Are there any physical tests that can prove conclusively that a person is suffering from depression? Unfortunately, no – but there are certain pointers that tests can give doctors so that they know that the person may figure in the ‘probable’ list of depressives. The mind is such a difficult thing to measure because it is so much more than its physical mass. This is what makes it so tough to arrive at a conclusion that is absolute. Though science has taken such huge strides, there are still so many gray areas when it comes to how the mind works. However, there are some tests which have been good pointers when it comes to depression.
As depression or the symptoms of depression could also be symptoms of certain ailments, the doctor will have to test for those ailments as well – in this case, if the ailment is treatable, the depression usually disappears when the ailment does. The first step would probably be a blood test and it could just be a routine blood test. Anemia could have symptoms akin to depression so this will be checked as well as the creatinine levels and the thyroid function. Many of these deficiencies could cause mood swings and fatigue. There will also be a blood sugar check as well as a liver function check. Research has shown that diabetic patients could be at a greater risk of developing depression. Deficiencies of minerals and supplements will also be checked and treated to rule out a deficiency being a cause.
There will also be tests done to check that physical injuries or other physical conditions like tumors or cancers were not the cause of the depression. Sometimes, it could be the after effect of certain medication that the person is taking. There may be instances when a scan or an MRI is recommended to rule out any growths or malignancies.
Today, a blood test called the Dexamethasone Suppression test seems to have had good results in diagnosing depression. However, no blood test is still an absolute marker that identifies depression. In order to test for depression, a doctor will still rely on a person’s responses to questions that span the emotional, mental and physical symptoms before he definitely diagnoses depression. These tests will have a set of questions that the doctor will ask the patient and very often will corroborate later with the family so that he can get a clearer picture of the condition and judge just how severe it is. It will only be after eliminating all the areas where depression can be a symptom and correcting them if any that a doctor will usually diagnose the condition as depression and prescribe drugs for it.
There are tests online that can be taken which can assess the first symptoms of depression. If a person is suspected of suffering from this condition, it would be a good idea to take some of these tests and then go see a doctor. One must remember that no matter what, self medication is taboo when it comes to this condition. The patient must be under a good doctor’s care with regular monitoring in order to check for how well the treatment is doing as well as for side effects.