Thread: Seeking a depression diagnosis

Originally Posted by Atmoscheer

To go ahead and prepare you, the first thing they are going to do is question your alcohol use and before they make any prescription, they're going to want you to basically stop drinking. They'll give you a whole lot of information about the effects of alcohol and alcohol abuse and, no matter how much you insist, they are going to claim you fit the clinical definition of an alcoholic. This is step 1 for any and all depression treatment (because alcohol is obviously a huge depressant.)

That's... not true. Or at least it's not true if the guy you're seeing isn't a quack.

Originally Posted by Atmoscheer

One of the big indicators of depression isn't the mood/psychological effects, its the actual physical effects. You haven't seemed to mention any of those, so it sounds more like you just need someone to talk to and validate the complexity of your self-image. A counselor is a good place to start.

But this is, though I would say "isn't just the mood/psychological effects."

I'm surprised that Atmosfear is being... compassionate. A little.

You might be mildly depressed, or you might be borderline, or you might be something else than "depressed," I guess.

I dunno if I should be telling you some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety, which are in the spoiler, in case you are going to start recognizing phantom "symptoms." So there's your fair warning

Spoiler

You're probably clearly depressed if you are lethargic, losing interest in things that normally interest you, withdrawing from others, having trouble getting out of bed in the morning, have a feeling of impending, and unavoidable doom that clouds your thoughts, among others.

But then there is also anxiety, which has its own host of physical and mental symptoms: a feeling of unreality or disconnection to your body, and physical manifestations of panic (heart palpitations, excess sweating, physical tremors, etc. Once my heart was palpitating so quickly I thought I was going into cardiac fibrillation and was about to call 911.), among others.

They're two different things, though they frequently accompany each other.

Probably the two most accurate self-assessments are the Burns Depression Checklist and the Burns Anxiety Checklist, though of course neither of them ever replaces consultation with a professional... and even then, professionals are sometimes full of shit. Sometimes.


Or maybe you're just feeling down because zee artistes must feel that, eh life, she iz la merde.

Originally Posted by gwahir

As an update, I saw my GP and described the qualities of these periods I have (dense and lasting periods of sadness/anguish and general low self-esteem; continuous fatigue no matter how I've slept; complete absense of appetite; non-suicidal but recurring thoughts of death, the feeling I'd rather not be alive; a feeling of intense cold despite putting on more clothes or a heater; inability to relate or communicate or take responsibility), and he agreed it was some kind of depressive illness. I've just had a blood test to rule out a thyroid problem (and lupus) and other unlikely things and he'll see me next week to discuss more in-depth.

Yeah that sounds like depression, and those sorts of blood tests are typically the first things done.