Further, your doctor should know about any family members that also suffer from depression. Your doctor may want to know if they were treated for it and what treatment they received and if it was effective for them or not. This may give your doctor some help if it is determined that you will receive treatment too. If you don't know this information, you may want to ask some family members and take the information with you when you visit your doctor. A physical examination and lab tests will also help your doctor determine if you are suffering from depression and what type.
Some medical conditions can cause symptoms of depression as well as some medications.
Your doctor will be able to rule some of these possibilities out. Treatment for your depression will depend on the results of your evaluation. Depending on your doctor and diagnosis, you may be prescribed antidepressant medication and psychotherapies. Some people do well with medication alone and some do well with psychotherapy alone with others do well on a combination of both these treatments. With your diagnosis and the severity of your symptoms, your doctor will prescribe the treatment that's best for you.