Introduction
This article discusses about free test for depression on internet. It highlights the importance of depression and provides links to diagnose the condition at one’s convenience.
What is Depression?
The word “depression” is used to describe a range of emotional states that have a variety of causes, from traumatic life events such as bereavement, loss of job or death of a loved one through to genetics, hormonal imbalances and biochemical abnormalities in the brain. Symptoms may vary from person to person but can include persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness; lack of energy; difficulty concentrating; disturbed sleep patterns with either too much or too little sleep; low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts among others.
Depression is also known as Major Depressive Disorder, a diagnosis in DSM-IV. It is the most common of the depressive disorders because it affects one in six people at some stage in their lives. The risk or amount of reduction or improvement depends on many factors including age, gender, personality traits and family history.
How do You Know if You Have Depression?
The symptoms of depression are very similar to those seen in other mental disorders and can be difficult to distinguish from them. Users should only be referred to a doctor if they are experiencing symptoms of major depression such as:
Persistent sadness, anxiety and/or boredom
- Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism about the future
- Persistent feelings of guilt and worthlessness
- Withdrawal from usual activities and interests such as work, school or social life
- Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day that doesn’t improve with rest or change in lifestyle.
- Feelings of agitation, irritability and excessive anger, even over small matters (also known as psychomotor agitation) or sluggishness (psychomotor retardation) nearly every day.
– Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions almost every day.
– Unexplained aches or pains — frequent headaches, stomachaches or soreness
– Frequent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), suicide, or attempting suicide
- Changes in appetite — significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, unrelated to exercise
A common misconception about depression is that it’s a condition that can be controlled and/or treated by willpower. This is both untrue and detrimental as it will lead to a poor prognosis and a longer recovery period.
How do You Know if You Have a Mental Illness?
A mental illness is not just a simple label to stick on someone who isn’t feeling well. It should not be viewed as a diagnosis. It should instead be seen as an integral part of your overall illness. Depression, anxiety and schizophrenia are all related and have in common many of the same symptoms (though not always). Knowing about your symptoms and assessing how you feel about them is vital for any person with a mental illness, whether or not they have been diagnosed. These symptoms can help people to understand the nature of their condition and learn potential coping strategies.
The following symptoms are common to all mental illnesses and should set off a warning bell if they occur in your day-to-day life:
A feeling of being “on edge” or “on the lookout” for anything that might go wrong. This is called hypervigilance.
• Feeling like the world is an unsafe place and having fears, such as thinking that you might die or be hurt. This is called anxiety.
• Thoughts continually racing and not being able to concentrate fully, which is called intrusive.
• Obsessively doing things over, and over again. This is called perseveration.