Making the Diagnosis
If you meet the criteria in the section "Symptoms and Complications,"
you may be suffering from depression. Talk things through with your family
and friends, and with your doctor. Physicians are trained to help you, and to
take depression and its treatment seriously. Together with your doctor, you
can begin to identify and manage the nature of the problem, and then develop
a treatment plan. This may include a referral to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist.