A Depression Quiz that’s Quick and Easy

It’s one thing to be sad, lonely or out of sorts. We all have bad days; that’s part of life. It is another thing, though, to feel down all the time.

If you are feeling bad about yourself on an almost continual basis, you may be suffering from depression- what mental health professionals refer to as a “mood disorder.” And while it is sometimes difficult to know why you’re feeling this way, recognition of the problem is the first solid step toward finding a healing solution.

Nobody starts out intending to suffer- but sometimes one can get so lost and bogged down with the baggage of faulty self-belief (and resultant sadness), that they are unable to see what is happening to them, even though they are exhibiting many of the signs.

The downward spiral can take a while, during which time the sufferer begins pulling away from the good things of life, simultaneously buying into the lie that they no longer deserve those very things that affirm their value as a warm and caring human being.

If you find yourself struggling under a heavy load of mental and emotional pain, you may be suffering from a serious mood disorder. And while no set of questions is a substitute for professional depression screening and diagnosis, the answers you give in the following test could very well confirm what you already know: that you have a mood disorder, but one that is fully treatable with the help of a qualified professional.

The following 14 questions should be answered based on feelings you have been experiencing continually for the last two weeks. (There is no correct answer.) In the end, your responses should be based on how you feel right now, not how you think you should answer.

    1. I have trouble concentrating.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    2. The future seems hopeless.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    3. I think often about killing myself.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    I have trouble sleeping.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    4. I am more irritable than normal.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    5. I constantly feel guilty- that I need to be punished.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    6. I feel trapped.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    7. I find it hard to enjoy the things I used to.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    8. I feel like a failure.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    9. I am gaining (or losing) weight.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    10. I feel lifeless- more dead than alive.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    11. I have difficulty making decisions.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    12. I feel depressed even when good things happen to me.

  • Yes___

  • No___

    13. I am tired and fatigued almost every day.

  • Yes___

  • No___

If you answered “Yes” to five or more of the above questions, you may be suffering from depression. While these test results are not intended to provide medical advice, a positive diagnosis or confirmation of an actual mood disorder, the answers you have provided could be an indicator of an underlying problem.

If you suspect that you may be suffering from depression, arrange an appointment with your physician as soon as possible. Use these test results as a starting point for discussion of your concerns.

(Sources: Schimelfening, Nancy. “The Wakefield Questionnaire.” www.about.com. 2009; Goldberg, Ivan, M.D. “Depression Screening Test.” www.psychcentral.com, 2009; “Depressions Symptoms Quiz.” www.webmd.com, 2009.)