How do you know if you have depression or a dissociative disorder?

Typically, there are symptoms that can be signs of depression, such as feeling hopeless or empty, that can lead individuals to believe that they are depressed. However, you cannot know for sure that you are clinically or officially depressed unless you get diagnosed by a medical professional. This can be someone your primary care physician can refer you to, whether that is a psychologist or a psychiatrist. After looking at your symptoms and situation, they can assess whether or not you are depressed, and if you are, whether or not you need to be medicated for the depression or dissociative disorder that you think you may have.

Although there is a ton of information on the internet and in other scholarly resources (e.g., the DSM), the only sure way to know this is to see a professional who can help you. If you feel that you could have depression or a dissociative disorder, you should talk to your primary care physician about this. They will help you with the next step. This step may be a referral to a psychiatric professional who will be more experienced in the area of depression and dissociative disorders. Here, they will support you through an evaluation and a potential diagnosis. All the best!