What Is Dysthymia?
4. Diagnosis
To differentiate between a depressive condition and a physical one, doctors usually run a series of laboratory tests. Blood tests can determine whether a patient might have a deficiency in certain vitamins or hormones that cause depressive symptoms. Blood tests can also test for the presence of psychoactive drugs. Psychological tests including the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression or the Beck Depression Inventory then may be administered to help quantify symptoms.
The official diagnosis of persistent depressive disorder is made using criteria established in the DSM-5. To meet these criteria, the patient must have felt depressed for the majority of the day, on most days of the week, for at a minimum of two years. At least two depressive symptoms must have been present during this time, as reported by the patient or observed by others. Finally, the symptoms must either distress the patient or keep him or her from functioning well at home, work, or school.
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