Is life feeling a lot harder right now than usual? Perhaps you’ve lost the spark and joy in your world. You might be depressed. Taking a depression quiz can help you get some answers so you can understand what to do next to help yourself get better.
What a Depression Test Measures and Why It Matters
A depression test is a mental health assessment that helps you understand whether you’re currently suffering from depression. Typically, these standardized tests include questions about your mood, sleep pattern, appetite, energy level and interest in hobbies and activities.
An online depression screening doesn’t provide a diagnosis — only a mental health professional can adequately screen and diagnose you for depression. However, online tests can have many benefits.
When you’re in the thick of depression, it can sometimes be hard to recognize it. You don’t know if you’re just having a few off days or weeks or if it’s something more. An online screening tool can be an effective way to get some answers.
If you take a depression quiz and discover you’re likely not experiencing depression, the test still has some benefits. You walk away with a better understanding of what depressive symptoms can look like, and you know what to watch out for going forward. Increasing self-understanding and awareness of symptoms and promoting early detection of depression in the future are helpful for general mental health.
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Commonly Used Screening Tools
Here are some of the most commonly used depression tests.
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
The PHQ-9 is an assessment used for screening, diagnosing, monitoring and measuring the severity of depression. It has nine questions that focus on your mood and thoughts over the past 2 weeks. You’re given points for each question depending on your answer. At the end, you tally your total and determine your result:
- 0-4 points: no or minimal depression
- 5-9 points: mild depression
- 10-14 points: moderate
- 15-19 points: moderately severe
- 20-27 points: severe depression
The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
The BDI is a self-report rating questionnaire that measures the typical attitudes and symptoms of depression. There are 21 questions that focus on the topics of sadness, pessimism, guilt, loss of interest and suicidal thoughts. Standard scoring interpretations for the BDI are:
- 0-13 points: minimal depression
- 14-20 points: mild depression
- 21-28 points: moderate depression
- 29-63: severe depression
The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
The CES-D is a 20-item questionnaire that asks about various symptoms of depression. The screening tool focuses on how the individual felt over the past week. At the end of the questionnaire, you’ll have a score ranging from 0 to 60. A higher score indicates more depressive symptomatology. Typically, a score of 16 or higher suggests significant depressive symptoms.
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
The HADS test is a 14-item self-assessment test that’s meant to measure anxiety and depression felt by patients in a hospital setting. The test’s questions focus on feelings and symptoms of worry, nervousness and loss of interest. There are two versions of the test: HADS-A for anxiety and HADS-D for depression. A score from 0 to 7 is considered normal, 8-10 is borderline or mild and 11 or higher indicates a high risk of depression.
Signs You Might Want to Take a Depression Quiz
If you’re reading this, a depression quiz may be a good idea. Chances are you’re looking up this information because you already suspect you have depression.
Here are some other signs that indicate it’s a good idea to take a depression assessment:
- Constant feelings of sadness, anxiety or emptiness
- Loss of interest in activities and passions you once loved
- Dramatic changes in sleeping patterns (either insomnia or sleeping a lot more)
- Dramatic changes in eating patterns (overeating or loss of appetite)
- Constant fatigue
- Trouble concentrating
- Frequent feelings of hopelessness or guilt
- Being easily angered, irritated or frustrated
Thoughts of self-harm or suicidal ideation can also indicate depression. If you’re experiencing these types of thoughts, skip the online assessment and talk to a mental health professional immediately. Call 988, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, to speak to someone right now. The helpline is available 24-7. You can also visit your local ER and ask for help.
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How to Interpret Results (and What They Don’t Mean)
After you take your screening, you’ll receive a ranking that categorizes your risk level of having depression. However, remember this is just an online tool and isn’t foolproof. Your test results aren’t an official diagnosis.
Depression has varying degrees of severity, and all of them deserve attention. Here’s what each result range typically means:
- Possible mild depression. Even mild depression can be life-changing. Talking to a therapist can help you manage your symptoms.
- Moderate depression. Your symptoms are reducing your quality of life. Explore treatment options so you can get back to living a happy, healthy life.
- Moderately severe depression. Your symptoms are severe enough to negatively impact you daily and be noticed by others. Seek help as soon as possible.
- Severe depression. Your symptoms are extreme, and your depression can become life-threatening. Get immediate, urgent help today.
If the test indicates you have any signs of depressive symptoms, consider talking to a therapist. A therapist can confirm your diagnosis and help you begin treatment for depression.
Millions of Americans have depression. The good news is that this condition is highly treatable. With therapy and, if applicable, medication, your depressive symptoms can lessen and even possibly disappear. In 2021, approximately 61% of U.S. adults with a major depressive episode reported that they’d received treatment in the past year. Increasingly, more people are recognizing the benefits of mental health treatment.
Even if the online screening assessment didn’t indicate a high chance of depression, consider talking to a counselor. You took this test because you felt something was wrong. Perhaps instead of depression you’re battling another mental health condition like anxiety or PTSD. Or you could have multiple conditions, which makes it harder to get an accurate answer from a basic online screening quiz.
An online assessment can be a good starting point, but nothing can beat talking to a therapist who can give you clear answers.
It’s essential to take this next step as soon as possible. Depression isn’t a condition that simply goes away on its own. In fact, if left untreated, your symptoms can worsen.
Mental Health Treatment at FHE Health
FHE Health is a fully licensed treatment facility that helps patients find a safe and effective pathway to lifelong recovery. Our personalized approach to treatment ensures each patient receives an individualized plan tailored to their unique needs. Contact us today to learn more about our mental health treatment programs.
