Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Depressed? SAD? Read this.

Depression is an all too common medical condition and seasonal affective disorder is common too.

Ever wonder how severe your depression or seasonal blues are, or whether or not you should pursue treatment?

I recently found some great net based testing utilizing the very same tests that psychologists and psychiatrists administer to their patients - and like many things net-based, they're free. They can help you determine if you need help or in the event of ongoing therapy, can help to track progress. Now of course they won't take the place of the clinical judgment of a decent doctor, but they may be a good place to start.

Click here and the Centre for Environmental Therapeutics will serve you the option to take a Personal Inventory of Depression and SAD, or a Structured Interview for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale with Atypical Depression Supplement, or your Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (regarding circadian rhythms).

Doctors reading my blog may want to let their patients fill these out in their offices as you can send the results to the printer.

Thank you internets!