Disorders and Treatment - Mental Illness - Bipolar Disorder -
Mood Disorders - Borderline Personality - Mental Health
Diagnosis - Mental Health Treatments - Alternative Meds - Case
Studies Depression is a type of mood disorder that can range
from “having the blues” through dysthymia and all the way to a
major depressive disorder. Diagnosis then becomes a matter of
placing a patient on this scale to determine which type of
treatment will be most useful. Psychologists use the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders along with several
accepted written tests, or surveys to diagnose depression in
their patients. But one of the main tools is still simply having
a meaningful conversation with their patient. One critical
factor is to eliminate what are called somatic symptoms – these
are black moods due to an underlying illness or medical
condition. If a physical cause is found, the expectation is that
alleviating this illness will also cure the depression. After
physical causes are eliminated through a