Clinical depression: Diagnosis
Talk to your GP if you experience symptoms of depression for most of the day, every day, for more than 2 weeks.
You should also talk to your GP if you:
- have symptoms of depression that aren't improving
- find your mood affects your work, other interests, and relationships with your family and friends
- have thoughts of suicide or self-harm
Talking to your GP about depression
When you're depressed it can be difficult to imagine that treatment can actually help. The sooner you seek treatment, the sooner your depression will improve.
Conditions such as an underactive thyroid can cause symptoms of depression. Your GP will do a urine and blood test to rule this out. There are no physical tests for depression. Your GP will tell if you have depression by asking you lots of questions. You will be asked about your health and how it is affecting you mentally and physically.
Try to be as open and honest as you can be with your answers. Describe your symptoms and how they're affecting you.
Any discussion you have with your GP will be confidential. If you have thoughts or urges to harm yourself or others your GP would speak to your family and friends.
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