What your result means

Depression Screener

This is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnosis. A high score does not mean you have clinical depression, and a low score does not rule it out — only a qualified professional can diagnose. If you are struggling, please reach out to your doctor or a mental-health professional.

The PHQ-9 adds up your nine answers (each 0–3) into a total from 0 to 27. Higher totals mean more frequent symptoms over the past two weeks.

Severity bands

0–4 — minimal
5–9 — mild
10–14 — moderate
15–19 — moderately severe
20–27 — severe

A total of 10 or more is the point at which depression is often considered clinically significant and worth discussing with a professional.

What it does and doesn't mean

This is a screen, not a diagnosis. It can't tell the difference between depression and the many other things that affect mood, sleep and energy, and it can't see your history or context — a clinician does that. A low score doesn't rule depression out either, especially if you've been coping or masking.

What to do next

If your score is in the moderate range or higher, or symptoms are affecting daily life, talk to your GP/doctor or a mental-health professional.
Bring concrete examples — sleep, appetite, energy, interest, concentration — and how long they've lasted.

If you're in crisis

If you have thoughts of harming yourself or that you'd be better off dead, please reach out now — contact your local emergency number, or a crisis line such as 988 (US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or 116 123 (Samaritans, UK/IE). You deserve support.

Take the screener