Test for deep depression. Hidden depression symptoms test

Every person is from time to time susceptible to low mood, sad thoughts and memories, and a need for solitude.

Negative emotions, fatigue and temporary dissatisfaction are not yet a reason to contact a specialist.

But if the depressed state and fears are protracted, interfere with normal life and work, and have a detrimental effect on physical health, then there is every reason to consult a psychotherapist.

What kind of disease is this?

Clinical depression , otherwise major depressive disorder- an aggravated form of mental illness, which is accompanied by characteristic symptoms: depressed mood, desire for isolation from the outside world, feelings of guilt and powerlessness in a difficult situation, thoughts of suicide.

Society often underestimates the danger of clinical depression, considering it a manifestation of a capricious character, laziness, and the habit of “indulging personal weaknesses.”

Prolonged, systematically recurring symptoms require immediate medical attention.

People of different ages and social status are susceptible to depression, regardless of their type of activity and level of education.

ICD-10 code

Major depressive disorder is included in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), 10th revision.

Section No. 5 is called “Mental disorders and behavioral disorders”, coded F00-F99 and contains 11 blocks. The section classifies neurotic disorders, behavioral signs, and mental disorders.

Depression is on the list of mental illnesses with coding F30-F39. This subsection contains characteristics of diseases in which changes in a person’s emotions and moods lead him to a state of clinical depression.

Depressive disorder can be mild, moderate or severe. All 3 phases of the disease are coded F32 according to ICD-10.

Causes

Depressive disorder is not a consequence of bad upbringing or weak character. Mental illness has specific objective causes.

Factors causing clinical depression:

  1. Hormonal imbalance. A decrease in the level of neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine) - substances that transmit impulses between brain neurons, occurs due to prolonged stress, an unfavorable life situation, and unresolved problems.
  2. Cognitive reasons. Low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, complex behavior. Or, on the contrary, inflated self-esteem against the background of surrounding indifference.
  3. Hereditary disposition. Scientists have proven the influence of genetic continuity on the risk of mental illnesses and character traits that contribute to the development of clinical depression.
  4. Serious illnesses and injuries. Pain, loss of ability to work and social activity, and a long period of adaptation have a detrimental effect on the nervous system.
  5. Situational reasons occupy over 50% of all episodes of depression. These include: death of a loved one, domestic violence, unsatisfactory living conditions, lack of livelihood, inability to pay a loan, difficult divorce.
  6. Side effect potent medications.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms of depressive disorder are caused by disturbances in the transmission of impulse signals in the brain.

Clinical depression has physiological manifestations:

  • frequent headaches;
  • digestive disorders;
  • prolonged chest pain;
  • dizziness, nausea;
  • insomnia, or vice versa, the inability to get a full night's sleep, drowsiness and fatigue during the day;
  • sharp weight loss up to anorexia due to loss of appetite or weight gain due to the habit of “eating” stress.

Major depressive disorder can be diagnosed by doctors in cases of systematic, repeated repetition of one or more signs of the development of the disease.

Typical signs of the disease:

  1. Uncharacteristic behavior . The person becomes withdrawn, avoids social contacts, and reacts inadequately to current events.
  2. Lack of joy and interest in life, apathy . Decreased concentration.
  3. Unreasonable irritability and aggression . Dissatisfaction and anger at one’s fate, rejection of life’s circumstances.
  4. Low mood, obsessive thoughts about one’s own hopelessness and inadequacy. Feelings of guilt and worthlessness can lead to suicide attempts.
  5. Changes in psychomotor reactions . Some people have difficulty reacting to current events, while others become restless and overly impulsive in their behavior.

In women, depression is characterized by:

  • unstable emotional state, the desire to complain about fate and cry;
  • groundless suspicions of the husband’s infidelity, irritation with the spouse and children for any reason;
  • dissatisfaction with one's own appearance;
  • decreased or absent sexual desire.

In men, signs of clinical depression appear:

  • erectile dysfunction;
  • obsessive thoughts about the loss of one’s male attractiveness;
  • fears about not meeting social standards, about low social status in comparison with more successful colleagues, acquaintances and friends;
  • consumption of alcohol and drugs, gambling and extreme sports.

Test

Many thematic sites have been created on the Internet, where any interested reader can take a test online to identify a depressive state.

The American psychotherapist Aaron Beck's Depression Scale test is considered the most accurate and simplest. However, you should not rely 100% on the result and personally make a diagnosis, much less self-medicate.

The test serves hint- a high score indicates the need to visit a specialist in the near future.

Take the TEST

A.T. Depression Scale Beka

Instructions:

This questionnaire contains groups of statements.

Read each group of statements carefully. Then identify one statement in each group that best matches how you felt THIS WEEK AND TODAY.

Check the box next to the statement you selected. If several statements from one group seem equally good to you, then check the box next to each of them.

Before making your choice, make sure you read all the statements in each group. When finished, calculate the total points of the selected answers.

1 .

0 I don’t feel upset or sad.

1 I'm upset.

2 I'm upset all the time and can't switch off from it.

3 I'm so upset and unhappy that I can't stand it.

2 .

0 I am not worried about my future.

1 I feel confused about the future.

2 I feel that nothing awaits me in the future.

3 My future is hopeless and nothing can change for the better.

3 .

0 I don't feel like a failure.

1 I feel that I have failed more than other people.

2 When I look back at my life, I see many failures in it.

3 I feel that as a person I am a complete failure.

4 .

0 I get as much satisfaction from life as before.

1 I don't get as much satisfaction from life as I used to.

2 I no longer get satisfaction from anything.

3 I am completely dissatisfied with life, and I am tired of everything.

5 .

0 I don’t feel guilty about anything.

1 Quite often I feel guilty.

2 Most of the time I feel guilty.

3 I constantly feel guilty.

6 .

0 I don't feel like I can be punished for anything.

1 I feel that I might be punished.

2 I expect that I might be punished.

3 I feel already punished.

7 .

0 I was not disappointed in myself.

1 I was disappointed in myself.

2 I am disgusted with myself.

3 I hate myself.

8 .

0 I know that I am no worse than others.

1 I criticize myself for mistakes and weaknesses.

2 I blame myself all the time for my actions.

3 I blame myself for everything bad that happens.

9 .

0 I have never thought about committing suicide.

1 Thoughts of committing suicide come to me, but I will not carry them out.

2 I would like to commit suicide.

3 I would kill myself if the opportunity presented itself.

10 .

0 I don't cry more than usual.

1 Now I cry more often than before.

2 Now I cry all the time.

3 I used to be able to cry, but now I can’t, even if I want to.

11 .

0 Now I am no more irritable than usual.

1 I get irritated more easily than before.

2 Now I constantly feel irritated.

3 I became indifferent to things that used to irritate me.

12 .

0 I have not lost interest in other people.

1 I am less interested in other people than before.

2 I almost lost interest in other people.

3 I have completely lost interest in other people.

13 .

0 I put off making a decision sometimes, just like before.

1 I put off making decisions more often than before

2 I find it more difficult to make decisions than before.

3 I can no longer make decisions.

14 .

0 I don’t feel like I look any worse than usual.

1 I worry that I look old and unattractive.

2 I know that there have been significant changes in my appearance that make me unattractive.

3 I know I look ugly.

15 .

0 I can work as well as before.

1 I need to make an extra effort to start doing something.

2 I have difficulty forcing myself to do anything.

3 I can’t do any work at all.

16 .

0 I sleep as well as before.

1 I sleep worse now than before.

2 I wake up 1-2 hours earlier and find it difficult to fall back to sleep.

3 I wake up several hours earlier than usual and can no longer fall back to sleep.

17 .

0 I am no more tired than usual.

1 Now I get tired faster than before.

2 I get tired of almost everything I do.

3 I can't do anything because I'm tired.

18 .

0 My appetite is no worse than usual.

1 My appetite is worse than before.

2 My appetite is now much worse.

3 I have no appetite at all.

19 .

