Are You Depressed

The following questions, developed by the National Institutes of Mental Health, can help you determine whether you or someone you work with suffers from serious depression.

(Answer yes or no)

1. I (you) feel downhearted, blue and sad.
2. I (you) don’t enjoy doing the things that I (you) used to do.
3. I (you) feel that I’m (you’re) not useful or needed.
4. I am (you are) losing weight.
5. I (you) have trouble sleeping through the night.
6. I am (you are) restless and can’t keep still.
7. I am (you are) frequently tired for no reason.
8. I am (you are) not thinking as clearly as I (you) should.
9. I (you) feel hopeless about the future.
10. I (you) have felt so low that I’ve (you’ve) thought about suicide.

You or someone you work with may be suffering from depression if you or they answered yes to at least 5 questions and the symptoms noted in questions 1 or 2 have persisted beyond two weeks. If you answered yes to question 10, you should seek professional help immediately.

SOURCE: Personal Best, May 1994, Vol. XII, No.5