Resources - Surveys - Emotional, Mental, Behavioural, and Physical Signs of Depression

The purpose of screening is NOT to diagnose depression, but to identify people who may be depressed and who may require further assessment.

Screening for depression is based on using a valid screening tool – usually a series of questions – designed to pick up changes in a person’s daily habits or the way he or she thinks, feels and behaves that could be early signs of depression.

Changes in Feeling	Changes in Thinking
Have you experienced: Loss of interest in activities that once gave pleasure? Decreased interest in and enjoyment from sex? Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness and excessive guilt? Deadening or absence of feelings? Sense of overwhelming or impending doom? Loss of self -esteem? Feeling sad, blue, down in the dumps? Unexplained crying for no apparent reason? Irritability, impatience, anger, aggressive feelings?	Have you experienced: Thoughts are slowed, difficulty thinking, concentrating or remembering information? Difficulty making decisions? Obsessive ruminations, sense of impending doom/disaster? Preoccupation with perceived failures or personal inadequacies? Harshly self critical and unfairly judgmental? Loss of touch with reality - hearing voices, having fixed ideas? Persistent thoughts of death or suicide?
Changes in Behaviour	Physical Changes
Have you experienced: Withdrawal from social, work and leisure activities? Avoiding decisions? Neglecting duties such as housework, gardening, paying bills? Decrease in physical activity and exercise? Decrease in self care -- personal grooming, eating? Increased use of alcohol or drugs (prescription and non-prescription)?	Have you experienced: Changes in appetite - weight loss or gain? Sleep disturbances? Sleep is not restful - feel worse in the morning? Decreased energy - weakness and physical fatigue? Agitation, restlessness, a need to move? Phantom pains, headaches, muscle aches and pains? Gastrointestinal upsets?