Why The Blood Test for Depression Is A Horrible Idea

You may have heard the recent news that there's a new blood test for depression. It works by identifying chemicals in the blood stream that have been shown to be elevated in people with major depression. Though the scientific community is terribly excited about the whole thing, red flags started waving everywhere in my mind when I thought of how this would affect treatment.To explain my bias, I'll tell the story of how I came to discover that I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

When I first realized that there was a technical disorder that explained my obsessive compulsions, I cried to my Mom because A) I was relieved that it wasn't just me who had this problem, and B) I was scared of being "disordered."

The word, "disorder," felt like such a heavy burden for a middle-schooler to bare who was already teased at every turn for being an awkward A-student.When Mom took me in to see a therapist for a few visits, I told Dr. Forgot-His-Name that I was really struggling with these compulsions and the anxiety that surrounded them. They were starting to manifest in public and I was constantly trying to hide them, but people were starting to ask why I did certain things. I was 12 or 13 (memory's a little shaky on this) and I felt alone, but at the same time hopeful that this licensed psychologist could help me.After giving me a questionnaire and asking me more questions still, Mom and I were called in for another meeting.

"Well, her OCD isn't severe because it doesn't affect her school work," he told Mom... in front of me. "I'm going to give her a prescription for Prozac and that should take care of it."

I immediately felt ashamed and more lonely than I had before. My OCD wasn't a valid struggle. I was just a crybaby. So many people had it worse than me, so why was I having such a hard time with it?So what if my grades were good because my OCD compelled me to finish all my homework and study like I was told, instead of the opposite? It didn't matter because this counselor told me that my struggle wasn't severe; it was just something to throw meds at and call it a day. It wasn't bad enough to cause concern.Yet.I shut my mouth for years after this, the struggle bursting out of me as I lashed out at other students and teachers. Because of my inadequate pain, I resorted to drugs to pick up where the Prozac left off. My depression diagnosis didn't come until later when they found that the Prozac was actually reacting in the opposite fashion than intended, deepening my depression and suicidal thoughts.It took me 4 years after that first visit to realize that this counselor was not a fit for me, and to switch to one who finally did understand and want to help me–who saw me as a girl who needed help, no matter what my diagnosis. With this new therapist, I got a hold on my OCD symptoms and depression for a little while before leaving for college across the country.

The problem with diagnosing mental disorders from such objective markers as chemicals in the blood or grades at school is that it revokes the humanity from the struggler.

This person is reaching out for help, whether they're "depressed" or not. What if the blood tests don't produce an affirmative result for this person? What if they don't "qualify" as depressed? Their struggle is automatically diminished, and they are cast out to feel much like I did–that what they struggle with isn't a big deal, so they must be weak. "Suck it up and stop talking about it–other people with worse problems are more deserving of help than you."This new test can come in handy if used as a supplement, sure. Maybe to direct treatment in one direction or another, or to diagnose depressives at an early age to prevent it from getting worse (or at least prepare for it).What I fear, however, is that uninformed doctors or counselors who have separated themselves from empathy will start to use the blood test as a crutch."Oh, you feel depressed? Give me your arm... Nope, bloodwork says you're fine. Buck up, chum."What the struggling need is a sympathetic ear and guidance to take actions that will lead us to a better life. We don't need to be put in boxes. We don't even need the diagnosis. We just need help. We just need someone to care that we're here and help us remember that we're worth the fight.Before we get too excited about blood tests for mood disorders, let us stop and think how this will affect the way we care for actual human beings. Blood tests shouldn't determine whether we're worthy of help or not. We all deserve support and love, no matter the chemical levels in our veins say we are or aren't.Stay strong (and human),Amy