How depressed are you? Score yourself

[Rafterman]

A little while ago I posted the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (the "HAM-A"). Here is its counterpart, the HAM-D. It will help you gauge your level of depression. Just add up your total at the end and please consider sharing it with the group. My score was a 14. I have scored as high as 23, and never lower than 13.
 
 
Scoring
0 - 7 = Normal
8 - 13 = Mild Depression
14-18 = Moderate Depression
19 - 22 = Severe Depression
23 or greater = Very Severe Depression




 1. DEPRESSED MOOD
   Gloomy attitude, pessimism about the future,
   sadness, tendency to weep
       0 = Absent
       1 = Sadness, etc.
      2 = Occasional weeping
     3 = Frequent weeping
      4 = Extreme symptoms

 
2. FEELINGS OF GUILT
     0 = Absent
     1 = Self-reproach, feels you have let people
           down
    2 = Feelings of guilt
     3 = Present illness is a punishment; delusions
            of guilt
     4 = Hallucinations of guilt
 
3 .SUICIDE
      0 = Absent
      1 = Feels life is not worth living
      2 = Wishing for death
     3 = Suicidal ideas or gestures
      4 = Attempts at suicide

 4 .INSOMNIA-1 Initial
    (Difficulty in falling asleep)
     0 = Absent
     1 = Occasional
     2 = Frequent
   
  5. INSOMNIA-2 Middle
     (Waking during the night.)
      0 = Absent
      1 = Occasional
      2 = Frequent

   6.INSOMNIA-3 Delayed
    (Waking in early hours of the morning and
    unable to fall asleep again)
    0 = Absent
    1 = Occasional
    2 = Frequent
   
   7 .WORK AND INTERESTS
      0 = No difficulty
     1 = Feelings of incapacity, listlessness, indeci-
     sion and vacillation
     2 = Loss of interest in hobbies, decreased social
    activities
     3 = Productivity decreased
      4 = Unable to work. Stopped working because
          of present illness only. (Absence from work
          after treatment or recovery may rate a lower
         score).
               
  8. RETARDATION
     (Slowness of thought, speech, and activity;
      apathy; stupor.)
       0 = Absent
       1 = Slight retardation
      2 = Obvious retardation
       3 = Trouble holding conversation 
       4 = Complete stupor
         
   9. AGITATION
      (Restlessness associated with anxiety.)
        0 = Absent
        1 = Occasional
        2 = Frequent

  10.ANXIETY - PSYCHIC
          0 = No difficulty
       1 = Tension and irritability
       2 = Worrying about minor matters
       3 = Apprehensive attitude
       4 = Fears that preoccupy

  11. ANXIETY - SOMATIC
       Gastrointestinal, indigestion, cardiovascular, palpitation, Headaches
       Respiratory, Genito-urinary, etc.
        0 = Absent
       1 = Mild
       2 = Moderate
       3 = Severe
         4 = Incapacitating

  12. SOMATIC SYMPTOMS -
         GASTROINTESTINAL
       (Loss of appetite, heavy feeling in abdomen;
          constipation)
          0 = Absent
        1 = Mild
        2 = Severe

  13. SOMATIC SYMPTOMS - GENERAL
      (Heaviness in limbs, back or head; diffuse
      backache; loss of energy and fatigue)
        0 = Absent
       1 = Mild
       2 = Severe

  14. GENITAL SYMPTOMS
        (Loss of libido, menstrual disturbances)
           0 = Absent
         1 = Mild
         2 = Severe
    
   15. HYPOCHONDRIASIS
          0 = Not present
        1 = Self-absorption (bodily)
          2 = Preoccupation with health
        3 = Querulous attitude
         4 = Hypochondriacal delusions  

   16. WEIGHT LOSS
         0 = No weight loss
           1 = Slight
         2 = Obvious or severe
 
  17. INSIGHT
         0 = No loss
         1 = Partial or doubtful loss
         2 = Loss of insight

[thegreaseman]

I think I got 29 but I feel as though I made a miscalculation.

[Rafterman]

I think I got 29 but I feel as though I made a miscalculation.

