Am I Depressed? 9 Questions to Help You Find Out
Ask yourself the following 9 questions
Depression can sometimes be tricky to identify because it is much more than feeling sad or like crying. It can manifest itself in many ways, and it can be hard to pinpoint weather we are just experiencing a hard patch or something that we may need to seek therapy for. So how could we distinguish what’s what?
Below are 9 questions based on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 better known as the PHQ-9. The PHQ-9 is an evidence-based test which is administered by therapists and medical personnel to help us determine whether a patient or client is struggling with depression. You’ll also find the scoring system below.
Answer the 9 following questions to help you figure out if you are too struggling with clinical depression.
In the past two weeks, how many days have you experienced the following symptoms:
Little interest or pleasure in doing things
Not at all +0
Several days +1
More than half the days +2
Nearly every day +3
Feeling down, depressed or hopeless
Not at all +0
Several days +1
More than half the days +2
Nearly every day +3
Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much
Not at all +0
Several days +1
More than half the days +2
Nearly every day +3
Feeling tired or having little energy
Not at all +0
Several days +1
More than half the days +2
Nearly every day +3
Poor appetite or overeating
Not at all +0
Several days +1
More than half the days +2
Nearly every day +3
Feeling bad about yourself - or that you’re a failure or have let yourself or your family down
Not at all +0
Several days +1
More than half the days +2
Nearly every day +3
Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
Not at all +0
Several days +1
More than half the days +2
Nearly every day +3
Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed. Or, the opposite - being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual
Not at all +0
Several days +1
More than half the days +2
Nearly every day +3
Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way
Not at all +0
Several days +1
More than half the days +2
Nearly every day +3
**If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts and need immediate assistance, go to the nearest emergency department or call 9-1-1 for help.
PHQ-9 score obtained by adding score for each question (total points)
I N T E R P R E T A T I O N:
Mild depression 5-9
Moderate depression 10-14
Moderately severe depression 15-19
Severe Depression 20+
Therapy can be a great place to get the help you need to improve your symptoms and feel hope again.
Depression is a debilitating disorder that can carry with it stigma. If you answered the questions above and scored 5+ the good news though is that depression is treatable. Depression Therapist specialists may use a combination of therapy types and modalities to custom build a treatment plan to lead you to success. The most used form of treatment for depression is cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT. A CBT therapist near you can help you identify maladaptive behavioral and thinking patters, increase your coping skills to get you own your way to improve your symptoms. If you are having trouble finding the right therapist for you or if you are looking for a female therapist in Santa Monica check out my blogs on these topics to help you determine how to find the right provider for your needs.
Additional resources:
Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741-741
Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860 https://www.translifeline.org
Open Path Collective (low cost therapy): https://openpathcollective.org/
