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Expert Video - How is MDD diagnosed?

Diagnosing MDD is not as simple as having a blood test, as Dr. Anker and Dr. Marshall explain in this video discussion. Your doctor may give you a screening questionnaire to see if you have the symptoms of depression. If he or she thinks you have MDD, you will probably be referred to a psychiatrist who will ask questions about your health history, examine you, talk to you about how you feel, and possibly run some other tests. Some changes in hormones are often seen in people who have depression, but no test can absolutely tell whether you have MDD or not.

Expert Video - What are the symptoms of MDD?

In this video discussion, Dr. Anker and Dr. Marshall explain the symptoms most likely to affect you if you have major depressive disorder (MDD). These include:

  • Feeling down most of the day for more than two weeks
  • Not sleeping well or sleeping all the time
  • Trouble focusing
  • Memory issues
  • Hopelessness and helplessness
  • Loss of appetite/weight loss or increased eating/rapid weight gain
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
If you think you may have MDD, it's important to see your healthcare provider.

Expert Video - What role do alcohol and drugs have in MDD?

Alcohol and drugs can cause depression or they can make it worse. In this video, Drs. Anker and Marshall discuss how alcohol can worsen depression and keep the medications used to treat depression from working well. Some prescription drugs can also cause depression as a side effect. If you have depression, you should discuss with your doctor what medications you take as well as whether you drink or take drugs.