Maybe you should take it again, G. A 29 would usually profile as someone who would not even have the energy to be able to come on here and participate. Although I have known people who scored in the 30's and were still very high-function. They worked, had families and knew how to put on the happy face. Just wondering if you are really a 29. Can you say which areas that you scored the highest on? If you care the share. Thanks,  RM

[thegreaseman]

I think I got 29 but I feel as though I made a miscalculation.

Maybe you should take it again, G. A 29 would usually profile as someone who would not even have the energy to be able to come on here and participate. Although I have known people who scored in the 30's and were still very high-function. They worked, had families and knew how to put on the happy face. Just wondering if you are really a 29. Can you say which areas that you scored the highest on? If you care the share. Thanks,  RM

Hey Rafterman. Scored a 24 on my second run. I think it feels more right, 29 seemed way too high. I was being too liberal with certain points at first.

[Naomi]

25 for me. Not surprised. Not in great place mentally, so no shock. I'm working on it. Hoping for a better future.

[Rafterman]

I think I got 29 but I feel as though I made a miscalculation.

Maybe you should take it again, G. A 29 would usually profile as someone who would not even have the energy to be able to come on here and participate. Although I have known people who scored in the 30's and were still very high-function. They worked, had families and knew how to put on the happy face. Just wondering if you are really a 29. Can you say which areas that you scored the highest on? If you care the share. Thanks,  RM

Hey Rafterman. Scored a 24 on my second run. I think it feels more right, 29 seemed way too high. I was being too liberal with certain points at first.

A 24 does sound more like it. I have know people with that score who only felt moderately depressed. Depression had become a way of life for them. When I used to score in the 20's I felt pretty bad. I need to be no higher than mid-teens to feel like myself. I saw the score after I PM'ed you, so I will mention it in the next PM.

---

25 for me. Not surprised. Not in great place mentally, so no shock. I'm working on it. Hoping for a better future.

Hey Naomi!
I would have figured you for mid to high teens. A 25 is quite high. Its just testimony to what a strong person you are. Once a person gets up into the mid 20's, they usually can no longer put on their happy face, if you know what I mean. But you not only do that, but you come on here and help others. That's just wonderful. I hope that you can get it down to the teens because then you can get some relief. Carrying around a score like that can really dominate your life and weigh you down. Few are able to rise above it like you are.  God bless.  RM

[Naomi]

Thanks RM. I've become expert level at putting on a fake persona for the world. I act how I need to in order to get through social interactions. That's no way to live, being fake all the time. It's quite exhausting. And it's not really living, it's just existing. It's one of the main things I am hoping treatment can help me with. It's "easy" to just take meds to feel better, but I don't want to do that forever either. It's already been far too long.

[Rafterman]

Thanks RM. I've become expert level at putting on a fake persona for the world. I act how I need to in order to get through social interactions. That's no way to live, being fake all the time. It's quite exhausting. And it's not really living, it's just existing. It's one of the main things I am hoping treatment can help me with. It's "easy" to just take meds to feel better, but I don't want to do that forever either. It's already been far too long.

I hear you, Naomi. You will get back there some day. I am trying to get back to the same place. Just know that there are tens of millions of people in the exact same situation. Do you ever start to feel that everyone else is "normal" and doesn't have these problems, especially in the medical setting? Everyone seems to have it all together and they all seem so comfortable in their own skin. It is not always true. I have counseled hundreds of nurses, cops, firemen and doctors, yes, doctors. They are forced to put on that same face that we have to put on, and then go out there and deal with the public every day. So, hang in there. We are not alone.  RM

[Naomi]

RM I always think that. Why is everyone else normal? Why is everything easy for them? Why can't my life be like that? I tell myself that they are probably putting up a front, too. I'm sure they have problems and struggles that they are hiding from the world.

[Linville]

Hi Naomi.
I agree with you, everyone has problems. Some just dont know it. And others have....
Different ways of dealing with them .

Some hide it but a lot probably just are trying to get by best they can .
Anyway.
Naomi, Take care.