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Mental health self-screener

Two of the most validated mental-health screening instruments used in clinical settings worldwide: PHQ-9 for depression and GAD-7 for anxiety. ~5 minutes. Not a diagnosis — a starting point.

If you're having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please call 988 (US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), Samaritans 116 123 (UK / Ireland), or your local crisis line. Free, confidential, 24/7.

Part 1 · PHQ-9 (depression)

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by each:

1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things

2. Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless

3. Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much

4. Feeling tired or having little energy

5. Poor appetite or overeating

6. Feeling bad about yourself — or that you are a failure

7. Trouble concentrating on things

8. Moving or speaking slowly — or being fidgety / restless

9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself

Part 2 · GAD-7 (anxiety)

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by each:

1. Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge

2. Not being able to stop or control worrying

3. Worrying too much about different things

4. Trouble relaxing

5. Being so restless that it is hard to sit still

6. Becoming easily annoyed or irritable

7. Feeling afraid as if something awful might happen

About PHQ-9 and GAD-7

The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) are the two most-used mental-health screening instruments in primary care worldwide. Together they detect ~85% of patients with depression or anxiety disorders. Both take ~5 minutes total, are validated across cultures and languages, and have well-defined severity cutoffs that map directly to treatment recommendations.

What a high score means — and doesn't mean

A high score doesn't mean you have a diagnosable mental illness. It means a clinician should take a closer look. Many things can produce elevated PHQ-9 / GAD-7 scores temporarily — recent grief, a stressful life event, thyroid dysfunction, sleep disorders, certain medications, inflammation, perimenopause. That's exactly why these scores are a starting point, not an endpoint.

PHQ-9 severity scoring

  • 0–4: Minimal
  • 5–9: Mild — watchful waiting; re-screen at 2 weeks
  • 10–14: Moderate — consider therapy and/or medication
  • 15–19: Moderately severe — active treatment recommended
  • 20–27: Severe — immediate professional support

GAD-7 severity scoring

  • 0–4: Minimal
  • 5–9: Mild — sleep, exercise, grounding practices
  • 10–14: Moderate — consider professional support (CBT is highly effective)
  • 15+: Severe — strongly recommend professional support

Crisis resources (always free)

  • United States: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988; chat at 988lifeline.org
  • UK / Ireland: Samaritans — 116 123, free 24/7
  • Australia: Lifeline — 13 11 14
  • Canada: Talk Suicide Canada — 1-833-456-4566
  • International: findahelpline.com — search by country

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References

  • Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001;16(9):606-613.
  • Spitzer RL et al. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092-7.