Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders encountered in the practice. It is not always easy for the general physicians to detect depression in their patients. Therefore they are often misdiagnosed and do not get the proper care. How one can diagnose depression. There is no tool or instrument to diagnose depression. Psychological instruments may guide but cannot give a conclusive diagnosis. The diagnosis is always based on history. How one can identify depression. In other words what are the symptoms of depression? Here is a mnemonic for depression "SIGECAPS - D"

S = Sleep disturbance,
I = Interest (diminished),
G = Guilt or feeling worthless,
E = Energy (loss),
C = Concentration difficulties or indecisiveness,
A = Appetite abnormality or weight change,
P = Psychomotor retardation or agitation,

S = Suicide or death (acts or thoughts of).
D = Depressed mood

One must remember that to call it a depression the duration has to be of 15 days