Reviewed By:
Weston S. Ferrer, MD (Psychiatry)
Weston Ferrer is a physician leader, psychiatrist, and clinical informaticist based in San Francisco. With nearly a decade of experience in academia and more recent immersion in industry, he has made significant contributions to the fields of digital health, health tech, and healthcare innovation. | As an Associate Professor at UCSF, Weston was involved in teaching, leadership, and clinical practice, focusing on the intersection of technology and mental health. He recently led mental health clinical for Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences), where he applied his expertise to develop innovative solutions for mental healthcare using the tools of AI/ML, digital therapeutics, clinical analytics, and more.. | Weston is known for his unique ability to innovate and support product development while bringing pragmatism to technology entrepreneurship. He is a strong advocate for patient-centered care and is committed to leveraging technology to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. |
Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)
Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.
Content updated on Oct 18, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Depression
Anxiety flare ups
Insomnia
Extreme fatigue
Lack of motivation
Feeling down
Feeling depressed for no reason
Poor concentration
I lost interest in everything
Perpetual sadness
Malaise
Lack of energy
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
With a free 3-min Depression quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
Depression is a mental illness that leads to low mood, reduced energy levels, and changes in sleep. This affects everyday activities like attending school and work. As the condition worsens, patients might have suicidal thoughts. Although stress and past trauma can cause depression, it can take time to identify and address causes, and genetic factors may also be at play.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
Treatment typically involves a combination of counseling therapy, life changes, and medications (antidepressants). A strong support network is helpful, as the recovery process can take months or even years.
Q.
What Are Some Noticeable Behavior Changes in People With Depression and Anxiety?
A.
Both depression and anxiety are characterized by changes in appetite, declines in energy and motivation, as well as changes in work performance.
References:
Simon GE, Moise N, Mohr DC. Management of Depression in Adults: A Review. JAMA. 2024 Jul 9;332(2):141-152. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.5756. Erratum in: JAMA. 2024 Sep 16. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.18427. PMID: 38856993.
Szuhany KL, Simon NM. Anxiety Disorders: A Review. JAMA. 2022 Dec 27;328(24):2431-2445. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.22744. PMID: 36573969.
Q.
Are There Any Facial Signs of Depression?
A.
Facial signs of depression can manifest as reduced facial expressions, changes in eye contact, and overall appearance. These signs can reflect the emotional state of an individual and may be noticeable to others.
References:
Lacerda KCD, Souza FCO, Araújo CRV, Mota BEF, Muñoz PMG, Berger W, Vilete L, Bearzoti E, Guerra Leal Souza G. High depressive symptomatology reduces emotional reactions to pictures of social interaction. Sci Rep. 2024 Jan 13;14(1):1266. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-51813-1. PMID: 38219004; PMCID: PMC10787838.
Gehricke J, Shapiro D. Reduced facial expression and social context in major depression: discrepancies between facial muscle activity and self-reported emotion. Psychiatry Res. 2000 Aug 21;95(2):157-67. doi: 10.1016/s0165-1781(00)00168-2. PMID: 10963801.
Q.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of “Smiling Depression”? What Are Risk Factors?
A.
"Smiling depression" refers to individuals who appear outwardly happy and functional while privately struggling with depressive symptoms. Recognizing the subtle signs, such as loss of interest or pleasure, changes in sleep and appetite, and persistent fatigue, is crucial for seeking help.
References:
Bhattacharya S, Laura Hoedebeck K, Sharma N, Gokdemir O, Singh A. “Smiling depression” (an emerging threat): Let’s Talk. Indian J Community Health [Internet]. 2019 Dec. 31 [cited 2024 Oct. 10];31(4):433-6.
https://www.iapsmupuk.org/journal/index.php/IJCH/article/view/1255
Zullino DF, Bancila V. You don't believe in a patient's depression? Watch the watch! Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2008 Feb;22(1):50-1. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2007.04.005. PMID: 18207056.
Alexopoulos GS. Depression in the elderly. Lancet. 2005 Jun 4-10;365(9475):1961-70. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66665-2. PMID: 15936426.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(05)66665-2/fulltextZhang Y, Chen Y, Ma L. Depression and cardiovascular disease in elderly: Current understanding. J Clin Neurosci. 2018 Jan;47:1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2017.09.022. Epub 2017 Oct 21. PMID: 29066229.
https://www.jocn-journal.com/article/S0967-5868(16)30628-2/fulltextWang YP, Gorenstein C. Psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory-II: a comprehensive review. Braz J Psychiatry. 2013 Oct-Dec;35(4):416-31. doi: 10.1590/1516-4446-2012-1048. Epub 2013 Dec 23. PMID: 24402217.
https://www.scielo.br/j/rbp/a/84pk6g6z4FVyGtkncK4m6XR/?lang=enHammen C. Risk Factors for Depression: An Autobiographical Review. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2018 May 7;14:1-28. doi: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050817-084811. Epub 2018 Jan 12. PMID: 29328780.
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050817-084811Greenberg J, Tesfazion AA, Robinson CS. Screening, diagnosis, and treatment of depression. Mil Med. 2012 Aug;177(8 Suppl):60-6. doi: 10.7205/milmed-d-12-00102. PMID: 22953442.
https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/177/suppl_8/60/4345395Male, 30s
I got more answers in one minute through your site than I did in three hours with Google.
(Sep 29, 2024)
Male, 20s
My experience was great. I was worried, but the symptom checker helped me narrow down what it might be. I feel a little relieved compared to when I first started, and it gives me a starting point for what my symptoms could mean.
(Sep 27, 2024)
Male, 50s
The questions asked and possible causes seemed spot on, putting me at ease for a next-step solution.
(Sep 26, 2024)
Female, 40s
I was actually very impressed with the results it provided because, although I didn’t mention it during the questionnaire because I thought it was unrelated, it suggested I may have something I’ve actually been diagnosed with in the past.
(Sep 25, 2024)
Reviewed By:
Weston S. Ferrer, MD (Psychiatry)
Weston Ferrer is a physician leader, psychiatrist, and clinical informaticist based in San Francisco. With nearly a decade of experience in academia and more recent immersion in industry, he has made significant contributions to the fields of digital health, health tech, and healthcare innovation. | As an Associate Professor at UCSF, Weston was involved in teaching, leadership, and clinical practice, focusing on the intersection of technology and mental health. He recently led mental health clinical for Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences), where he applied his expertise to develop innovative solutions for mental healthcare using the tools of AI/ML, digital therapeutics, clinical analytics, and more.. | Weston is known for his unique ability to innovate and support product development while bringing pragmatism to technology entrepreneurship. He is a strong advocate for patient-centered care and is committed to leveraging technology to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. |
Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)
Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.
Our symptom checker AI is continuously refined with input from experienced physicians, empowering them to make more accurate diagnoses.
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Ubie’s symptom checker demonstrated a Top-10 hit accuracy of 71.6%, surpassing the performance of several leading symptom checkers in the market, which averaged around 60% accuracy in similar assessments.
Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1