Use this brief 18-question online automated quiz to help you determine if you may need to see a mental health professional for diagnosis and treatment of depression, or for tracking your depression and mood on a regular basis.
Instructions: You can print this scale out or take it online, using it on a weekly basis to track your moods. It also might be used to show your doctor how your symptoms have changed from one visit to the next. This scale is not designed to make a diagnosis of depression or take the place of a professional diagnosis.
Answer each of the 18 items below about how you have felt and behaved during the past week. Be honest for the most accurate result.
Learn More About Depression
The symptoms of depression are characterized by five (5) or more of the following, experienced by a person consistently more days than not over at least a two week period: loneliness or sadness that is persistent, little to no energy, a sense of hopelessness, problems with eating (too little or too much), problems with sleeping (too little or too much), difficulties with attention or concentration, loss of all interest in activities that previously brought a person satisfaction or joy doing, overwhelming feelings of guilt or worthlessness, or thoughts of suicide or death.
A sense of hopelessness tends to be experienced by most people who have depression — the feeling that nothing they can do will change their situation or feelings. Depression is insidious in how it takes away nearly any motivation or energy to do things, even simple things like showering or eating.
Learn more: Depression Symptoms
Depression Treatment
Depression can be successfully treated, usually best done with a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. Many people choose to forgo therapy and instead just prescribed antidepressants from their primary care physician or family doctor. However, this is generally not recommended, as antidepressant medications alone may not be sufficient to successfully treat clinical depression.
There are many other options available for treatment as well. You can learn more about these options in our comprehensive article about the pros and cons of each option below.
Learn more: Depression Treatment
Living with Depression
It’s not easy for many people to live with depression, and it sometimes becomes more of a chronic condition. Our in-depth look at living with this condition helps explore the daily ways you can be more successful in battling this disorder.
Learn more: In-Depth Look at Depression
Copyright 1993 Ivan Goldberg. All rights reserved. Adopted from the printed edition of the Goldberg Depression Inventory for electronic distribution. For personal use only; other use may be prohibited by law. Used here with permission.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Beck, A.T., Rush, A.J., Shaw, B.F. & Emery, G. (1987). Cognitive Therapy of Depression. New York: Guilford.
Burns, D.D. (1999). The Feeling Good Handbook. New York: Plume.
Gelenberg, A.J. et al. (2010). Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Major Depressive Disorder. American Psychiatric Association.
Gotlib, I.H. & Hammen, C.L. (2015). Handbook of Depression: Third Edition. New York: Guilford.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2019). Depression. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml on April 23, 2020.
Muneer, A. (2018). Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder: Differentiating Features and Contemporary Treatment Approaches. In Understanding depression. New York: Springer.
