Why Taking A Depression Test Might Be A Helpful First Step Toward Feeling Better

Depression is a common but serious mental illness that’s estimated to affect almost 4% of the population worldwide. Taking an online screening test or quiz about your symptoms isn’t a substitute for the evaluation and diagnosis of a trained and licensed mental health care provider. However, these free tools can represent a first step toward seeking the professional support that a person experiencing mental health challenges may need. If difficult emotions or other symptoms are negatively impacting your life and functioning or causing you distress, an assessment specifically designed to screen for depressive disorders may help you decide what steps to take next. 

Key symptoms of depression

Symptoms of depression have the potential to cause significant distress and make daily functioning very difficult. They typically don’t resolve on their own, so getting familiar with the common signs so you know when to seek help can be important. 

The symptoms a person may experience as a result of some type of depressive disorder can vary depending on the specific disorder, any co-occurring conditions, and their overall health and circumstances. In general, however, common signs of an illness in this category include:

• Persistent feelings of sadness and/or guilt
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Feelings of hopelessness or the belief that your feelings will never improve
• Feelings of helplessness, or the belief that you cannot address your feelings independently
• Constantly feeling tired or fatigued
• Little energy for daily tasks
• Trouble concentrating 
• Little interest in activities previously enjoyed
• Significant changes in sleeping and/or eating patterns
• Thoughts of death or suicidal ideation

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviors, seek help immediately. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached 24/7 by dialing 988.

Common types of depression

There are a few different types of depression, categorized according to how they manifest and how severely they may impact the individual. Here are a few of the most common.

Major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is usually what people refer to when they talk about “depression” in general. Symptoms of MDD can be severe and may significantly impact a person's life. A diagnosis of MDD requires that at least five of the signs listed above be present persistently for two weeks or more. 

Persistent depressive disorder

Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is a fairly new categorization of depressive disorder that replaces the now-outdated term "dysthymia". Symptoms of PDD are usually similar to those of MDD and other depressive disorders, but they tend to be less severe and last for a longer time period. In fact, they must be present for at least two years before a diagnosis of PDD can be considered. Note, however, that you can and should still seek help as soon as you notice symptoms, even if you suspect you may have PDD and it has been less than two years.

Depressive disorders related to pregnancy

Symptoms of perinatal depressive disorders—or those that occur during or after pregnancy—are specifically related to the experience of childbirth and/or parenthood. They can affect birthing parents and their partners of any gender, and adoptive parents can also be at risk. One of the most common, specific diagnoses in this category is postpartum depression, which often manifests as mood swings, crying spells, anxiety, and other symptoms of depression as listed above.

Seasonal affective disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is characterized by symptoms of depression that come and go with the changing seasons. They usually begin in fall and decrease when spring begins, though the opposite pattern has also been known to occur.

How depression is diagnosed

To receive a clinical diagnosis of a depressive disorder, you’ll need to seek out an evaluation from a qualified professional such as a physician, psychologist, social worker, or therapist. It’s also increasingly common for primary care physicians to screen for common mental health conditions like depression and refer their patients to therapists, counselors, or psychologists for further evaluation if needed, so you could ask your doctor for resources as well.

A diagnosis of depression may be made based on the individual’s medical and mental health history, a clinical interview, and, sometimes, the administration of objective rating scales. Additional assessment instruments may also be used by a doctor to rule out other conditions. This is because some medical conditions—like hypothyroidism, for example—can cause depression symptoms and must usually be addressed by a medical professional first.

Treatment for depression

If you receive a diagnosis of depression, the clinician will then typically recommend a treatment plan they feel would be best for your unique situation. Psychotherapy is usually the first-line intervention for depressive disorders—typically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in particular, which focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In some cases, antidepressant medication may also be recommended in conjunction with therapy to help the individual manage their symptoms.

Finally, it’s worth noting that many healthcare providers recommend certain lifestyle changes for individuals with depression in addition to other prescribed treatment methods, which may increase their efficacy. Common examples include eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, practicing mindfulness, and engaging in good sleep hygiene.

Why taking a depression screening test may be helpful

Screening tools for mental health conditions are becoming more popular both in clinical settings and outside of them. First, as mentioned above, it’s becoming more common for medical doctors to screen their patients for mental health conditions and refer them to mental health care providers if necessary. These screenings in primary care settings have been associated with better outcomes for patients, including reducing the time it takes to seek help for a mental illness.

There’s also been an increase in recent years of the availability of online screening tools for mental health conditions. Although these tools are not intended to be a substitute for professional mental health care, evidence suggests that they can help people make decisions regarding their mental well-being—such as knowing when it may be time to seek the support of a licensed care provider.

Online screening tools can’t provide a clinical diagnosis of any mental health condition, and it’s not advisable to assume you meet the criteria for a diagnosis even if your screening result is positive. That said, these tools can help you understand your symptoms and may also increase the chances of you seeking help from a professional by validating your feelings, combating feelings of helplessness, and helping you understand how to voice your concerns to a provider.

If you want to take an online screening for depression, various options are available. For example, you can try Mental Health America’s Depression Test or a self-administered version of a screening tool commonly used in primary care settings. Both are free and can be taken from home and on your own time.

When to seek professional support

If your online screening results indicate that you may have depression, it’s generally recommended that you make an appointment with a qualified mental health care professional. Even if the screening results are negative, you can still connect with a provider for support with the mental health concerns you may be experiencing.

In most cases, you can choose between online or virtual therapy if you’re looking for help in addressing symptoms of a mental health condition. Online therapy in particular has grown increasingly common in recent years because it can help people avoid barriers to receiving traditional, in-person care, such as commuting time and expenses or a lack of provider availability nearby. People who are experiencing symptoms of depression like fatigue may also find it easier to attend sessions from the comfort of home.  

Online therapists who work through platforms like BetterHelp use the same evidence-based methods as their in-person counterparts. They are licensed and qualified to evaluate symptoms and administer certain interventions as needed, including robust psychotherapies like cognitive behavioral therapy. Research suggests that online therapy can be “at least as effective” in treating depression as in-person therapy in many cases.

Takeaway

Online screening tests for depression aren’t intended to be a replacement for seeking the support of a licensed mental health professional, whether in person or virtually. That said, they can represent a helpful first step in seeking care because they can validate a person’s symptoms and help them make the decision to move forward and connect with a trained mental health care provider.