Depression Test

Depression is a commonly used term in our daily lives. We say it quite easily to indicate that we are feeling extremely sad, morose, troubled and/or bland. But depression is not merely a 'mood' - like having the blues. Every person feels sad from time to time, but depression is when one feels like that at all times for prolonged periods of time - it is a psychological disorder. It is not physical and therefore, it cannot be seen as a hurt or wound. But there you are wrong. You can identify depression. Depression leaves some telltale signs in its wake, that if carefully studied, will help you identify whether a person is suffering from depression or not. A depression test is used for identifying these depression symptoms. Let us give you a few examples of depression tests, see how they work and also learn about some of the types of questions that are used for depression testing.

Depression Test - Explained

A depression test is designed to check if a person is going through depression - this is done by a set of carefully planned questions that need to be answered. After that, these tests are scored and depending on the scores, it is possible to determine whether a person is depressed or not and what type of depression is he/she suffering from. There are several types of depressions and there are several specialized depression tests that are used to measure depression.

Depression Test for Teenagers
It is said that 4% of teens in the USA suffer from yearly depression. Many of us might confuse depression for 'adolescence' when it comes to teens, because puberty is a confusing time for them where they go through severe mood swings (because of physical and mental changes). Here are some questions from a depression test that will help you determine whether your child is suffering from depression or not. This test can personally be taken by teens as well to determine whether they are simply feeling 'blue' or undergoing depression. Make sure that these symptoms have been constant and present for approximately 2-3 weeks.

• Do you feel sad and irritable at all times?
• Have you lost all interest in the activities you once enjoyed?
• Do you feel lethargic and experience a loss of energy at all times?
• Do you have difficulty concentrating?
• Do you have recurrent thoughts of committing suicide or death?
• Do you have difficulty sleeping?
• Have you noticed a significant change in your appetite or body weight?
• Do you feel worthless most of the time?
• Do you have unexplained guilt trips?
• Do you feel pent up anger and a tendency to overreact in situations?
• Do you cry often and for no apparent reason?
• Do you not feel like hanging out with friends?
• Do you feel like staying locked in the house at all times?
• Do you feel like being alone most of the time?
• Do you feel complacent and are overcome by a feeling that life has no meaning left?

If you answered yes to most of these questions then there is a high possibility that you might be depressed. If parents answered the test for their child and found 'yes' for most of the answers, then it is advised that you take immediate cognizance of the depression test and depression treatment should be administered immediately. You could take your child to a counselor who could try to find out what the problem is. Or if you can, try doing it yourself.

P.S. Please note that these are only some of the questions. For an actual test you will have to visit a psychologist/psychiatrist.

Manic Depression Test
Manic depression (Bipolar Depression) is another type of depression that can affect people of all age groups. It is a mental disorder that leaves a person suffering from diverse mood, energy and functioning ability shifts. These are experienced in alternating periods of extreme elevated moods (manic episodes) and severe depression. These periods can last for months even and then a person will jump back into depression.

A beck depression test is a specialized test that was developed to be used for calculating chronic and manic depression as well. Here are some of the questions that you can use to determine whether a person is suffering from manic depression. Again, these symptoms should have to be constant and present for at least a week.

• Do you have feelings of an inflated ego/self-esteem?
• Are you easily distracted?
• Have you noticed a decreased need for sleep?
• Have you found that you are more talkative than you usually are?
• Do you feel pressures to talk constantly?
• Do you get the feeling that your thoughts are 'racing'?
• Have you started to get excessively involved in pleasurable activities that could end up having some painful consequences? (Business investments, buying sprees, sexual indiscretions)
• Do you find a sudden leap in goal-directed activities like work, school or even in context of sex?

If you answered more than 3 questions in the affirmative, then it is an indication that you might be suffering from manic depression. This is a serious condition and the effects of this can be felt for a long time. So take immediate steps and visit a doctor at the earliest who might prescribe certain depression medications.

P.S. Please note that these are only some of the questions. For an actual depression test you will have to visit a psychologist/psychiatrist who will be able to guide you better.

On answering how to test depression, a depression test is the key. Make sure that you learn to identify these signs. They could be a life saver and prevent one from being lost in the world of depression. All the best!