Am I depressed?

Depression is a serious mental health illness that makes people feel very sad and uninterested in things they used to enjoy. It's not just having a bad day - it's feeling down almost all the time for weeks or months, making it hard to do everyday things. About 3 in 10 adults have had depression at some point in their lives. It can affect anyone, no matter how old they are or where they come from. When someone has depression, they might: Feel sad or irritable most of the time Not want to do fun activities anymore Eat a lot more or less than usual Have trouble sleeping or sleep too much Feel really tired all the time Think they're worthless or feel very guilty Have a hard time focusing or making decisions Think about death or hurting themselves Depression is more than just feeling sad. Depression can be treated, usually with therapy, medication, or both. But first depression must be recognized. If you think you might have depression, it's important to talk to a doctor or counselor who can help.

If you're feeling down a lot and think you might have depression, it's a good idea to check out some simple questions that can help you figure out what's going on. These questions are like a quick health check for your mood. There are also some easy-to-use tools online called depression calculators. They're not for diagnosing you, but they can give you a heads up if you might need to talk to a doctor. You can also use the calculators over time to see if you're getting better or if things are getting worse. This can be really helpful if you start treatment, as you can see if it's working for you.

The PHQ-9 is a quick quiz that helps check if you might be feeling depressed. It's just 9 questions long, and you can usually finish it in a few minutes. You'll read 9 statements about how you've been feeling over the past two weeks. For each one, you pick how often you've felt that way - from "not at all" to "nearly every day." The questions ask about things like: Feeling down or hopeless Having little interest in doing things Trouble sleeping Feeling tired Changes in appetite Feeling bad about yourself Trouble concentrating Moving or speaking slowly, or the opposite - being fidgety Thoughts of hurting yourself Each of the 9 questions is scored from 0 to 3 based on your response. 0 = Not at all 1 = Several days 2 = More than half the days 3 = Nearly every day After you answer all 9 questions, you add up your score. The total score is calculated by adding up the scores for all 9 questions, ranging from 0 to 27. The higher the score, the more likely it is that you might be dealing with depression.

The total score indicates depression severity: 0-4: Minimal or no depression 5-9: Mild depression 10-14: Moderate depression 15-19: Moderately severe depression 20-27: Severe depression A diagnosis of major depressive disorder should be considered if: Five or more symptoms are present for at least "more than half the days" One of those symptoms is depressed mood or loss of interest Other depressive disorder should be considered if: 2-4 symptoms are present for at least "more than half the days" One of those symptoms is depressed mood or loss of interest The last question about thoughts of self-harm counts if present at all, regardless of frequency. An additional question asks about how difficult these problems have made daily functioning. This is not scored but provides clinical information.

Talk to your doctor. They can do a more thorough evaluation and recommend treatment options if needed. Consider seeing a mental health professional. A psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist who specializes in mental health can provide a proper diagnosis and develop a treatment plan tailored to you. Don't ignore the symptoms. Depression is a real medical condition that often requires treatment. Taking action early can help prevent symptoms from worsening. Learn more about depression. Educate yourself about the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for depression from reputable sources. Reach out for support. Talk to trusted friends or family members about how you're feeling. Consider joining a support group for people with depression. Take care of your physical health. Try to eat well, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs, which can worsen depression symptoms. Explore self-help strategies. Things like mindfulness, meditation, journaling, or relaxation techniques may help manage milder symptoms. Be patient with yourself. Recovery from depression takes time. Don't expect instant results, but know that with proper treatment, most people do get better.