We all feel sad and under the weather from time to time and we all have those periods during which we lose interest in the things that have previously excited us.
You simply cannot be joyful and happy all the time, since that’s not how life works.
And, yet, if feelings like those persist, it’s perfectly normal for you, or the people around you, to get worried about your mental health and to do everything in order to improve said health.
If you are worried that you, or some people close to you, are suffering from depression, then you should do your best to check if that’s correct.
This means that you should learn how to identify it and then check what needs to be one in order for the disorder to be diagnosed, as well as treated.
Click this to get a better idea about the disorder in general, as that will help you understand it much better, which is the first step towards getting properly treated.
As you might know by now, depression can affect children and adolescents as well as adults, meaning that you shouldn’t restrict this disorder to a certain age, as that cannot be done.
This is a mood disorder that consists of persistent and constant sadness, as well as a huge loss of interest.
You shouldn’t confuse it with those mood swings and fluctuations that everyone experiences at a certain point in their lives, since this is an ongoing disorder, and definitely not a passing and fleeting one.
How To Identify It
If you have doubts that someone you know is suffering from depression, or if you feel that way about yourself for that matter, you should take some time to think about what that particular person is experiencing and feeling, and then try to identify the signs that could indicate this disorder.
Now, identifying these signs will be much easier if you are trying to spot them in yourself, since not everyone will be ready to openly talk about their gloomy and overwhelming feelings.
Yet, if a person wants to talk to you about this, I would advise you to be a good listener and stay focused on identifying those signs of depression.
People usually assume that a depressed person will constantly look sad, but that is certainly not the case.
There are some other signs that you should be on the lookout for, since faking a smile, or even genuinely smiling from time to time is not that difficult even if someone is suffering from this disorder.
So, you will need to identify the disorder by focusing on certain other signs, some of which might be pretty evident and some of which could be rather subtle.
Read more about the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder: https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/understanding-depression-treatment
Some of the signs you should be on the lookout for include loss of interest in those activities that were previously enjoyed, constant fatigue and changes in appetite that can lead to unintentional weight gain or loss, agitation, slow-paced movements and speech, as well as too much or too little sleep.
Those are some of the more subtle signs that can indicate depression.
If you find that a person is constantly having feelings of misplaced guilt, as well as recurrent suicide thoughts, then you should definitely take things even more seriously, as those are clear signs of depression.
How Is It Diagnosed
Even though there are signs people can be on the lookout for, it is not uncommon for this disorder to be misdiagnosed or taken for granted, which is certainly not good for people’s mental health in general.
In fact, misdiagnosing the disorder and leaving it untreated can be life-threatening.
That is why finding proper diagnosis methods and using them is of utmost importance.
Of course, this is something you cannot do on your own, meaning that you will need to get professional help.
Whenever someone is not feeling okay, the first thing they should do is visit their physician.
If you thought that these professionals are not properly skilled and equipped to diagnose depression, then you were definitely wrong.
Sure, they will refer you to a mental health professional if they find that you are suffering from this disorder, but the truth is that they are much better at noticing the signs and basically diagnosing the disorder than the laymen around you.
That is why checking in with your physician regarding the symptoms you are having is certainly of extreme importance.
In addition to having a conversation with you in order to check for symptoms, these professionals can also decide that you might need to take a certain test to diagnose depression and to get a better chance at treating it with proper medication.
Not every person reacts the same way to every single type of medication, meaning that it might take a while for you to find the meds that actually suit you.
Once again, though, you won’t be doing that alone, since you’ll have a physician and a psychiatrist on your side.
The physician will always refer you to these mental health professionals if he or she finds that you might be suffering from depression.
How Is It Treated
Apart from wanting to know how this disorder is diagnosed, you are probably also interested in figuring out how it can be treated.
Let me start by saying that the disorder is completely treatable.
The treatment process usually consists of two important things, i.e. psychotherapy and medications.
Of course, it is important for you to also receive support from the people close to you, but the two factors mentioned above will play a major role in the treatment process.
So, if you are diagnosed with depression, make sure to find a psychotherapist that can help you work through the issues, and don’t ignore the medications that you’ve been prescribed.
On the other hand, if one of your loved ones is diagnosed with this disorder, try to provide them with the support they need.
As explained, depression is treatable. You just need to work on it.