Diagnosis of Depression

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If you think you have depression you should visit your GP. Your GP may do a physical check and do some blood or urine tests to rule out other conditions.

There are no clinical tests for depression so detailed interviews and questionnaires are used in the diagnosis.

There are many different questionnaires used to measure depression. However two classifications of mental illness are most widely used. The first, developed by the American Psychiatric Association, is called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). The second, developed by the World Health Organisation, is called the International Classification of Diseases - Part 10 (ICD10).

Using one of these guidelines, it is usually possible for your GP to diagnose depression, decide which type of depression you are experiencing and to rule out another mental conditions.