Do you feel tired and sad most of the time?   Have you almost completely lost interest in what used to be a lot of fun?   Have persistent negative emotions reduced your capacity to concentrate and think clearly?   Have your appetite and your sleeping patterns been affected?   Do you often feel incompetent, inferior, unloved?   Have you thought about hurting yourself?

How Depressed are You?

If you are concerned about depression in yourself or another person, this page may help. It is designed to be something of a quick "one - stop - web - service"  for initial direction concerning treating depression.

It is not, and is not intended to be an adequate substitute for face to face testing, evaluation, and treatment planning by a licensed mental health professional. But, this page was put together by mental health professionals and may prove to be an important first step in the healing and recovery process.   Its primary purpose is educational - in the best and deepest sense of that word.

The three sections of this page will: 1. help you assess your current level of depression, 2. give you some idea of how your score compares to the scores of others, and 3. provide you with some initial treatment recommendations. Together, we call these our research-driven / clinically-tested "depression busters."

Take the short, self-scoring psychometric test below. It produces much of the same information and implied recommendations as the best known, well-validated tests for depression. It closely follows the criteria for depression listed in the DSM IV. After taking the test, press the "Calculate Your Score" button. You will then be able to see your score in context, and review the treatment recommendations. To help achieve accurate scoring, check only one response for each test item listed below.

If you would prefer to take the test on a secure website, click on the "Secure Test Site" link in the menu to the left. An earlier version of this same page (without the sidebar and the counter) will come up. At the bottom of that page, a link is provided to bring you back to this server/website. If testing on a Secure Test Site is not important to you, then just proceed with the short test below.

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Symptom Test for Depression

© Stephen H. Farra, PhD, LP, 2005. All rights reserved.

	Test Items:   Can you identify with these statements?   Under each statement check the ONE response that best describes your recent experience (recent experience = last several weeks).	Response Value
	1. I have lost my appetite. I do not feel like eating.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	2. I have felt that everything I do takes a great deal of effort.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	3. I feel inferior to other people.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes; once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	4. I have felt very down and distressed, even after help from friends and family.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	5. I have been very upset by events that usually do not bother me.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	6. I find myself over-eating, compulsively. I cannot seem to back off and eat moderately, even when I try to set limits.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	7. I have felt so "down" that I have wondered whether life itself is worthwhile any more.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	8. I have had a difficult time concentrating; I can't seem to focus my mind or remember things.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	9. I have felt fearful and anxious.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	10. I have considered my own life a failure.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	11. Feeling empty and miserable, I have not been happy.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	12. I have slept very poorly (difficulty getting to sleep, staying asleep, or sleeping in a light, shallow, fitful manner).	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	13. I have felt most people simply do not like me.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	14. I have felt hopeless about my own future.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	15. I have refrained from talking openly, even to my best friends.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	16. I have thought seriously about suicide.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	17. I have felt many, maybe even most of the people around me are harsh or unfriendly.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	18. I have lost my natural interest in sex.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	19. I cannot seem to get enough sleep. Even after ten or more hours of deep sleep, I still feel exhausted, and want to go back to bed.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	20. I have had long and/or uncontrollable crying spells.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	21. I have felt isolated and all alone.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	22. I have been unhappy with my grooming and appearance.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	23. I have felt guilty and been very disappointed by my own behavior.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	24. In the morning, my energy level has been low. I have trouble getting started.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	25. I have felt overwhelmed by sadness.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3
	26. I fear I am losing my ability to work productively.	**
	A. Never or very rarely.	0
	B. Sometimes, once in a while.	1
	C. Often.	2
	D. Almost all the time.	3

The highest possible score on this test is a total of 78 (a "3" rating on all 26 questions). Any score over 60 is not likely to be accurate. If it is accurate, the person would almost certainly find himself or herself experiencing a crushing, devastating depression.

On the scale below, you can see what your score indicates:

0-17:   Little or no indication of depression at this time. You are most likely feeling reasonably happy and healthy, and are continuing to enjoy life. If symptoms increase, however, an evaluation for depression by a mental health professional might be in order.

18-25:   Results suggest a mild depression may be present. Symptoms should be monitored closely and carefully. If there is any increase in the symptoms of depression, or if the ones aleady present begin to interfere with normal living, an evaluation by a mental health professional should be considered.

26-35:   Results indicate a moderate depression. An evaluation and possible treatment by a licensed professional is in order. As symptom scores increase, there is a greater and greater likelihood that the symptoms of depression will noticeably interfere with daily work and living.

36 and above:   Clear indication of depression, and the depression may be severe. Professional evaluation and treatment in your town or city should be sought. Test results indicate the symptoms of depression are interfering with daily work and living, and probably in a dramatic manner.

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If not treated, depression is often dangerous and debilitating (depression is the leading cause of disability, and one of the leading causes of premature death, worldwide). Depression, however, is often quickly identified and readily treated by mental health professionals. With professional evaluation and treatment, the prognosis is usually good. More than 80% of those seeking help for depression respond positively to the treatments. Yet, sadly, only about a third of those suffering from depression seek professional assistance.

In any given year, almost 10% of the U.S. adult population will fully meet criteria for unipolar major depression (experience the symptoms of true "clinical depression"). Across a lifetime, 10-12% of all men, and 20-25% of all women will experience the symptoms of clinical depression. These statistics indicate a personal and social problem of staggering proportions. The costs in terms of personal and family distress are very great, on top of the enormous economic impact of lost workdays, wages, and productivity.


Treatment Options / Recommendations:

After the mental health professional empathetically listens to the suffering individual's personal and social history (this often helps to establish a high level of emotional and spiritual "rapport"), successful treatments usually include the following:

1. Cognitive-behavioral therapy -- this helps to correct faulty thinking patterns and reduce or eliminate recurrent self-defeating behaviors; clients are taught to respond differently -- more rationally, more effectively -- to the challenges in their lives.
2. Encouragement to engage in regular physical exercise -- this helps to improve circulation to the brain, oxygenate the cells, release endorphins, and psychologically to re-establish a sense of personal control and competence.
3. Personal schedule review and time-use modification -- this helps to get the person's life back in line with his or her personal values, at least in terms of the investment of his or her time.
4. Possibly a prescription for a serotonin and/or norepinephrine-targeted medication -- these are the two neurotransmitters most often significantly depleted when someone is experiencing a severe depression.

In the experience of some individuals the herbal supplement, St. John's Wort (hypericum), appears to offer relief from depression by increasing the supply of serotonin into the synaptic cleft.

Research also indicates that finding ways to improve your relationships with friends and family members, developing and maintaining your spiritual life and walk, and even interacting with affectionate pets all help to keep depression at bay.

These means and methods, particularly when combined in the safest and best ways, often prove to be a powerful force for good. Together, we call them our research-driven / clinically-tested "depression busters."

Two important side notes: 1. Bipolar Disorder (formerly called Manic Depression), while often mistaken for unipolar major depression, is a very different disease/disorder, and it needs to be treated with very different medications and managed in a very different way.   2.  St. John's Wort should NOT be taken concurrently with prescription anti-depressants, unless directly ordered and monitored by a physician with considerable experience in psychotropic medications and their potentially dangerous interactions.

Electronic testing and treatment recommendations are most useful for general educational purposes. E-testing and follow-up suggestions are not an adequate substitute for face to face testing, evaluation, and treatment planning by a licensed professional. If your emotional pain/depression is severe or recurrent, we encourage you to seek out a licensed professional in your area.

A mental health professional can help you put together a treatment program. As you work your program, you can start getting well -- today.