FAQ: How Do You Know How Serious a Case of Depression Someone Has?
How do you know how serious a case of depression someone has?
Expert Answer
If the depression is causing someone to be socially withdrawn, dysfunctional to the point that he or she can't work or do basic household chores, and the person is talking or thinking about suicide, that's clearly severe. If, despite a lack of joy and in spite of having the physiological symptoms of depression, a person is still able to go to work and follow his or her usual routines (even if not as effectively and efficiently as usual), then it's a milder case.
To evaluate whether someone has depression in the first place, a clinician looks at how many symptoms of depression the person is experiencing, and whether they've been present for at least two weeks and at what level of intensity.