If you suspect that you might be depressed, the best way to address your concerns is to consult with your doctor or a mental health expert in your area. If you’re not sure that you need to schedule an assessment yet, our online depression quiz could help you decide.
What is a Depression Quiz?
Before you take our online depression quiz, it’s important to understand what this test is (and, perhaps even more importantly, to fully grasp what it’s not).
This depression quiz is an informal, non-clinical questionnaire that incorporates common symptoms of depressive disorders. Though we often think of depression as one condition, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) actually includes entries for several forms of depression, including:
- Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
- Major depressive disorder
- Persistent depressive disorder
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
The DSM-5 also includes the qualifiers “with peripartum onset” and “with seasonal pattern” to identify what many people commonly refer to as postpartum depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
The diagnostic criteria for depressive disorders usually indicate that a person must be experiencing symptoms most of the day, for most days, in a given time period. For example:
- A diagnosis of major depressive disorder requires the presence of disruptive symptoms for at least two consecutive weeks.
- To be diagnosed with persistent depressive disorder, your symptoms must have persisted for at least two years, and you must not have been symptom-free for more than two months during that time.
Our depression quiz won’t conclusively prove or disprove that you have a depressive disorder, nor will it attempt to identify which type of depression you may have. But it can give you a better idea if your experiences and emotions align with the criteria for these conditions as established in the DSM-5.
Ultimately, this information can help you decide if it’s time to be evaluated by a professional.
Take Our Depression Quiz
The link below will take you to our depression quiz. It’s a brief test, with just nine multiple-choice questions. You may want to grab a pen or pencil and a sheet of paper, or open up a blank document on your device, to record your answers.
Once you’ve finished the quiz, you’ll be directed back to this page for additional info about what your answers may mean, and what you may want to do with this information.
Assessing an Online Depression Quiz and Determining Your Next Steps
We noted this previously, but it is important enough to justify repeating: No online depression quiz can replace being assessed by a competent, qualified mental health professional. If you think you might have depression or another mental health concern, don’t rely solely on a quiz. Talk to an expert and get the answers you need.
This doesn’t mean that depression quizzes are meaningless. They can help you understand the disorder a bit better, and they can also help you decide if it’s time to get help.
If you only have a few symptoms, and they only occur from time to time, this might not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of depression – but it could be a sign that you are in the earlier stages of the disorder. Speaking to a professional now, before you develop particularly severe or persistent symptoms, could help you avoid greater distress later in life.
In other words:
- If you answered any of the questions on our depression quiz with Some Day, Most Days, or Daily, then it may be time for you to schedule an assessment.
- If your symptoms are mild now, but you worry they could become more severe, it may be time to schedule an assessment.
- If you don’t think your symptoms meet the criteria for a depressive disorder, but you simply feel like something’s not right, it may be time to schedule an assessment.
You don’t have to wait until you’ve incurred substantial harm or “hit rock bottom” before you can benefit from quality mental health treatment. Completing an evaluation can help you and your provider understand exactly what types of challenges you have been dealing with, so you can work together to develop a customized plan.
Contact Conscious Health to Schedule an Assessment
If you’ve been experiencing symptoms that you think may be related to depression or another mental health concern, Conscious Health is here for you.
When you choose our mental health clinic in Los Angeles, we will take the time to thoroughly review your treatment history and talk to you about your symptoms, needs, and goals. Then we’ll select the therapies and services that can help you overcome your current challenges and start building a foundation for a much healthier and more satisfying future.
Every step of the way, you will be working in active collaboration with a small team of professionals who truly care about you as a unique and valuable individual. We understand the many ways that depression and other mental health concerns can undermine a person’s life, and we’re committed to helping you experience true and lasting healing in mind, body, and spirit.
To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
Published: 09/19/2024
