Meet Will
After several separate episodes of depression and anxiety starting when his parents split up, part time postgraduate student Will has learnt to accept his depression as a part of him that he needs to learn to live with and manage.. more >>
Clinical or medical diagnoses of mental health problems, including depression, are based on descriptive models listing agreed symptoms. Levels of severity are graded according to the numbers of symptoms and length of time in which they have manifested themselves.
In the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) model used by the World Health Organisation there are several diagnoses listed under 'mood or affective disorders' (an 'affective' disorder means a disorder of the emotions). These include:
Most of these diagnoses have several sub-categories, and are graded either mild, moderate or severe. Another commonly used diagnostic system in the UK is the American DSM-IV system, which has slightly different categories.
The point of making a clinical diagnosis of illness is to choose the appropriate treatment. However, the latest UK guidelines* admit that 'depression' is a very broad diagnostic category. This gives the diagnosis limited validity, on its own, as a basis for effective treatment plans. The guidelines emphasise the need to take into account wider biological, social and psychological factors relevant to each individual when planning treatment.
This means it is unlikely to be useful to try to precisely 'self-diagnose'. Diagnosis of a specific mood disorder is best carried out by a suitably qualified mental health professional.
Understanding and attending to the warning signs, learning more about depression and its dangers, and identifying the unique ways in which depression may be affecting you personally may help you to assess the best course of action to tackle depression and get help. Click here for a personal survey checklist to assess how depression may be affecting you.
