ChrisP
Veteran Member
I was just at the website linked in another thread with a "real age" questionnaire, and noticed a depression test. I've been fairly certain I'm fairly depressive for a long time but have never been to see anyone for a diagnosis as I find it is controllable with diet exercise and meditation. The test didn't really tell me much I hadn't already guessed, but it opened my eyes a little to how different my mentality is to most.
Screening Assessment: Severe Depression
Based on your responses to the 20 items that compose a standardized screening questionnaire for depression, you may be experiencing severe depression. Consult your doctor for a professional assessment of your symptoms. Depression is a relatively common condition that is often successfully treated. Your doctor will be able to evaluate your symptoms and help you develop a treatment plan. If you feel at any time that you may hurt yourself, call someone right away (e.g., 911, your doctor, or a crisis line in your area suicidehotlines.com) or go to the emergency room.
To be classified as having depression based on this screening questionnaire, a person needs to report experiencing several symptoms such as sadness, the blues, depressed mood, crying, poor appetite, difficulty concentrating, sleep problems, loss of energy, loneliness, fearfulness, and feelings of failure during at least some days in the past week. In contrast, people who are depressed are less likely to report feeling happy, feeling hopeful about the future, enjoying life and feeling as good as others during the preceding week. Your responses indicate that you are experiencing sufficient numbers of symptoms of depression to be screened as potentially having severe depression. As a screening test, this questionnaire cannot diagnose depression, but your responses suggest the possibility that you may be seriously depressed.
Results from the diagnostic Questions from the DSM-IV
The recommendation below is the result of your answers to the questions a physician would most likely use in an interview for diagnosing depression. They are taken from DSM IV-R, the most current consensus diagnostic document developed by a distinguished panel of psychiatrists that meets periodically to improve the accuracy of psychological diagnoses. These questions were added to the screening questionnaires to reduce the chances of a false positive test for depression, and to increase the information available for determining what form of depression is present.
If your pattern of responses to the questions suggests that you may be depressed, you can print a summary of your responses for discussion with your healthcare provider who can make a formal diagnosis of depression or other mood disorder.
Screening Assessment: Mania or Bipolar Disorder This survey cannot provide a medical diagnosis. However, based on your responses, it appears that you may have bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive syndrome).
Bipolar disorder is an illness involving depression and mania. You probably experience highs and lows in your mood. Bipolar disorder is best treated with medications and the assistance of highly trained healthcare professionals. Almost all people with bipolar disorder can experience relief from depressive symptoms and manic symptoms with proper care and treatment. Consult with a primary healthcare physician or psychiatrist as soon as possible to receive a formal diagnosis. If you do have bipolar disorder, your healthcare practitioner can outline the treatment options available to you. Note: Medications for bipolar disorder will not reach full effectiveness for at least 2 to 3 weeks.
While some self-care strategies may be helpful in treating bipolar disorder, it is unlikely that self-care approaches alone will be sufficient to treat this condition fully.
To be classified as having bipolar disorder you must have experienced at least a 1-week episode of manic symptoms, best described as feeling extraordinarily high, euphoric, or irritable. Additionally, you must have experienced 3 or more of these symptoms in conjunction with the elevated and expansivemanicmood: reduced need for sleep, talkativeness, racing flight of ideas, distractibility, excessive planning, feelings of grandiosity, or activities that feel good but carry a high risk of negative consequences. Finally, you must also have features of depression, unless you fall into a rare category and have had only one or two manic episodes without yet having experienced depression.
Warning: Use of psychoactive drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamine, can mimic or exaggerate manic episodes, and depressed mood is also a common experience after the initial drug effects have worn off.
You indicate that you are experiencing elevated or irritable mood plus additional symptoms that may accompany elevated mood. The following table presents your responses to the items that describe the symptoms of bipolar disorder for the information that you provided. Another table below shows your responses that describe your symptoms during the depressive phase of your illness. Print this summary and the accompanying tables for discussion with your healthcare practitioner.
depression, you must have 1 or both of the symptoms marked with an asterisk.
The following recommendation(s) address circumstances that may be compounding your depression.
Recent Heavy Use of Alcohol or Drugs
You indicate recent use of alcohol and/or drugs. Substance abuse may be related to symptoms of depressed mood.
Screening Assessment: Severe Depression
Based on your responses to the 20 items that compose a standardized screening questionnaire for depression, you may be experiencing severe depression. Consult your doctor for a professional assessment of your symptoms. Depression is a relatively common condition that is often successfully treated. Your doctor will be able to evaluate your symptoms and help you develop a treatment plan. If you feel at any time that you may hurt yourself, call someone right away (e.g., 911, your doctor, or a crisis line in your area suicidehotlines.com) or go to the emergency room.
To be classified as having depression based on this screening questionnaire, a person needs to report experiencing several symptoms such as sadness, the blues, depressed mood, crying, poor appetite, difficulty concentrating, sleep problems, loss of energy, loneliness, fearfulness, and feelings of failure during at least some days in the past week. In contrast, people who are depressed are less likely to report feeling happy, feeling hopeful about the future, enjoying life and feeling as good as others during the preceding week. Your responses indicate that you are experiencing sufficient numbers of symptoms of depression to be screened as potentially having severe depression. As a screening test, this questionnaire cannot diagnose depression, but your responses suggest the possibility that you may be seriously depressed.
Results from the diagnostic Questions from the DSM-IV
If your pattern of responses to the questions suggests that you may be depressed, you can print a summary of your responses for discussion with your healthcare provider who can make a formal diagnosis of depression or other mood disorder.
Screening Assessment: Mania or Bipolar Disorder This survey cannot provide a medical diagnosis. However, based on your responses, it appears that you may have bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive syndrome).
Bipolar disorder is an illness involving depression and mania. You probably experience highs and lows in your mood. Bipolar disorder is best treated with medications and the assistance of highly trained healthcare professionals. Almost all people with bipolar disorder can experience relief from depressive symptoms and manic symptoms with proper care and treatment. Consult with a primary healthcare physician or psychiatrist as soon as possible to receive a formal diagnosis. If you do have bipolar disorder, your healthcare practitioner can outline the treatment options available to you. Note: Medications for bipolar disorder will not reach full effectiveness for at least 2 to 3 weeks.
While some self-care strategies may be helpful in treating bipolar disorder, it is unlikely that self-care approaches alone will be sufficient to treat this condition fully.
To be classified as having bipolar disorder you must have experienced at least a 1-week episode of manic symptoms, best described as feeling extraordinarily high, euphoric, or irritable. Additionally, you must have experienced 3 or more of these symptoms in conjunction with the elevated and expansivemanicmood: reduced need for sleep, talkativeness, racing flight of ideas, distractibility, excessive planning, feelings of grandiosity, or activities that feel good but carry a high risk of negative consequences. Finally, you must also have features of depression, unless you fall into a rare category and have had only one or two manic episodes without yet having experienced depression.
Warning: Use of psychoactive drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamine, can mimic or exaggerate manic episodes, and depressed mood is also a common experience after the initial drug effects have worn off.
You indicate that you are experiencing elevated or irritable mood plus additional symptoms that may accompany elevated mood. The following table presents your responses to the items that describe the symptoms of bipolar disorder for the information that you provided. Another table below shows your responses that describe your symptoms during the depressive phase of your illness. Print this summary and the accompanying tables for discussion with your healthcare practitioner.
depression, you must have 1 or both of the symptoms marked with an asterisk.
The following recommendation(s) address circumstances that may be compounding your depression.
Recent Heavy Use of Alcohol or Drugs
You indicate recent use of alcohol and/or drugs. Substance abuse may be related to symptoms of depressed mood.