Some symptoms of depression are feeling sad, discoraged & hopeless.  Other symptoms of depression include fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and change in appetite or weight.

Our nurse practitioner uses your personal history with depression and a depression screening tool to determine the severity of your depression.  She then creates an individualized treatment plan.

The following questionaire is a screening tool we use to grade the severity of your depression

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things

• 0.  Not at all

• 1.  Several days

• 2.  More than half the days

• 3.  Nearly every day

2. Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless

• 0.  Not at all

• 1.  Several days

• 2.  More than half the days

• 3.  Nearly every day

3. Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much

• 0.  Not at all

• 1.  Several days

• 2.  More than half the days

• 3.  Nearly every day

4. Feeling tired or having little energy

• 0.  Not at all

• 1.  Several days

• 2.  More than half the days

• 3.  Nearly every day

5. Poor appetite or overeating

• 0.  Not at all

• 1.  Several days

• 2.  More than half the days

• 3.  Nearly every day

6. Feeling bad about yourself—or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down

• 0.  Not at all

• 1.  Several days

• 2.  More than half the days

• 3.  Nearly every day

7. Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television

• 0.  Not at all

• 1.  Several days

• 2.  More than half the days

• 3.  Nearly every day

8. Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed? Or the opposite—being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual

• 0.  Not at all

• 1.  Several days

• 2.  More than half the days

• 3.  Nearly every day

9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way

• 0.  Not at all

• 1.  Several days

• 2.  More than half the days

• 3.  Nearly every day

If you ansered a 1 to more than one question it is time to talk to a nurse practitioner about your mental health.  

• Moderate depression is a score of 10-14

• Moderately severe depression is a score of 15-19

• Severe depression is a score of 20-27

If you are having thoughts of hurting or killing yourself 

• Call 911 

• Call the National Suicide Hotline 800-273-8255