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How is Depression Gauged?

HDS or HAMD is known as the The Hamilton depression rating scale. Although there are other names for this, the Hamilton depression rating scale is what is used to test the rate and level of depression in any individual. So who is the Hamilton depression rating scale for? It can be used in people of all ages, children up to adults. It is often used before the doctor prescribes the patient with any medications or treatments for depression. By using the Hamilton depression rating scale, the doctor can determine the dosage or appropriate treatment. The Hamilton depression rating scale was introduced by Max Hamilton in the 1960s. It was intended to be used while speaking to anyone who it was believed was suffering from depression. But the Hamilton depression rating scale has changed over the years and it is now the standard way of measuring depression all over the planet.

However, the scale does have some faults and it is not quite perfect. One example of this is that the person who conducts the test has a direct effect on the results as it is down to the interpretation of the person operating the scale. Different people who operate the scale may return different results for the same patient.

The test works by asking the subject to go through and informal interview which will have either 17 or 21 questions. Every answer is allotted a score by the interviewer. When the interview is finished, the scores are tallied and the number is compared to the scale to see if the patient is suffering from mild or major depression.

The Hamilton depression rating scale is known to be the best way at the moment of measuring depression and it usually gives good results.

Depression is becoming more evident in today’s hectic society. This illness can cause a strain on not only the sufferer but all those around that person, such as friends and family. Doctors now know a great deal about the illness and can usually help people on the road to recovery.

However, depression needs to be diagnosed correctly before anything positive can take place and this is where the Hamilton depression rating scale comes in.

Without some way of finding out how mild or major the depression is that the patient may be suffering, treating them would be difficult.