a chemical imbalance in your body may also increase your risk of developing depression.
How Depression Is Diagnosed
Diagnosing depression requires a physical examination, a psychiatric evaluation, and several lab tests. The tests are necessary to ensure that a physical condition isn’t the cause of your depression. They will also help your doctor determine if depression is a symptom of a more complicated mental disorder such as bipolar disorder, cyclothymic disorder, or disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.
If you’re diagnosed with depression, the doctor will also want to narrow your condition down to one or more of eight possible specifiers. These specifiers help pinpoint specific characteristics of your depression and include anxious distress, psychotic features, catatonia, and melancholic features.
Michelle Williams: “Depression Felt Like A Slow Crumble”
Treatment Options For Depression
Once you have a diagnosis, confirming an effective treatment program will be the next step. In most cases, this will start with finding out which medications work best for you.
There is a wide variety of antidepressant drugs but they typically fall into one of the following categories: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). You may also get prescribed antipsychotics or anti-anxiety medications depending on your symptoms.
Psychotherapy can also be an integral part of your treatment as you’ll talk to a mental health professional about living with the condition.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), in particular, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of depression as it focuses on recognizing negative thinking so you can change it.
Studies show that Blacks are just as likely to experience depression as other ethnicities. However, they don’t seek help readily or necessarily get the treatment they need. If you’re feeling any of the symptoms of depression, it’s a good idea to take Michelle Williams’ advice and let someone know that you need help.