0 I have not lost weight recently or my weight loss has been insignificant.

1 Recently I have lost more than 2 kg.

2 I lost more than 5 kg.

3 I lost more than 7 kr.

I intentionally try to lose weight and eat less (check with a cross).YES_________ NO_________

20 .

0 I am no more worried about my health than usual.

1 I am worried about my physical health problems, such as pain, upset stomach, constipation, etc.

2 I am very worried about my physical condition and find it difficult to think about anything else.

3 I am so worried about my physical condition that I can’t think about anything else.

21 .

0 I haven't noticed a change in my interest in sex lately.

1 I am less interested in sex problems than before.

2 Now I am much less interested in sexual problems than before.

 3 I have completely lost sexual interest.

Data processing and interpretation

When interpreting the data, the total score for all categories is taken into account.

  • 0-9 – absence of depressive symptoms
  • 10-15 – mild depression (subdepression)
  • 16-19 – moderate depression
  • 20-29 – severe depression (moderate)
  • 30-63 – severe depression

A timely visit to a doctor will help to identify the presence of pathology, determine the severity and nature of the disease, and prescribe appropriate therapeutic or medicinal treatment.

Treatment

An important condition for the success of psychotherapeutic assistance is active wish the patient to overcome the disease.

Therapeutic treatment includes:

  • wellness massage;
  • long walks in the fresh air;
  • playing sports;
  • occupational therapy and art therapy (painting, embroidery, sculpture, wood burning and much more);
  • relaxation sessions, breathing practices, yoga.

The specifics of the method, how to treat and what to treat with, are determined strictly as prescribed and under the supervision of an experienced psychotherapist.

If the condition improves quickly, it is impossible on one's own stop taking medications and refuse to consult a specialist. Such actions will lead to further relapses and exacerbation of the disease.

What is used:

  1. eliminate the biochemical cause of the disease. They help stabilize mood, get rid of apathy and psychomotor retardation, and increase vitality.
  2. fight symptoms of depression: appetite and sleep disturbances, phobias, anxiety. They act gradually, can be addictive, there is a risk of overdose.
  3. stabilize brain activity, increase a person’s emotional state and physical activity.
  4. have a slowing effect on the central nervous system, inhibiting the transmission of brain impulses. It is used in cases of aggressive behavior of the patient, attempts to injure himself, hallucinations, and manifestations of suicidal tendencies.

The severity of symptoms of major depressive disorder is determined by the severity of the disease, the character traits and behavior of the patient.

Taking into account his condition, the doctor prescribes an individual treatment and rehabilitation program with subsequent observation until complete recovery.

With this test you can find out with a 100% guarantee whether you have depression. If it turns out that it does not exist, read the article at least so that you know how to convincingly simulate this illness if something happens.

Andrey Nevtonov

Attention. If you came here just for the test, you will find it below. But first, let’s talk a little about what depression is.

At all times, there were diseases with beautiful names, which were not so prestigious to be ill with - rather, it was fashionable to say that you have them, or to replace real ailments with them. As soon as you said “monstrous influenza” instead of “terrible snot”, those around you immediately began to respect you and your delicate organization.

Today, the disease that everyone talks about, often without understanding the original meaning of the name, has become. It’s customary to blame everything on her: impotence, missed emergency jobs, and reluctance to go to an alumni reunion. At the same time, few people know that depression is a very specific illness caused by such complex biochemical changes in the nervous system that an ordinary person cannot cause them even for money. It is actually quite difficult to contract depression, and what is considered to be depression is, as a rule, a depressive accentuation of the personality, a bad mood, or even ordinary hatred of people.

Do you want to know the whole truth about whether you have depression? You have two scenarios to choose from: either you go to a psychoanalyst, and he gives you a clinical test that is 100% guaranteed to diagnose depression; or you pass exactly the same clinical test that we took as a souvenir when we went to get checked ourselves.

Yes, and keep in mind: the causes of depression are usually very specific - prolonged mental stress, overwork, chronic brain injury, severe and long-term diseases of internal organs, surgical operations, lack of blood supply to the brain and congenital neurochemical disorders. If you don’t have and never had any of the above, then most likely there’s no need for any tests. Just stop pretending to be depressed and it will go away!

According to the international classification of diseases “ICD-10”, depression is not even one disease, but seven different ones. In the sense that it is divided into groups.

Due to the occurrence

Neurotic D., caused by internal conflict. Reactive D., which is a reaction to mental trauma. Endogenous D., which is generally easy to treat, since it has neurochemical causes.

According to the nature of the flow

Classic D. Hidden D.

By severity

Small D. Large D.

Of course, these types can be combined. For example, major depression can be both classical and reactive. But that's not all. Only for MAXIM readers! Having caught hidden depression, you get two more types of the disease as a gift!

Jokes aside. Hidden depression can be somatized (this is when, in addition to a bad mood, you are tormented by some physical ailment such as stomach disease or dystonia) or masked. In this case, you will have all the symptoms of another disease - for example, appendicitis. However, an autopsy will show that you didn't have it.

What illnesses does depression like to disguise itself as?

1. Abdominal syndrome

Pain, heaviness, bloating, cold or heat in the abdomen, nausea, loss of appetite. Of course, the culprit could really be expired mold on the cheese. However, depression often uses these symptoms to lead doctors down the wrong path. The condition of your stomach worsens in the morning, and by the afternoon you again begin to pick at the contents of your plate with a sad look, feeling relieved. Patients are admitted to hospitals with suspected acute appendicitis and cholecystitis, but surgical intervention does not bring relief.

2. Headache

A person cannot say where exactly it hurts. More often, the pain appears to him in the form of iron hoops squeezing the skull, or something that is crawling inside the head. The condition, as in the case of the stomach, worsens in the morning and goes away in the evening. Such patients are diagnosed with “migraine” or “vegetative-vascular dystonia”, and then they take useless painkillers for years.

3. Facial pain

Sly depression mimics trigeminal neuralgia (it runs from the ear to the eyebrow and lower jaw) and inflammation of the temporomandibular joint. Desperate patients ask dentists to remove their completely healthy teeth, which sometimes, by the way, brings temporary relief. The mask of depression also causes a surprisingly vivid sensation of roughness and hairiness of the tongue.

4. Cardialgia

Imitation of interruptions in the functioning of the heart, burning or cold behind the sternum. The results of the cardiogram do not correspond to the patient’s complaints, but out of pity the doctors prescribe him heart medications. They reduce pain, but do not remove it completely.

5. Arthralgia

You think that you have radiculitis, joint diseases and neuralgia. But the doctors, having looked at your x-ray, twist their finger at your temple. At the same time, your joints hurt not where they should be, but a few centimeters higher.

6. Insomnia

Depression without sleep disorders is like Fyodor Konyukhov without legs. Moreover, sometimes insomnia may be the only symptom of masked depression. In this case, you will wake up unrested, have breakfast with an aversion to food, and then arrive at work already tired and immediately turn to a cigarette or a cup of coffee. Peaks of activity are possible, but usually they occur at 10-12 o'clock in the morning, and at this time you are still sleeping, because in the evening, despite being tired, you could not sleep and tossed and turned all night. And so every day.

7. Phobias

You understand that there are no sharks in soup, and the majority of aliens do not want to kill you. But this does not help overcome groundless fear. However, exotic phobias are rarely characteristic of depression. More often it causes fear of death from cessation of breathing, panic attacks. The phobia usually intensifies at night and in the morning.

8. Sexual disorders

Weakening erection? Accelerated or, conversely, delayed ejaculation? Don't rush to bequeath your penis to science. Perhaps it is again a matter of depression. By the way, the famous “demon in the rib” (or, in scientific terms, the desire for increasingly strong sexual stimuli) is also a sign of depression, and usually the earliest one.

9. Drug addiction and alcoholism

Indulging in bad habits brings short-term relief. A hangover or withdrawal symptoms are accompanied by monstrously violent symptoms taken from the previous eight points.

