Mental health self-assessment

Depression (PHQ-9) self-assessment

Screens for the symptoms of depression and rates their severity.

This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. It cannot examine you or tell you what is wrong — it only helps you understand your answers and decide whether to seek help. Discuss your result with your GP. For urgent advice call NHS 111; in an emergency call 999. Nothing you enter here is stored or sent anywhere — it is scored entirely in your browser.

Written by Meds Global Health Clinical Team · Clinically reviewed by Dr Muhammad Suffyan, MB BS, Founder & Clinical Director · Last reviewed · How we review

The PHQ-9 is one of the most widely used and validated depression questionnaires, used routinely in UK general practice. It asks about nine symptoms of depression over the last two weeks and gives a score that reflects how severe those symptoms are. It is a screening aid — a way to put a number on how you have been feeling and to help a conversation with your GP — not a diagnosis on its own.

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?

1Little interest or pleasure in doing things
2Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
3Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
4Feeling tired or having little energy
5Poor appetite or overeating
6Feeling bad about yourself — or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down
7Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
8Moving 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
9Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way
0 of 9 answered

About this questionnaire

Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). PHQ-9 — Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW (2001). Developed by Drs Spitzer, Williams, Kroenke and colleagues; free to use, no permission required.

Related: Depression · Low mood · Anxiety self-check (GAD-7)

Sources

  • Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JBW. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001.
  • NICE NG222: Depression in adults: treatment and management.

Answers

PHQ-9: frequently asked questions

Can the PHQ-9 diagnose me?

No. It is a validated screening questionnaire that helps measure and understand your symptoms or risk. Only a qualified clinician can make a diagnosis, taking your full history and examination into account.

Is my information private?

Yes. The questionnaire runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are not sent to us or stored anywhere — if you refresh the page, they are gone.

What should I do with my result?

Use it to decide whether to speak to a professional, and take it with you if you do — it can be a helpful starting point for the conversation. Follow the specific guidance shown with your result, and never delay seeking help if you feel unwell or unsafe.

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