What does a provisional diagnosis of depression actually mean/imply?
Recently been informally diagnosed with moderate-severe depression (given a provisional diagnosis). I didn’t think to ask what this actually means for me.
Does this mean I am likely to have the actual condition of depression? And how likely exactly? I’m also curious if it means I must have a lack of serotonin in my body (or whatever biological factor causes depression) or if I can have developed it from some other factor, and if that’s even possible? For example, can depression be non-biological and instead be completely due to my thought process?
Honestly I am very confused, and getting an official diagnosis for clarity was not an option for me as in the UK they want to avoid officially labelling people with depression unless medication is needed, which I’ve been advised against due to age and it not seeming necessary etc.