Clinical test for depression

Instructions

There are 44 groups of statements in front of you. In each of them, choose one answer option that best describes how you feel. Remember, your task is not to win, but to find out the truth. Answer sincerely. To make it easier for you to do this, we didn’t even intrusively “make fun” of the answers, as we usually do.

Test

Depression

1/44

How to deal with depression

This part will be of interest primarily to people who have scored significant amounts in the test. If, according to the results, you do not have depression, you can read this block with detached schadenfreude. So, getting out of a sad state on your own can take months and even years, and even then only on condition that you protect yourself from stress - preferably with a monastery wall or grove of palm trees. It’s easier to see a doctor, because depression is treatable. In fact, it is a metabolic failure. Doctors will treat you not only with pills, but also with intimate conversations (the most unpleasant part). Without the simultaneous elimination of physiological and psychological factors, it is impossible to cure a person.

Your best friend for the next six months should be a psychotherapist. Experienced mental trauma, mental stress, quarrels with others and internal conflicts, difficult worries about one’s own health - all this can be the basis of depression. Treatment only with powerful pills (without psychotherapy), of course, helps, but after stopping the drugs, the disease can visit you again.

What will they give you?

Sometimes particularly skillful psychotherapists lift their unfortunate patients out of depression without medication at all. Alas, in some cases it is impossible to do without medication: an advanced disease destroys the brain so much that the balance of neurotransmitters is not restored on its own.

Antidepressants

The basis of any course of treatment. Side effects and doses may vary, but the drugs have one purpose - to eliminate the biochemical basis of depression.

Vitamins and biostimulants

And these useful pills will help you improve the supply of energy and other useful little things to your brain cells. Actually, these are not some secret substances, but the same vitamins that healthy people drink to increase stress resistance and immunity.

Tranquilizers

These powerful medications alone do not cure depression. But they struggle with its symptoms (and sometimes even succeed in this): melancholy, fear, bodily manifestations. Antidepressants do not have an immediate effect, so to make it more fun for you to wait for it, the doctor will probably prescribe you “trunks”.

Neuroleptics

In fact, these are ordinary sedatives, but they are so strong that they can drive even an elephant into a calm state, which has just lost all its relatives, both tusks and a share in the business. Neuroleptics reduce arousal and eliminate fears, remove the patient from a mental impasse and reduce the physical manifestations of masked depression.

However, it may not come to neuroleptics. Doctors usually start the course with a cocktail of antidepressants and biostimulants. And only if it doesn’t work, two other components are added.

Why might this not help?

Pills are almost useless if the psychotherapist has not eliminated the personal causes of depression - for example, he has not forced you to quit.

You have untreated thyroid disease, diabetes, hypertension and other illnesses that cause depression.

You stopped the course too early, overjoyed at the improvement. If you stop taking antidepressants before they have a lasting effect, depression will develop again.

Sometimes the disease returns a year or two after completing the course, because you stopped seeing a doctor and taking antidepressants for preventive purposes. And they give you the test again...

Sheehan Anxiety Scale

If the first test gives a negative result, proceed to the second. The Sheehan test will help you find out whether you have at least anxiety, a condition that precedes depression. If you don’t score enough points here, then, alas, you are a mentally healthy person who now only needs to come up with new excuses for your impotence and innate laziness.

Nervous exhaustion refers to a specific mental and emotional state that occurs as a result of stress and excessive stress. Typically, this condition can be both a sign of depression and its precursor. In essence, this is a weakening of the body, aggravated by intoxication, lack of rest, poor nutrition or some kind of disease.

The main symptom of the condition is endless fatigue. An exhausted person always wants to sleep, and any little thing throws him off balance and provokes a nervous breakdown. And if you don’t give yourself proper rest, exhaustion can lead to the most serious consequences, even a ruined life.

Nervous exhaustion - manifestations

The described phenomenon can develop as a result of strong and prolonged stress of both a psychological and mental nature. A person is simply unable to withstand them, which is why symptoms such as chronic fatigue, loss of performance, mental disorders, somatic and autonomic disorders arise.

All symptoms are divided into two types:

  • mental;
  • external.

Let's look at them in more detail.

These include overwork, in which various functional disorders are observed in the body. First of all, it negatively affects the nervous system.

External manifestations

They are more diverse, although in most cases they do not go beyond the characteristic categories.

Table. Main categories

NameShort description
First categoryThis includes weakness, drowsiness, irritability, although all this can be successfully suppressed with great willpower. But even in such cases, the main problem does not go away, even if the person looks balanced and calm, so emotional outbursts will manifest themselves even more strongly.
Second categoryIncludes the following symptoms: indifference, lethargy, permanent guilt, depression (we will talk about the latter separately, but a little later). A person’s thought processes and movements are inhibited. This type of exhaustion often attracts attention with a pronounced indifference to everything.
Third categoryLess commonly, this condition manifests itself in the form of severe agitation. A person feels euphoria, he is unbridled and talkative, his activity is active, but often meaningless. He feels quite normal, looks the same, but cannot objectively assess his capabilities and reality as a whole. That is why, when performing certain actions, a person makes mistakes that he would never have allowed himself to do before.

Note! In general, all signs are exclusively collective in nature, which consists of a combination of manifestations.

But, again, the main symptoms are problems with sleep and general fatigue.

  1. Sleep disturbance can hardly be considered a disease, since insomnia affects everyone. For many, sleep is disturbed due to nervous overstrain during the day and, characteristically, these emotions can be not only negative, but also positive. The main indicator is the intensity of the experience. We also note that insomnia can also occur during the daytime, i.e. during wakefulness, a person can fall asleep right at work. To normalize sleep, you need to learn to calm down and rest.

  2. Fatigue is a kind of defensive reaction to excessive consumption of the body's power reserves. Symptoms of fatigue include decreased performance, drowsiness, and a feeling of lethargy. Typically, excessive sleepiness may indicate serious illness. In order not to overwork your body, you need to carefully plan your rest and work schedule, and choose the optimal time for sleep.

Video – Nervous exhaustion

Symptoms of depression

Depression is a long-term disturbance of emotional balance that significantly impairs a person’s quality of life. It can develop as a reaction to bad events (such as someone’s death, job loss, etc.), but quite often it occurs without obvious reasons.

There are two important points to be aware of.

  1. Realizing your problem and talking about it means taking the first step towards recovery.
  2. Treating depression is a relatively simple procedure.

As for the typical signs of this condition, they include:

  • thoughts of suicide;
  • sadness, melancholy and anxiety;
  • excessive concern about one's health;
  • problems sleeping (a person may wake up very early);
  • migraines, back or heart pain;
  • loss of interest in food, work and sex;
  • weight loss/gain;
  • feelings of failure, hopelessness and guilt;
  • problems with concentration;
  • permanent fatigue.

It is quite difficult to recognize depression in representatives of the stronger sex. This is explained by the fact that, firstly, many people mistakenly believe that sharing their problems with someone is a sign of weakness, and secondly, men tend to hide a depressive state behind alcohol abuse and aggressiveness. In addition, a person can actively play sports, throw himself into work, or get carried away by gambling. And all these are clear signs of male depression.

So, the described state can be recognized by:

  • burnout syndrome;
  • instability to stress;
  • thoughts of death, suicide;

  • uncertainty in making a decision;
  • impulsive behavior;
  • hostility, aggressiveness;

  • alcohol abuse, alcoholism.

Depression in women


According to statistics, female depression is much more common than male depression. It is difficult to determine why this happens, although most psychiatrists (in particular, this is discussed in “Depression” written by V.L. Minutko) believe that gender is not a biological prerequisite for the disorder being described.

Minutko, V.L. "Depression"

And the cause of a large percentage of female depression is considered to be social preconditions present in any society. Women are more often exposed to stress and visit doctors more often, which, in fact, explains these statistics.

Note! Childhood depression occurs equally often, but already in adolescence, girls emerge as “leaders”.

Signs of depression and nervous exhaustion - test

Let's look at the two most popular tests to assess your mental state.

