. Like right now, for example), and the psychomotor agitation (I put my right arm on top of my head sometimes when I'm at the computer, I cannot sit still in my seat even though I'm not otherwise hyperactive, and my legs shake a lot when I'm not paying attention to them).

Thanks for pointing this out to me, and saving me from potentially making a devastating mistake! Out of curiosity, is lithium the treatment for this, same as bi-polar I?

[hermetic]

20. Hi Heaven and Earth

I have recently found myself in the position of being a supporter of someone who has a mental health disorder. I've done lots of online reading and have found a wealth of information on bipolar disorder at this site: http://www.bipolarcentral.com/

I was a little uneasy at first because it isn't all "pretty" but I signed up for the email course and I have learned so much. Best of all, there is hope. It can be brought under control.

And I really hope things work out for you. Be assured you can always come to this Group and find support.

:hug:

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[davidthegnome]

22. There are problems either way

For one thing, I think it's important to remember that, while in theory, a chemical imbalance (I.E. serotonin) in the brain may cause depression, this is still only a theory and not a fact. Psychiatrists tend to view it in a different light. Despite the fact that we have no tests to adequately determine whether or not there is indeed an imbalance in the first place - a 45 minute session is all it takes to get a prescription. Some times even less than that.

I know I'm coming into this conversation kind of late here. For anyone else who is wondering though, I'd suggest getting tested, but to remember that no diagnosis (when it comes to mental health) is really 100% accurate. There's still far too much that just isn't known.

Be sure to educate yourself regarding any medication a psychiatrist prescribes or suggests. Some times it helps - but the wrong medication can make it far worse instead. I'm not very fond of psychiatrists in general, but I imagine that most of them really want to help - still, there is a great deal of pseudo-science and assumption in the practice.

I'm not a Doctor, but I've been a patient for many years. Overall (this is just an opinion) I believe that exercise, psycho-analysis and therapy can help as much as (if not more than) any medication.

But then, considering my own situation, perhaps I'm not the best person to be offering advice.