Depression is a medical condition that affects mood, energy, concentration, and daily functioning. It presents differently from person to person. For some, it’s a persistent heaviness; for others, exhaustion, disconnection, or a gradual loss of interest in things that used to matter. Co-occurring conditions are common: anxiety and ADHD frequently appear alongside depression, and in some cases, what looks like depression is shaped by another condition entirely.
Mentavi Health’s Diagnostic Evaluation helps identify which type of depression you may be experiencing and whether anything else is contributing, before any treatment is recommended.
Depression doesn’t always look the way people expect. These are some of the patterns worth paying attention to.
If several of these sound familiar and have been present for weeks or longer, a formal evaluation can help clarify what’s going on.
Many people aren’t sure whether what they’re experiencing is depression or whether it’s worth addressing.
Depression presents differently from person to person. For some, it’s episodes of deep low mood. For others, it’s a lower-grade depression that lasts for years. Without understanding which type you’re experiencing, and what else may be contributing, it’s difficult to know where to start with care.
A clear diagnosis changes that. When treatment is built around what’s actually driving your depression, it leads to better care decisions than treatment built only on how you feel.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than 21 million U.S. adults experienced a major depressive episode in the past year.¹ On average, people wait 6 to 8 years after symptoms begin before they get treatment.²
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Periods of deep low mood, loss of interest in activities you once found meaningful, changes in sleep or appetite, and difficulty concentrating. These episodes may last weeks or months and can significantly affect daily functioning.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
A lower-grade but long-lasting form of depression. If you’ve felt consistently low, flat, or unmotivated for a year or more, this may be worth evaluating. Because it doesn’t come in episodes, it is often overlooked or written off as personality or circumstance.
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
Other Specified and Unspecified Depressive Disorders
Premenstrual Depressive Disorder (PMDD)
Significant mood disturbance, including depression, irritability, or anxiety, that occurs in the days before menstruation and resolves afterward. PMDD is more than typical premenstrual changes and can significantly affect daily functioning.
Depression doesn’t have a single cause. It develops through a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors, which is part of why it looks different from person to person.
Genetics can play a role. Depression tends to run in families, though having a family history doesn’t mean depression is inevitable. Brain chemistry is also involved: depression is associated with changes in how neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine regulate mood.
Life experiences matter too. Trauma, loss, chronic stress, major life transitions, and certain medical conditions can all contribute. This is why a comprehensive evaluation, one that considers clinical context across multiple conditions rather than just a symptom checklist, leads to more accurate diagnosis and more appropriate care.
Depression is not a personal failing or a sign of weakness. It is a health condition with real causes, and it responds to treatment.
Depression often co-occurs with anxiety disorders, OCD, ADHD, and sleep disorders. Nearly half of adults with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, with each condition influencing how the other presents.³ Depression is also the most common comorbid condition in people with OCD, with a lifetime prevalence of approximately 40%.⁴ ADHD is present in approximately 1 in 10 adults with depression, though it often goes undiagnosed.⁵
The Mentavi Mental Health Diagnostic Evaluation assesses up to 29 mental health conditions in a single clinician-reviewed process, so if more than one is present, all are identified at the same time.
The Mentavi Mental Health Diagnostic Evaluation assesses ADHD and a broad range of common mental health conditions. It is clinically validated† for diagnosing ADHD in adults, with peer-reviewed research published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
A doctorate-level, licensed psychologist reviews your evaluation to determine warranted diagnoses, provide broader mental health context, and recommend next steps.
Completing the evaluation is the first part. The second is the clinical review.
Your responses aren’t scored by an algorithm and handed back. A licensed psychologist reviews the full clinical picture, your answers, the patterns across conditions, and the context your responses provide, and makes a professional determination about which diagnoses are warranted. If more than one condition is present, both get identified. If what you’re experiencing doesn’t meet the criteria for a depressive disorder, that clarity is valuable too.
What you receive is a clinical report with your results, any warranted diagnoses, and recommendations for next steps. If treatment is clinically appropriate, those recommendations will outline the options available to you based on your diagnosis and your state.
The right approach depends on which type you have, whether other conditions are present, and what your clinical picture looks like after evaluation. There is no single path that works for everyone.
Treatment options with Mentavi fall into two categories. Availability varies by state and clinician capacity. All treatment services require a completed Diagnostic Evaluation and are available to adults 18 and over.
Evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), address the thought patterns, behaviors, and emotional responses that contribute to depression. Therapy can be used alongside medication or on its own, depending on your situation.
If depression or another condition is diagnosed through the Mentavi Mental Health Diagnostic Evaluation, your clinical report will outline findings and any care options your psychologist determines are clinically appropriate. All treatment services require a completed Diagnostic Evaluation and are available to adults 18 and over. Availability varies by state and clinician capacity. §
Skills-focused coaching to help you build strategies, set goals, and manage anxiety day to day, available nationwide.§
Yes. Depression can be diagnosed online when a licensed clinician reviews a complete evaluation. The Mentavi Mental Health Diagnostic Evaluation is completed entirely online, on your schedule, and reviewed by a doctorate-level clinical psychologist. You don’t need to come into an office.
If treatment is clinically appropriate following your evaluation, medical treatment, therapy, and Mental Wellness Coaching are all available online. Availability varies by state. You can use the chatbot to check what’s available where you are.
Online care isn’t right for every situation. If you are in crisis or experiencing thoughts of self-harm, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
Live support will be unavailable, but you may still submit a request or leave a message. We’ll respond when we return.
Our Diagnostic Evaluation is always available—on your schedule.
Our website remains open 24/7 for scheduling appointments, accessing ADHD resources, and viewing recorded webinars.