Depression Recognition Scale

Have there been any changes in your behavior in the last 30 days? And if there were, which ones exactly? Try to answer all questions as honestly as possible.

Table. How to recognize depression - rating scale

After answering all the questions, count the number of points you scored:

  • 0-13 – you apparently do not have depression;
  • 14-26 – primary symptoms of this condition are observed;
  • 27-39 – depression is pronounced, you should immediately consult a doctor.

This scale will help identify depression in record time. You must fill out the scale yourself by circling the required numbers in each of the points, and then add up the points.

Beck Depression Questionnaire

The test presented below was created by A. T. Beck back in 1961. This test includes several dozen statements, and you must choose from among the options the one that best characterizes your current state. You can choose two options at once.

0 – I don’t feel any frustration or sadness.

1 – I’m a little upset.

2 – I am constantly upset, I have no strength to overcome this condition.

3 – I’m so unhappy that I can’t stand it.

0 – I am not worried about my future.

1 – I am somewhat puzzled about my future.

2 – I think there is no point in expecting anything from the future.

3 – I don’t expect anything from the future, no changes will happen.

0 – I can hardly be called a failure.

1 – I have experienced more failures than my friends.

2 – There have been a lot of failures in my life.

3 – I am an exceptional and complete failure.

0 – I am as satisfied with my life as before.

1 – There is less pleasure in my life than before.

2 – Nothing satisfies me anymore.

3 – Dissatisfied with life, everything is already enough.

0 – I don’t think I’m guilty of anything.

1 – I often feel guilty.

2 – I often suffer from feelings of guilt.

3 – I always feel guilty.

0 – It’s unlikely that I need to be punished for anything.

1 – I may probably be punished.

2 – Waiting to be punished.

3 – I guess I’ve already been punished.

0 – I am not disappointed in myself.

1 – Disappointed in myself.

2 – I’m disgusted with myself.

3 – I hate myself.

0 – I’m definitely no worse than others.

1 – I often engage in self-flagellation for weakness and mistakes I have made.

2 – I constantly blame myself for my own actions.

3 – All the negative things that happen to me are my fault.

0 – I have not had any thoughts of suicide.

1 – Sometimes I want to commit suicide, but I won’t do it.

2 – I wanted to commit suicide.

3 – I would commit suicide if I had the opportunity.

0 – I cry as often as before.

1 – I cry more often.

2 – I cry constantly.

3 – I cried before, but now I can’t even with a strong desire.

0 – I am as irritable as ever.

1 – For some reason I get irritated more often.

2 – Irritability is my normal state.

3 – Everything that caused irritation is now indifferent.

0 – Sometimes I delay making decisions.

1 – I put off acceptance more often than before.

2 – It became difficult for me to make any decisions.

3 – I can’t make a single decision.

0 – I am still interested in others.

1 – I’m a little less interested in them.

2 – I am practically not interested in anyone except myself.

3 – I have no interest in others.

0 – I look the same as before.

1 – I am becoming old and unattractive.

2 – My appearance has changed significantly, I am no longer attractive.

3 – My appearance is simply disgusting.

0 – I work no worse than before.

1 – I have to make extra efforts.

2 – With great difficulty I force myself to perform this or that action.

3 – I can’t do anything.

0 – My sleep is still fine.

1 – I’ve been sleeping a little worse lately.

2 – I started waking up earlier, after which I have difficulty falling asleep.

3 – I started waking up earlier, after which I can no longer sleep.

0 – I’m just as tired as before.

1 – I noticed that fatigue comes faster.

2 – I get tired of everything, no matter what I do.

3 – Unable to do anything, and fatigue is to blame.

0 – My appetite has not worsened at all.

1 – He has deteriorated a little.

2 – He has deteriorated very much.

3 – No appetite at all.

0 – Haven’t lost weight or lost a little in recent weeks.

1 – I lost a maximum of two kilograms.

2 – Lost no more than five kilograms.

3 – Lost more than seven kilograms.

I'm trying to lose weight and eat less (check as appropriate).

Not really_____

0 – My concerns about my own health have not changed at all.

1 – I am worried, I am worried about pain, constipation, stomach upsets, etc.

2 – I worry more and find it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

3 – I worry a lot about it, unable to concentrate on anything else.

0 – Sex is still interesting to me.

1 – I am less interested in intergender intimacy.

2 – This intimacy interests me much less.

3 – My interest in the opposite sex has disappeared.

How to process the results?

Each item must be scored from 0 to 3. The total score can range from 0 to 63, the lower it is, the better the person’s condition.

The results are interpreted as follows:

  • from 0 to 9 – no depression;
  • from 10 to 15 – mild depressive state;
  • from 16 to 19 – moderate;
  • from 20 to 29 – average depression;
  • from 30 to 63 – severe form of depression.

If you notice symptoms of depression, you must consult a doctor immediately. As for treatment, it can be done both with the help of psychotherapeutic methods and with the use of medications. read on our website.

Video – Consequences of depression

Symptoms

Sudden nervous breakdowns

Appetite disturbance

Constant mood swings

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Constant search for meaning

Psychosomatic pain

  • Light therapy;

Test for symptoms of depression

Depression is a real scourge of our time. Sooner or later, every tenth man, as well as every fifth woman, encounters its manifestations. Depression is insidious, unpredictable, and can strike a person at any age, at any point in his life. The signs and symptoms of depression are varied and can vary greatly depending on the type of illness. Naturally, each of us has a bad mood or stressful situations when we don’t want to do anything. How can you tell if you have depression or if you shouldn’t worry yet?

In any form of this mental disorder, there are three signs that are necessarily present:

  • loss of all interests, as well as joy in life;
  • increased irritability (or low mood);
  • reduced level of activity in all areas: personal, cognitive, behavioral.

In addition, severe somatic manifestations are often observed in depression. These can be headaches of various localizations, rapid heartbeat, stomach and heart pain, sleep disorders, and lack of appetite.

In advanced cases of this disease, a person is faced with even more serious manifestations: decreased intelligence, weakened memory, significant weakening of will, absent-mindedness, problems with speech and perception of the outside world. If depression is not treated, then general depression, bad mood, combined with progressive apathy and lack of will, can provoke in the patient a desire to commit suicide through suicide attempts.

If the three main signs of a depressive state are observed in a person for more than 6 months, then a logical question arises: how to distinguish a depressive state from ordinary fatigue or emotional decline? This is where a test for signs of depression comes to the rescue, specially developed by specialists to determine the presence and degree of a possible depressive state.

What is the diagnosis of depression based on? When developing this test, psychologists relied on the most common symptoms and signs of depression, regardless of the type of disease. These manifestations remain unchanged both in the initial stage of this mental illness and in advanced depressive states.

This test is equally effective for both men and women. It diagnoses not only depression itself, but also the presence of a predepressive state. Thus, by passing this test, a person can recognize the symptoms of an incipient disease in time and take the necessary measures to eliminate it.

Nervous exhaustion refers to a specific mental and emotional state that occurs as a result of stress and excessive stress. Typically, this condition can be both a sign of depression and its precursor. In essence, this is a weakening of the body, aggravated by intoxication, lack of rest, poor nutrition or some kind of disease.

Signs of depression and nervous exhaustion

How does nervous exhaustion manifest?

The main symptom of the condition is endless fatigue. An exhausted person always wants to sleep, and any little thing throws him off balance and provokes a nervous breakdown. And if you don’t give yourself proper rest, exhaustion can lead to the most serious consequences, even a ruined life.

Nervous exhaustion - manifestations

The described phenomenon can develop as a result of strong and prolonged stress of both a psychological and mental nature. A person is simply unable to withstand them, which is why symptoms such as chronic fatigue, loss of performance, mental disorders, somatic and autonomic disorders arise.

A person develops chronic fatigue and other consequences of nervous exhaustion

All symptoms are divided into two types:

Let's look at them in more detail.

Mental symptoms

These include overwork, in which various functional disorders are observed in the body. First of all, it negatively affects the nervous system.

