The ability to diagnose mental health disorders such as anxiety disorders and depression should be left to doctors and mental health professionals such as psychologists and social workers. However, it's important to understand your own mental health diagnosis or be able to recognize signs of mental health issues if you believe that you might be suffering from one. If you believe that you fit the criteria for a mental health disorder, you should seek assistance from a therapist or doctor to get an accurate diagnosis.
Step 1
Utilize the DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the manual that mental health professionals use to diagnose disorders, in making your diagnosis and determining the specific disorder. If you don't have a copy, you can use reputable on-line resources such as the Mayo Clinic and the National Institute of Mental Health to find diagnostic criteria.
Step 2
Determine the person's mental health background and past diagnoses. If he's had a past diagnosis of depression or anxiety, it might be triggered again. It's important to also ask about his family members' mental health backgrounds, because many disorders have a genetic link.
Step 3
Determine if the person has any medical issues, because you'll want to rule out medical causes before diagnosing someone with a mental health condition. If the person has not had a physical within the past year or reports medical issues that haven't been treated by a doctor, recommend that she see her doctor to rule out medical problems.
Step 4
Allow the person to tell you what symptoms she is experiencing before you begin to ask specific questions. If she reports feelings of sadness, fatigue, weight loss or gain, sleep issues or feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, you'll want to consider the depressive disorders. If she reports feeling worried and tense, having fears and nightmares, experiencing physical symptoms such as a racing heart and sweaty palms, feeling irritable and having trouble concentrating, you'll want to consider anxiety disorders.
Step 5
Ask questions regarding specific disorders once you've determined whether the person is suffering from a depressive disorder or anxiety disorder. For example, ask how long the person has been suffering from the symptoms to determine if they meet the criteria for a major depressive episode or dysthymic disorder. Ask if the person becomes anxious in social situations to see if they have a social phobia and ask if the anxiety was triggered by a traumatic event which could have led to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Step 6
Check the DSM-IV-TR once you've narrowed down the specific disorder to make sure that he meets all criteria. If he doesn't meet the necessary criteria, you would probably conclude that the person is suffering from an anxiety disorder not otherwise specified or a depressive disorder not otherwise specified.
Tips and Warnings
- If you're unsure about the person's diagnosis after completing an intake session, have a follow-up session before making a diagnosis or consult with another mental health professional. If you're not a mental health professional, consult with your doctor or therapist to determine a specific diagnosis for yourself, friends or family members.
Things You'll Need
- DSM-IV-TR
