How do you diagnose major depressive disorder/clinical depression?

Kevin Mangelschots·22/07/2025·0 comments

Someone must experience at least 5 of the following symptoms during the same 2-week period to be diagnosed with MDD, and at least one of the symptoms must be either:

  1. Depressed mood.

Or,

  1. Loss of interest or pleasure (anhedonia).

Other possible symptoms include:

  • Major changes in appetite or weight (loss or gain).
  • Insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping too little or too much).
  • Fatigue or low energy nearly every day.
  • Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt.
  • Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions.
    An upset man holding his head while thinking.
  • Psychomotor agitation or retardation (moving or speaking more slowly or feeling restless).
  • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation.

I started thinking that it would be better to not be around any longer because I felt like there was no end at the end of the tunnel.

These symptoms must cause significant distress or impair daily functioning (e.g., social, occupational, academic).

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Kevin

Hi there, I’m Kevin Mangelschots! A little more about myself: - I'm 33 years old. - I’m a registered, licensed, and practicing therapist with a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy. - Currently practicing at a rehabilitation center located in Belgium. Longtime fitness and gaming enthusiast. - Turned towards psychology, philosophy, mental health, and self-improvement to improve my chronic depression. - My goal is to share evidence-based information with the world that I know is helpful and useful to improve depression and overall well-being. In short, I’m just a guy trying to make sense of the world by thinking about ideas, studying psychology, philosophy, and mental and physical health. I strive to apply my degree in healthcare (occupational therapy) to explain concepts as clearly as possible, based on current research findings.

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