External manifestations

External manifestations of nervous exhaustion

They are more diverse, although in most cases they do not go beyond the characteristic categories.

Note! In general, all signs are exclusively collective in nature, which consists of a combination of manifestations.

But, again, the main symptoms are problems with sleep and general fatigue.

Fatigue and sleep problems

  1. Sleep disturbance can hardly be considered a disease, since insomnia affects everyone. For many, sleep is disturbed due to nervous overstrain during the day and, characteristically, these emotions can be not only negative, but also positive. The main indicator is the intensity of the experience. We also note that insomnia can also occur during the daytime, i.e. during wakefulness, a person can fall asleep right at work. To normalize sleep, you need to learn to calm down and rest.

Lethargy and decreased performance

Video – Nervous exhaustion

Symptoms of depression

Depression is a long-term disturbance of emotional balance that significantly impairs a person’s quality of life. It can develop as a reaction to bad events (such as someone’s death, job loss, etc.), but quite often it occurs without obvious reasons.

Depression and anxiety

There are two important points to be aware of.

  1. Realizing your problem and talking about it means taking the first step towards recovery.
  2. Treating depression is a relatively simple procedure.

Depression requires treatment

As for the typical signs of this condition, they include:

  • thoughts of suicide;
  • sadness, melancholy and anxiety;
  • excessive concern about one's health;
  • problems sleeping (a person may wake up very early);
  • migraines, back or heart pain;
  • loss of interest in food, work and sex;
  • weight loss/gain;
  • feelings of failure, hopelessness and guilt;
  • problems with concentration;
  • permanent fatigue.

Pay attention to symptoms of depression

Depression in men

It is quite difficult to recognize depression in representatives of the stronger sex. This is explained by the fact that, firstly, many people mistakenly believe that sharing their problems with someone is a sign of weakness, and secondly, men tend to hide a depressive state behind alcohol abuse and aggressiveness. In addition, a person can actively play sports, throw himself into work, or get carried away by gambling. And all these are clear signs of male depression.

Depression in men

So, the described state can be recognized by:

  • burnout syndrome;
  • instability to stress;
  • thoughts of death, suicide;

Thoughts about suicide

Aggression and impulsiveness

Depression in women

Depression in women

According to statistics, female depression is much more common than male depression. It is difficult to determine why this happens, although most psychiatrists (in particular, this is discussed in “Depression” written by V.L. Minutko) believe that gender is not a biological prerequisite for the disorder being described.

And the cause of a large percentage of female depression is considered to be social preconditions present in any society. Women are more often exposed to stress and visit doctors more often, which, in fact, explains these statistics.

Note! Childhood depression occurs equally often, but already in adolescence, girls emerge as “leaders”.

Signs of depression and nervous exhaustion - test

Let's look at the two most popular tests to assess your mental state.

Test for signs of depression

Depression Recognition Scale

Have there been any changes in your behavior in the last 30 days? And if there were, which ones exactly? Try to answer all questions as honestly as possible.

Table. How to recognize depression - rating scale

After answering all the questions, count the number of points you scored:

  • 0-13 – you apparently do not have depression;
  • 14-26 – primary symptoms of this condition are observed;
  • 27-39 – depression is pronounced, you should immediately consult a doctor.

This scale will help identify depression in record time. You must fill out the scale yourself by circling the required numbers in each of the points, and then add up the points.

Beck Depression Questionnaire

The test presented below was created by A. T. Beck back in 1961. This test includes several dozen statements, and you must choose from among the options the one that best characterizes your current state. You can choose two options at once.

0 – I don’t feel any frustration or sadness.

1 – I’m a little upset.

2 – I am constantly upset, I have no strength to overcome this condition.

3 – I’m so unhappy that I can’t stand it.

0 – I am not worried about my future.

1 – I am somewhat puzzled about my future.

2 – I think there is no point in expecting anything from the future.

3 – I don’t expect anything from the future, no changes will happen.

0 – I can hardly be called a failure.

1 – I have experienced more failures than my friends.

2 – There have been a lot of failures in my life.

3 – I am an exceptional and complete failure.

0 – I am as satisfied with my life as before.

1 – There is less pleasure in my life than before.

2 – Nothing satisfies me anymore.

3 – Dissatisfied with life, everything is already enough.

0 – I don’t think I’m guilty of anything.

1 – I often feel guilty.

2 – I often suffer from feelings of guilt.

3 – I always feel guilty.

0 – It’s unlikely that I need to be punished for anything.

1 – I may probably be punished.

2 – Waiting to be punished.

3 – I guess I’ve already been punished.

0 – I am not disappointed in myself.

1 – Disappointed in myself.

2 – I’m disgusted with myself.

3 – I hate myself.

0 – I’m definitely no worse than others.

1 – I often engage in self-flagellation for weakness and mistakes I have made.

2 – I constantly blame myself for my own actions.

3 – All the negative things that happen to me are my fault.

0 – I have not had any thoughts of suicide.

1 – Sometimes I want to commit suicide, but I won’t do it.

2 – I wanted to commit suicide.

3 – I would commit suicide if I had the opportunity.

0 – I cry as often as before.

2 – I cry constantly.

3 – I cried before, but now I can’t even with a strong desire.

0 – I am as irritable as ever.

1 – For some reason I get irritated more often.

2 – Irritability is my normal state.

3 – Everything that caused irritation is now indifferent.

0 – Sometimes I delay making decisions.

1 – I put off acceptance more often than before.

2 – It became difficult for me to make any decisions.

3 – I can’t make a single decision.

0 – I am still interested in others.

1 – I’m a little less interested in them.

2 – I am practically not interested in anyone except myself.

3 – I have no interest in others.

0 – I look the same as before.

1 – I am becoming old and unattractive.

2 – My appearance has changed significantly, I am no longer attractive.

3 – My appearance is simply disgusting.

0 – I work no worse than before.

1 – I have to make extra efforts.

2 – With great difficulty I force myself to perform this or that action.

3 – I can’t do anything.

0 – My sleep is still fine.

1 – I’ve been sleeping a little worse lately.

2 – I started waking up earlier, after which I have difficulty falling asleep.

3 – I started waking up earlier, after which I can no longer sleep.

0 – I’m just as tired as before.

1 – I noticed that fatigue comes faster.

2 – I get tired of everything, no matter what I do.

3 – Unable to do anything, and fatigue is to blame.

0 – My appetite has not worsened at all.

1 – He has deteriorated a little.

2 – He has deteriorated very much.

3 – No appetite at all.

0 – Haven’t lost weight or lost a little in recent weeks.

1 – I lost a maximum of two kilograms.

2 – Lost no more than five kilograms.

3 – Lost more than seven kilograms.

I'm trying to lose weight and eat less (check as appropriate).

0 – My concerns about my own health have not changed at all.

1 – I am worried, I am worried about pain, constipation, stomach upsets, etc.

2 – I worry more and find it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

3 – I worry a lot about it, unable to concentrate on anything else.

0 – Sex is still interesting to me.

1 – I am less interested in intergender intimacy.

2 – This intimacy interests me much less.

3 – My interest in the opposite sex has disappeared.

How to process the results?

Each item must be scored from 0 to 3. The total score can range from 0 to 63, the lower it is, the better the person’s condition.

The results are interpreted as follows:

  • from 0 to 9 – no depression;
  • from 10 to 15 – mild depressive state;
  • from 16 to 19 – moderate;
  • from 20 to 29 – average depression;
  • from 30 to 63 – severe form of depression.

If you notice symptoms of depression, you must consult a doctor immediately. As for treatment, it can be done both with the help of psychotherapeutic methods and with the use of medications.

See a psychologist for support and treatment for depression

Depression test (Beck scale)

According to statistical studies, depression is one of the most common diseases throughout the world, ranking alongside cardiovascular diseases. Constant anxiety and stress, as constant companions of an active modern person, cannot but affect his psychological well-being.

It is not without reason that many scientists call depression a disease of our time, from which millions of people suffer. It is important to understand that depression is not just a bad mood or “loss of energy”, but a complex mental disorder that has specific signs and symptoms.

