0 – Severely depressed, suicidal and/or homicidal, immediate inpatient treatment necessary, inability to function (in daily activities)
1 – Severely depressed, somewhat suicidal and/or homicidal, monitoring necessary, inpatient treatment likely necessary, inability to function
2 – Severely depressed, passing suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts, monitoring recommended, inpatient treatment optional, great difficulty functioning
3 – Moderately depressed, passing suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts, monitoring optional, some difficulty functioning
4 – Mildly depressed, passing suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts, monitoring optional, low difficulty functioning
5 – Emotionally numb, in a state of existence, no suicidal and/or homicidal ideations, no monitoring necessary, some ability to function, borderline mood (potential for change to 4 or 6)
6 – Mildly happy, content, no suicidal and/or homicidal ideations, little functioning problems
7 – Moderately happy, upbeat, no functioning problems
8 – Moderately happy, optimistic, positive, no functioning problems
9 – Extremely happy, optimistic, cheerful, positive, “in a good mood,” “feel great,” no functioning problems
10 – Extremely happy, potentially manic, active, energetic, euphoric, ability to function may vary
*A plus (+) sign, used only for numbers below 5, indicate that there is no suicidal ideation.
depression introspection 
Marissa,
You do not know me from Adam, but I was touched by your comment this evening to Philip on Furious Seasons.
I clicked and saw your tagline.
For what it’s worth, you are not your diagnosis. You are multifaceted and your diagnosis is only one part of you.
Should you choose to make it a major facet of your life, that’s YOUR CHOICE.
I believe that we are all multifaceted and we all have many moods, constantly changing, influenced by circumstance and the world around us. Our essences.
You are Marissa, a unique entity and there’s no one like you on earth now, nor has there ever been, nor will there ever be.
A diagnosis is just an opinion drawn from a book of possibilities. The DSM. The fifth edition of which will be out in 2011 and is, as I’m sure you know, written by other multifaceted people with medical training – and they’re own problems. Flaws and faults and personal issues and emotional distresses.
What about your soul? Your mind? Your more than a brain. You’re a totality of so many things, which medicine cannot and has never been able to explain.
Look at what Philip is grappling with right now.
Mind and Body and Soul… all connected but no one can yet explain how? Certainly not modern science.
Please forgive me, but I have not read your blog. It’s late and I’m going to sleep having just watched Mad Men. I hope I haven’t insulted your intelligence. This is a gut reaction. Probably unwise, too. I usually do more research but your comment was so compassionate and thoughtful and honest, I was curious and just clicked on your name.
All of a sudden, I saw Depression Introspection and that glaring tagline.
Take care and I hope you do not mind a completely ignorant comment based on that tagline, but I read it and it hurt me to think you may ever entertain the idea that you are just a diagnosis.
You are so much more than that. You are not a label.
You are a person. An individual.
Take care.
Sandy
Sandy,
Thank you for that comment. Most people judge a book by its cover and you are correct about the tagline. I’ve been thinking of revising it for some time and your comment has given me the impetus to do it.
Ironically, I checked out the link you posted to gaping void on FS, so I DO know you (somewhat) from Adam. 🙂
Best,
Marissa
I am glad you changed the tagline, Marissa. You are definitely more than just a diagnosis!
You are a very special person, a precious child of God, fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
You have touched many lives in special ways and God has His wonderful plans in store for you. As you cast yourself upon Him, you will discover more and more of this.
I am touched by Sandy’s comment. (Thanks, Sandy, for writing to Marissa the way you did. You cared so much though you are new to Marissa!) I am greatly encouraged, Marissa, by Sandy’s kindness in writing to you. See how good God is in sending His love through various people in your life!
Take care, sweet friend. You are always in my thoughts and prayers.