A depression screening tool based on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) criteria. Evaluate your mood, energy levels, and emotional well-being.
Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions, affecting over 280 million people globally. This free online depression screening test is inspired by the PHQ-9, a validated clinical screening tool used by healthcare professionals worldwide. It assesses symptoms including persistent sadness, loss of interest, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and changes in appetite. Understanding your symptoms is the first step toward getting the support you need.
This test is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a diagnostic tool and should not replace professional medical advice. If you are experiencing distress, please consult a licensed healthcare provider.
Depression is more than feeling sad or going through a rough patch. It's a persistent low mood that affects how you think, feel, and function — sometimes for weeks or months. The World Health Organisation estimates that around 5% of adults globally experience depression at any given time.
Depression can affect anyone regardless of their life circumstances. People with objectively good lives can experience severe depression; people going through genuinely difficult situations may not. It's a medical condition, not a reflection of gratitude or resilience.
There are several types of depression. Major depressive disorder involves episodes of deep, persistent low mood. Dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) is a milder but chronic form. Bipolar disorder involves episodes of depression alternating with elevated mood. Postpartum depression occurs after childbirth and is more severe than the 'baby blues'.
Depression symptoms vary from person to person. The most well-known is persistent sadness, but depression often shows up differently — as numbness, irritability, or emptiness rather than visible distress. Other common symptoms include: loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, changes in appetite and weight, sleep problems (sleeping too much or too little), low energy and fatigue, difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, and in more severe cases, thoughts of death or self-harm.
Depression also has physical symptoms that are often overlooked: unexplained aches and pains, headaches, digestive problems, and slowed physical movement. These aren't psychological — depression affects the body as much as the mind.
Symptoms need to be present most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks to meet the threshold for a major depressive episode. If symptoms have been present for less time, they may still be worth discussing with a doctor.
This test is based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), one of the most widely validated depression screening tools in clinical use. It was developed by Drs. Robert Spitzer, Janet Williams, and Kurt Kroenke and is used by GPs, psychologists, and psychiatrists worldwide.
The PHQ-9 has been validated in hundreds of clinical studies and has strong sensitivity and specificity for detecting depression. It takes about 2 minutes to complete and maps directly to the DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder.
Your score on this test is not a diagnosis. It's a starting point. A high score means your symptoms are significant enough to warrant a clinical assessment. A low score doesn't mean you're definitively fine — it means your current symptom pattern isn't consistent with major depression right now.