For a qualitative diagnosis of depression, signs and symptoms are identified that make up the “depressive triad”:

  • loss of the ability to rejoice,
  • negative thinking and pessimism,
  • retardation in movements.

These main symptoms complement many other signs, the presence of which you can determine for yourself by taking the Beck Depression Inventory test for depression. You can do this online now and find out if you need to seek the help of a specialist for more in-depth research.

The Beck Depression Inventory is a 21-item, multiple-choice online questionnaire for depression. These items include specific signs and symptoms of depression, and response options reflect the severity of the symptom. Your task is to choose one answer option that accurately characterizes your condition over the past two weeks along with today.

Do not forget that only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis, so do not draw hasty conclusions on your own.

Test: Are you depressed or just in a bad mood?

With this test you can find out with a 100% guarantee whether you have depression. If it turns out that it does not exist, read the article at least so that you know how to convincingly simulate this illness if something happens.

At all times, there have been diseases with beautiful names, which were not so prestigious to be ill with - rather, it was fashionable to say that you have them, or to replace real ailments with them. As soon as you said “monstrous influenza” instead of “terrible snot”, those around you immediately began to respect you and your delicate organization.

Today, the disease that everyone talks about, often without understanding the original meaning of the name, is depression. It’s customary to blame everything on her: impotence, missed emergency jobs, and reluctance to go to an alumni reunion. At the same time, few people know that depression is a very specific illness caused by such complex biochemical changes in the nervous system that an ordinary person cannot cause them even for money. It is actually quite difficult to contract depression, and what is considered to be depression is, as a rule, a depressive accentuation of the personality, a bad mood, or even ordinary hatred of people.

Do you want to know the whole truth about whether you have depression? You have two scenarios to choose from: either you go to a psychoanalyst, and he gives you a clinical test that is 100% guaranteed to diagnose depression; or you pass exactly the same clinical test that we took as a souvenir when we went to get checked ourselves.

Yes, and keep in mind: the causes of depression are usually very specific - prolonged mental stress, overwork, chronic brain injury, severe and long-term diseases of internal organs, surgical operations, lack of blood supply to the brain and congenital neurochemical disorders. If you don’t have and haven’t had any of the above, then most likely you don’t need any tests. Just stop pretending to be depressed and it will go away!

What is depression like?

According to the international classification of diseases “ICD-10”, depression is not even one disease, but seven different ones. In the sense that it is divided into groups.

Due to the occurrence

Neurotic D., caused by internal conflict.

Reactive D., which is a reaction to mental trauma.

Endogenous D., which is generally not difficult to treat, since it has neurochemical causes.

According to the nature of the flow

Of course, these types can be combined. For example, major depression can be both classical and reactive. But that's not all. Only for MAXIM readers! Having caught hidden depression, you get two more types of the disease as a gift!

Jokes aside. Hidden depression can be somatized (this is when, in addition to a bad mood, you are tormented by some physical ailment such as stomach disease or dystonia) or masked. In this case, you will have all the symptoms of another disease - for example, appendicitis. However, an autopsy will show that you didn't have it.

What illnesses does depression like to disguise itself as?

Pain, heaviness, bloating, cold or heat in the abdomen, nausea, loss of appetite. Of course, the culprit could really be expired mold on the cheese. However, depression often uses these symptoms to lead doctors down the wrong path. The condition of your stomach worsens in the morning, and by the afternoon you again begin to pick at the contents of your plate with a sad look, feeling relieved. Patients are admitted to hospitals with suspected acute appendicitis and cholecystitis, but surgical intervention does not bring relief.

2 Headache

A person cannot say where exactly it hurts. More often, the pain appears to him in the form of iron hoops squeezing the skull, or something that is crawling inside the head. The condition, as in the case of the stomach, worsens in the morning and goes away in the evening. Such patients are diagnosed with “migraine” or “vegetative-vascular dystonia”, and then they take useless painkillers for years.

Sly depression mimics trigeminal neuralgia (it runs from the ear to the eyebrow and lower jaw) and inflammation of the temporomandibular joint. Desperate patients ask dentists to remove their completely healthy teeth, which sometimes, by the way, brings temporary relief. The mask of depression also causes a surprisingly vivid sensation of roughness and hairiness of the tongue.

Imitation of interruptions in the functioning of the heart, burning or cold behind the sternum. The results of the cardiogram do not correspond to the patient’s complaints, but out of pity the doctors prescribe him heart medications. They reduce pain, but do not remove it completely.

You think that you have radiculitis, joint diseases and neuralgia. But the doctors, having looked at your x-ray, twist their finger at your temple. At the same time, your joints hurt not where they should be, but a few centimeters higher.

Depression without sleep disorders is like Fyodor Konyukhov without legs. Moreover, sometimes insomnia may be the only symptom of masked depression. In this case, you will wake up unrested, have breakfast with an aversion to food, and then arrive at work already tired and immediately turn to a cigarette or a cup of coffee. Peaks of activity are possible, but usually they occur at 10–12 o’clock in the morning, and at this time you are still sleeping, because in the evening, despite being tired, you could not sleep and tossed and turned all night. And so every day.

You understand that there are no sharks in soup, and the majority of aliens do not want to kill you. But this does not help overcome groundless fear. However, exotic phobias are rarely characteristic of depression. More often it causes fear of death from cessation of breathing, panic attacks. The phobia usually intensifies at night and in the morning.

8 Sexual disorders

Weakening erection? Accelerated or, conversely, delayed ejaculation? Don't rush to bequeath your penis to science. Perhaps it is again a matter of depression. By the way, the famous “devil in the rib” (or, in scientific terms, the desire for increasingly strong sexual stimuli) is also a sign of depression, and usually the earliest one.

9 Drug addiction and alcoholism

Indulging in bad habits brings short-term relief. A hangover or withdrawal symptoms are accompanied by monstrously violent symptoms taken from the previous eight points.

Clinical test for depression

There are 44 groups of statements in front of you. In each of them, choose one answer option that best describes how you feel. Remember, your task is not to win, but to find out the truth. Answer sincerely. To make it easier for you to do this, we didn’t even intrusively “make fun” of the answers, as we usually do.

How to deal with depression

This part will be of interest primarily to people who have scored significant amounts in the test. If, according to the results, you do not have depression, you can read this block with detached schadenfreude. So, getting out of a gloomy state on your own can take months and even years, and only on the condition that you protect yourself from stress - preferably with a monastery wall or a grove of palm trees. It’s easier to see a doctor, because depression is treatable. In fact, it is a metabolic failure. Doctors will treat you not only with pills, but also with intimate conversations (the most unpleasant part). Without the simultaneous elimination of physiological and psychological factors, it is impossible to cure a person.

Your best friend for the next six months should be a psychotherapist. Experienced mental trauma, mental stress, quarrels with others and internal conflicts, difficult experiences about one’s own health - all this can be the basis of depression. Treatment only with powerful pills (without psychotherapy), of course, helps, but after stopping the drugs, the disease can visit you again.

What will they give you?

Sometimes particularly skillful psychotherapists lift their unfortunate patients out of depression without medication at all. Alas, in some cases it is impossible to do without medication: an advanced disease destroys the brain so much that the balance of neurotransmitters is not restored on its own.

The basis of any course of treatment. Side effects and dosages may vary, but the drugs have one purpose - to eliminate the biochemical basis of depression.

Vitamins and biostimulants

And these useful pills will help you improve the supply of energy and other useful little things to your brain cells. Actually, these are not some secret substances, but the same vitamins that healthy people drink to increase stress resistance and immunity.

These powerful medications alone do not cure depression. But they struggle with its symptoms (and sometimes even succeed in this): melancholy, fear, bodily manifestations. Antidepressants do not have an immediate effect, so to make it more fun for you to wait for it, the doctor will probably prescribe you “trunks”.

