"you are suffering from moderately severe depression"

[Justinian]

An online survey said it was "possible I was suffering from moderately severe depression" and I "should seek advice from a medical professional". I guess I have made a positive improvement! But many questions are ambiguous such as sleeping: you can sleep too much or do the exact opposite if you're depressed. Same with eating: you can eat too much or have no appetite if you're depressed. This makes me anxious.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zynfp39?intc_type=singletheme&intc_location=iwonder&intc_campaign=iwonder&intc_linkname=iwonder_depressiontest_contentcard8

[hanshan]

Hi Justinian,

Don't feel anxious about it. The online survey can only check some behaviour like sleeping and eating which seems much more or less than normal - which may be a sign of depression.

On the other hand, this might be normal for you, and so not an indication that you are depressed. Nevertheless, you need to consider whether your sleep is at a healthy level.

[KeeKee]

I get what you mean. When I used to do CBT I had to fill in a standard form at each session and because I said never on questions such as 'couldn't sit still', 'thought about harming myself', I actually marked quite low. I remember being told I hadn't had a bad week even though I had.

[Justinian]

I suppose from their point of view it is better to have false positives (non-depressed people flagged as perhaps being depressed being advised to see their GP) than missing depressed people who slip through the net. Actually, it's better from everyone's point of view.

[mezzaninedoor]

I find the various surveys we fill in confusing as there are certain questions that I never have reacted to, eg I have dark thoughts but I dont think about self harm, just postulations

Im also generally not too bad around my immediate family but Im not so good with my friends and my Mum & Dad, though Im okay ish with my Wife and Children

Yet every week is a drag regards working and getting through the working week