Who can diagnose depression?

Only mental-health specialist like a doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist can properly diagnose depression. Here's what to do if you or someone you know may be affected.
Consulting family members, close friends or researching the Internet can be the worst mistake you make if you want to find out if you suffer from depression or not.

The internet can be a useful tool if you want to get an idea of your symptoms, though it is never a replacement for a qualified diagnosis. Some of the symptoms may be:

• Depressed mood;
• Change in appetite (increase or decrease) that may be accompanied by a significant weight loss or weight gain;
• Sleep disorders (you sleep a lot but never feel rested or suffer from insomnia and feel easily agitated);
• Suicidal thoughts or thoughts that life is not worth living.

It's important to note that having the above mentioned symptoms doesn't constitute an accurate diagnosis. If you have these symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor or at a medical clinic as soon as you can. If depression is left untreated, it often worsens and can quickly affect your day to day activities.

Doctors, psychologists or psychiatrists can accurately determine the severity of your depression (if this is the case) by discussing your situation with you in depth.

Often, a blood test will be done to rule out any other possible physical issues that might be contributing to your symptoms. The doctor will ask you many questions about your condition. Don’t hesitate to be completely forthcoming about events that could be triggers, unusual changes in behaviour, etc. Marking them down to remember later as they occur can help.

If you aren’t completely truthful or withhold information, the doctor might not be able to give you an accurate diagnosis.

Don’t worry if you are referred to a psychiatrist as they aren’t there to tell you that you are unbalanced, it’s actually quite the contrary. Psychiatrists are qualified to dig deeper to identify and evaluate underlying disorders that a doctor (GP) cannot determine in an initial consultation.

To help you recover, seeing a psychologist or social worker is often recommended. They can provide significant support.

Depression is treated with the use of antidepressants. Don't worry, you aren’t alone in your suffering and there is a light at the end of your tunnel. Depending on the individual, some antidepressant medications may cause more unpleasant side effects than others. Be sure your doctor carefully explains these to you before you begin a prescription.

You might have to try more than one drug as part of your treatment. The effects of these drugs aren’t usually felt immediately, so you’ll have to be patient and wait 2-4 weeks before the expecting an improvement.

Common side-effects like dizziness, nausea, headache or dry mouth, often tempt people to stop taking their medication at beginning of treatment. These side effects usually fade quickly. However, if they continue, contact your doctor promptly for guidance.