In fact, these are ordinary sedatives, but they are so strong that they can drive even an elephant into a calm state, which has just lost all its relatives, both tusks and a share in the business. Neuroleptics reduce arousal and eliminate fears, remove the patient from a mental impasse and reduce the physical manifestations of masked depression.

However, it may not come to neuroleptics. Doctors usually start the course with a cocktail of antidepressants and biostimulants. And only if it doesn’t work, two other components are added.

Why might this not help?

Pills are almost useless if the psychotherapist has not eliminated the personal causes of depression - for example, he has not forced you to quit.

Sheehan Anxiety Scale

If the first test gives a negative result, proceed to the second. The Sheehan test will help you find out whether you have at least anxiety, a condition that precedes depression. If you don’t score enough points here, then, alas, you are a mentally healthy person who now only needs to come up with new excuses for your impotence and innate laziness.

Masked depression: symptoms and treatment

A special type of psychological disorder is latent depression. In modern psychology, it is also known as somatized depression, masked depression and somatogenic depression.

The insidiousness of the disease lies in the fact that in addition to psychological distress, a person experiences physical pain and discomfort. The effectiveness of treatment depends entirely on the correctness of the diagnosis.

Hidden depression is often hidden behind physical illnesses, which is why it is called somatic. Sometimes a person begins to experience pain symptoms of unknown origin. Scientists claim that the cause of physical illness is a spiritual disorder that manifests itself through diseases of the body. With a correct diagnosis, only a psychotherapist can restore good physical condition and eliminate the symptoms of masked depression.

Symptoms

Symptoms of latent depression most often manifest themselves in the form of psychogenic pain: this can be a headache or toothache, discomfort in the joints, or cervical migraine. A person may also experience vegetative-vascular disorders: tachycardia, dizziness and heaviness in the body. Signs of hidden depression look like this:

Subdepressive state is not always noticeable to others

People suffering from masked mental disorder do not always show their inner state. First of all, they do this so as not to disturb their loved ones. Patients have learned to hide their condition under the guise of calm and satisfaction with life.

Sudden nervous breakdowns

Somatized depression often gives rise to outbursts of emotions. An always calm person can suddenly burst into tears or scream sharply, for no apparent reason. After such an explosion of emotions, the patient again becomes calm and balanced.

Appetite disturbance

Hidden depression is often accompanied by a complete refusal to eat, or vice versa, increased appetite. Patients with mental disorders very often try to compensate for their worries by changing their taste preferences. Relatives should be wary of a sharp change in gastronomic preferences for no apparent reason.

Insomnia or vice versa, constant sleepiness

Sleep disturbance is a clear sign of depression. A person suffering from this disease can rarely boast of healthy and restful sleep. Patients mainly suffer from insomnia, cannot fall asleep for a long time and then fall into a borderline state between sleep and reality. There are often cases when a person sleeps more than 10 hours a day and does not get enough sleep.

Uncontrolled use of medications

Some people, trying to get rid of a depressed state, begin to take various antidepressants on their own. As a result, the low-grade disorder takes on a chronic form and is more difficult to treat.

Constant mood swings

A person who has just been cheerful and sociable can plunge into heavy thoughts or even cry. People experiencing an internal crisis can experience several mood swings in one day.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Masked depression of a neurotic nature is often accompanied by obsessive movements syndrome. A patient with a hidden disorder may tap the table, count floors in houses, twitch his neck, or bite his lips. People who make repetitive movements most often have internal problems of a psychological nature.

Constant search for meaning

A depressed person cannot enjoy a good day or success at work; he is constantly busy thinking about finding the meaning of life. Such thoughts make him sad, thoughts about imminent death only aggravate his depressive state.

Psychosomatic pain

Somatic manifestations of depression are expressed in bodily pain of unknown origin. A complete diagnosis does not answer what caused the health problems. Imaginary sciatica or headache is a clear example of hidden depression. One of the main problems of people experiencing symptoms of somatized depression is that they do not want to admit even to themselves that they need psychological help.

How to get rid of hidden depression

The first step to getting rid of the disease is a consultation with a psychotherapist who will select the right treatment. Somatic symptoms of depression cannot be ignored; this is fraught with serious consequences. The causes of subdepression can be internal and external. Internal reasons include: low self-esteem, loss of meaning in life, and more. External reasons are financial problems, troubles at work, divorce from a loved one, housing instability, sexual dissatisfaction. If you cannot cope with problems on your own, and communication with friends does not bring the desired result, there is only one way out - seek help from a specialist. A psychotherapist will clearly explain what hidden depression is and help you deal with it on a professional level.

Treatment of masked depression should begin with a complete diagnosis of the patient. After all pathological diseases are completely excluded, therapy for the hidden disorder begins. In cases of mild illness, the attending physician will recommend non-drug treatment, which includes:

  • Psychotherapy, which is carried out in the form of individual or group sessions;
  • Light therapy;
  • Magnetic and transcranial stimulation and more.

Somatized depression in its advanced form is treated with tranquilizers and antidepressants. Only the attending physician should draw up a course of treatment, taking into account the general condition of the patient. It is strictly forbidden to take sedatives on your own, as they have a lot of contraindications and can cause complications. If all doctor's recommendations are followed, treatment of latent depression has a favorable prognosis. Getting rid of the disease is not easy, which is why an integrated approach to treatment is so important. Psychological help, support from loved ones and, if necessary, drug therapy will allow the patient to look at the world with completely different eyes.

The appearance of the first signs of depression cannot be ignored. There can be many reasons that cause a state of mental discomfort: from loss of meaning in life to financial problems. The first symptoms of an internal crisis are sleep disturbances, lethargy and irritability, loss of appetite, and psychosomatic pain. A timely diagnosis and proper treatment will allow you to get rid of this unpleasant disease and live a full life.

Beck Depression Test

A person experiences daily stress when encountering conflict situations both at work and in family relationships. Under the influence of stress factors, symptoms of apathy and depressive disorder develop. According to scientific data, more than forty-five percent of the population of our planet has depression. The same statistics indicate that this disease is more common among the fairer sex.

It should be noted that depressive syndrome has many different forms of manifestation, which greatly complicates its diagnosis. For this purpose, the Beck Depression Scale is used, which allows us to determine not only the presence of the disease, but also its severity. In this article, we propose to familiarize yourself with this diagnostic tool and learn about the features of its use.

The Beck Depression Inventory was one of the first tests created to assess depression.

What is depressive disorder

Depressive syndrome is one of the most common mental disorders today. According to statistics, in the modern world more than a million people have various symptoms of this disease. Depressive disorder is a serious illness, the lack of attention to which can cause irreversible changes in the psyche.

The presence of depression leads to disruption of the immune system, a feeling of chronic fatigue and decreased libido. The above symptoms of depression include various somatic diseases, which manifest themselves under the influence of internal and external factors. According to experts, the development of the disease is accompanied by severe mental suffering, which is reflected in the patient’s behavior pattern. Thus, depressive disorder changes a person's attitude towards the world around him.

Most people take depressive disorder too lightly. This disease is often compared to headache attacks that are episodic in nature. This is why many patients avoid visiting a specialist, hoping that the symptoms of depression will disappear on their own. Lack of attention to the disease leads to the development of a severe mental disorder, which affects the perception of the world around us. Under the pressure of the disease, many patients with severe depression exhibit suicidal tendencies. That is why it is very important to know not only about the presence of the disease, but also about its severity. Let's look at how it is measured.

Depression scale

The Beck Depression Inventory is a diagnostic tool that takes the form of a questionnaire. The use of this scale allows you to determine the presence of the disease and the degree of its severity. Today, this tool is one of the most popular and reliable solutions for determining the state of the human psyche. A special feature of the Beck scale is that the test taker chooses the answers to all test questions independently. Each question has three answer options, the choice of which determines the result. It is important to pay attention to the fact that you must answer the questions extremely honestly.

The diagnostic technique under consideration refers to universal tools that are used regardless of the gender and age of the patient. The creator of this technique is American psychotherapist Aaron Beck, who devoted his entire life to the study of depressive disorder. The questionnaire used to diagnose depression was created in the early sixties of the last century. However, even today this diagnostic method has not lost its relevance.

