We’re living in an age of great uncertainty and upheaval. It’s been a rough few years, and when you look at information about our mental health, it shows. A Gallup poll published in May of 2023 shows that over one third of American women have been diagnosed with depression. American men aren’t doing much better — over a fifth of them are struggling with depression as well. The poll goes on to say that “Globally, nearly four in 10 adults aged 15 and older either endure significant depression or anxiety themselves or have a close friend or family member who suffers from it.”
With so many people facing the consequences of depression on a daily basis, it’s crucial to bring the most effective and efficient treatments to patients everywhere. Thankfully, there are innovative options out there. But how can one know if their winter blues or everyday malaise have crossed the line into full-blown depression? The doctors at the Center for Brain Stimulation, a renowned Wilmington-based clinic, have made it easier than ever by designing the Self-Assessment Quiz.
Why should you take the quiz?
Simply Put
When it comes to health outcomes, you’re better safe than sorry — and that goes for mental health, too. If you start to see that your state of mind is getting in the way of daily tasks or making them harder, taking the quiz is a great first step towards effective treatment. The same way you’d expect your doctor to monitor your glucose levels to inform treatment of diabetes, using a standardized assessment like the quiz gives a provider clear data on which to base treatment decisions. The data from these tools also engage clients in the therapeutic process and improve communication and collaboration between a care team and a patient.
Knowledge is Power
Even if you’re already receiving treatment for depression, it’s a good idea to take the quiz from time to time. There are a lot of different options when it comes to treating depression and having up-to-date information about how you’re doing can guide treatment decisions. Looking at results from various quizzes over time can make clear how much progress you’re seeing and whether the treatment you’re receiving is doing what it should. Regular assessments prompt adjustments in interventions when they’re needed. For example, you might be taking a common depression medication like Prozac or Zoloft, but your quiz results show that your depressive symptoms are still making a serious impact on your day-to-day ability to function. In that case, your physician might recommend something like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a noninvasive procedure that uses magnetic pulses to “wake up” areas of the brain that, when dormant, may be causing depression.
Easy and Accessible
No one wants to take a tedious, lengthy questionnaire — especially if symptoms of depression are already making things difficult. That’s why the quiz was designed to be straightforward. Most of the questions are either rank-choice or a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ It takes 2-5 minutes to complete and can be done at home prior to an appointment through the Center for Brain Stimulation website. That being said, interpreting the results and discussing next steps should be done by a qualified physician. The clinician will be better equipped than the patient to determine whether the symptoms are causing clinically significant distress or impairment, whether they might be attributed to other conditions, and which treatment option is most appropriate for a specific patient.
Depression isn’t something to ignore, and it won’t go away on its own. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 21.0 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in 2021. If you or someone you love is showing symptoms of depression, consider taking the Depression Quiz today as a first step towards getting the effective treatment you deserve.
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