According to statistical studies, depression is one of the most common diseases worldwide

Among the questions in the test, the most striking signs of a mental disorder are veiled. Each of them is a unique indicator of the severity of depression. Such questions help the psychologist determine the presence of the disease, its severity and form of expression.

What does the scale look like?

The depression questionnaire consists of twenty-one questions, each of which is based on signs of the presence of a depressive disorder. According to experts, this method is unique because it is based on two criteria:

  1. The first is somatic signs of a mental disorder, among which disturbances in the sexual sphere, night sleep and the process of eating should be highlighted.
  2. The second is affective-cognitive symptoms, which are characteristic of a disease such as psychosis, which has a manic-depressive form of severity.

The above signs are hidden in certain points of the test. This technique involves a detailed analysis of patient responses, on the basis of which a preliminary diagnosis is established. A number equal to sixty-three is the maximum final score in this test. This result indicates the presence of a severe form of the disease that requires immediate treatment. Otherwise, there is a high risk to the patient's health.

The vast majority of questions are in the form of a statement, “I act this way” or “I feel this way.” Examples of test questions include “I can perform my job duties with the same quality as before.” The answers to this question look like this:

For each answer, the subject receives from zero to three points. It is important to note that the Beck scale can be used independently. By taking a test on the Internet, you can not only identify the presence of depression, but also determine its severity. However, many experts recommend undergoing such testing from a competent psychotherapist. Based on tests, if necessary, an experienced doctor can determine a treatment strategy and help get rid of the signs of a mental disorder.

Depression is not just a bad mood or “loss of energy”, but a complex mental disorder that has specific signs and symptoms

The diagnostic method under consideration is available to everyone who wants to take a psychological test in order to assess the state of their own psyche. It is important to note that taking the test can help increase your level of self-esteem. The Beck Depression Test is not recommended to be taken alone. A specialist or a close relative must necessarily take part in this process. This approach to diagnosis allows you to assess your own condition “through someone else’s eyes.”

Most often, the instrument in question is used in diagnosing teenage depression. According to statistics, representatives of the pubertal age group are the main candidates for the risk group. This fact can be proven by recalling recent events, when many young people in closed groups on social networks committed suicide en masse. The main audience of such communities were school-age children and students who suffered from a feeling of dissatisfaction with their own lives. The lack of attention and love from my parents forced me to look for their missing feelings on the Internet. Participation in the group was interpreted as a game, the goal of which was to attempt suicide.

According to experts, most of these fatal incidents could have been prevented with timely therapeutic intervention. This is precisely why the Beck Depression Test is used, which allows you to assess your mental state at any age, be it a schoolchild, a teenager or an adult. Taking the test allows you to timely determine the presence of signs of a mental disorder and begin treatment.

Interpretation of responses

From zero to nine points

The author of this diagnostic test used his own method of interpreting the answers. If, as a result of testing, the subject scores from zero to nine points, this indicates the absence of signs of depression. In this case, the presence of mild signs of depressive disorder is allowed, which are of little significance and do not require psychotherapeutic intervention. Most often, such symptoms disappear on their own after a short period of time.

Ten to fifteen points

A score of ten to fifteen points indicates the presence of signs of depressive disorder at the initial stage of development. This condition is referred to in medicine as “subdepression.” In rare cases, this form of the disease is accompanied by disturbances in the social sphere and affects the patient’s worldview. In this case, the patient needs medical supervision from a psychologist who will observe the development of symptoms. It is very important to promptly prevent the development of a severe form of the syndrome and take full control of changes in the behavioral model.

The Beck Inventory is a depression test in the form of a questionnaire.

From sixteen to nineteen points

An indicator ranging from sixteen to nineteen points indicates that the subject has a depressive disorder of moderate severity. It is important to note that most of the symptoms of this form of the disease have some similarities with mild depressive disorder. The main difference between the forms of the disease is the frequency of their manifestation. A moderate form of depressive syndrome is characterized by a tendency to melancholy, loss of interest in life and a constant feeling of sadness. This condition is accompanied by a rapid decline in self-esteem and the appearance of a feeling of guilt that haunts.

From twenty to twenty-nine points

Such results are clear evidence of the presence of a depressive disorder in the subject, which has a clear severity. According to experts, this condition is a disease of moderate severity, which is characterized as a sharp loss of appetite and rapidly developing apathy. Under the influence of a mental disorder, changes are observed in the emotional perception and physiological state of the patient. All actions performed are carried out on “autopilot”, since the patient loses interest in life. A rather interesting fact is that people in this condition experience a decrease in the synthesis of the happiness hormone.

In such a condition, a person needs immediate psychotherapeutic help. According to experts, lack of attention to this problem, in eighty percent of cases, becomes the reason for attempted suicide. In addition, in an effort to relieve the blues and sadness, most people begin to use increased amounts of drugs and alcoholic beverages.

The technique was originally developed to provide a quantitative assessment of the intensity of depression

From thirty to sixty-three points

This indicator is a sign that the subject has a severe depressive disorder. Mental disorders are expressed by a depressing state and a feeling of sadness, which force the patient to abandon his usual way of life. Most people suffering from severe depression experience unworthiness and low self-esteem. Major depressive disorder is accompanied by decreased performance, loss of appetite and vital stimuli.

The influence of the disease also affects the emotional sphere, which is expressed in sudden mood swings. Among the somatic symptoms of the disease, sleep problems, disturbances in the immune system and sudden weight loss should be highlighted. A pessimistic view of one's own future can cause hysterical and aggressive behavior. Unreasonable aggression results in physical violence against loved ones and attempts to commit suicide. In order to prevent the development of such a situation, it is necessary to carry out emergency treatment.

Conclusion

You can take a test for depression on many specialized websites or in a psychologist’s office. If signs of the disease are detected, therapy should be started immediately. Otherwise, severe consequences may develop that will affect the state of mind and health.


Depression needs to be stopped in time. To do this, take the test online for free and determine your level of depression.

July 02, 2014

Symptoms of depression

Depression is not just a bad mood. Depression is a serious illness that can and should be treated.

How to distinguish depression from ordinary bad mood? The main symptoms of depression are:

  • reluctance to move or do anything;
  • melancholy, despair, causeless anxiety and irritability;
  • loss of interest in favorite activities, communication and sex life;
  • feelings of guilt and inferiority;
  • a gloomy view of the future;
  • increased attention to one’s health, suspiciousness;
  • sometimes even thoughts of death and even suicide.
Very often, depression is accompanied by a number of disorders of the autonomic nervous system. A person constantly feels tired, squeezed like lemon, and cannot concentrate on the tasks at hand. Blood pressure may rise, appetite may increase or, conversely, decrease, and sleep may be disturbed.

If you cannot come to your senses within about two weeks, then you are depressed.

A depressed mental state lowers immunity, so during depression, chronic diseases tend to worsen.

Causes of depression

Until now, experts are not unanimous in their opinion on why a depressive state occurs, what is the cause of depression.

Some experts believe that the main causes of depression are external causes: stress, family and household troubles.

Another part believes that the main reason is a person’s inability to react correctly to a situation, his internal complexes, and inability to adapt.

But most experts believe that the main reasons are stress and prolonged physical and nervous stress.

Prevention of depression

The best prevention of depression is a healthy lifestyle and positive life attitudes.
Firstly, normal sleep. Chronic lack of sleep quietly undermines the nervous system and can cause depression.

Secondly, to avoid depression, you need to learn to relax, rest, and not focus on any one problem, but switch from one problem to another.

Thirdly, as for nutrition, there is no special diet to prevent depression - the main thing is that the diet is balanced and varied.

At the stage of business growth, an entrepreneur may become depressed and his activities may lead the organization to a crisis:

Take a depression test
Forewarned is forearmed. To find out if you are prone to depression, take this test.


INSTRUCTIONS: Remember your feelings of the last month. If you agree with the statement, then select "Yes", otherwise select "No".