Free mental health check
Need help now? In Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7) or 000 in an emergency. Elsewhere, see support lines by country or findahelpline.com.
Three short, private self-checks that GPs use every day. Each takes about 2 minutes and gives a plain-English result with next steps. They are screening checks, not a diagnosis.
- Depression self-check (PHQ-9)9 questions about low mood, interest, sleep, energy and more over the last 2 weeks.
- Anxiety self-check (GAD-7)7 questions about worry, nerves and feeling on edge over the last 2 weeks.
- Psychological distress self-check (K10)10 questions about how you’ve been feeling in the past 4 weeks. Widely used in Australia.
For adults (18 and over). For young people, talk to a GP, or contact Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or headspace (Australia).
Private by design: your answers stay in this browser tab. They aren’t saved, sent or tracked, and they disappear when you close or refresh the page. (Like every page on Malady Wise, we count anonymous page visits, without cookies, but never your answers or score.)
Before you start
- Answer about how you’ve actually been feeling, not how you think you should feel.
- A score can’t tell you what’s causing symptoms. Physical problems (such as thyroid disease, anaemia or medicine side effects), stress, grief and sleep problems can all play a part.
- If you’re struggling, you don’t need a particular score to see your GP or call a support line.
What to do next
In Australia
- See your GP. Take your score with you if it helps start the conversation. Your GP can talk through how you’ve been, check for physical causes (such as thyroid problems, anaemia or medicine side effects) and discuss options.
- Mental Health Treatment Plan. If it would help, your GP can prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan. Under the Better Access program, this gives Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual sessions a calendar year with a psychologist or another eligible mental health professional. Since 1 November 2025, the plan is made by your usual GP or at the practice where you’re registered with MyMedicare.
- Free help without a referral: MindSpot (free online and phone assessment and courses for adults), Medicare Mental Health (formerly Head to Health; phone 1800 595 212, weekdays) and Beyond Blue (24/7 phone and web chat).
Outside Australia
- See your GP or family doctor and mention your score.
- UK: in England you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP first.
- US: the SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) offers free, confidential treatment referral 24/7, and 988 is there for anyone in distress.
- New Zealand: your GP, or call or text 1737 to talk with a trained counsellor.
Things that often help
- Tell one person you trust how you’re really going.
- Keep regular sleep and wake times, move your body most days, and go easy on alcohol.
- Plan one small, doable thing each day that you enjoy or that gives a sense of achievement.
- Read more in our depression and anxiety fact sheets.
Support lines
If you or someone else is in danger right now, call your emergency number. To talk to someone, any time:
- Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7, or text 0477 13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, 13YARN 13 92 76 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Emergency: 000.
- Young people in Australia: Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (24/7, ages 5 to 25) or headspace (ages 12 to 25).
- New Zealand: call or text 1737. Emergency: 111.
- UK and Ireland: Samaritans 116 123. Emergency: 999 (or 112).
- US and Canada: call or text 988. Emergency: 911.
- Anywhere else: findahelpline.com lists free helplines in more than 100 countries.
Common questions
Is this an official depression test?
The checks here use real, validated questionnaires (PHQ-9, GAD-7 and K10) that GPs and researchers use every day. But no questionnaire can diagnose depression or anxiety on its own. Your result is a starting point for a conversation with your GP or doctor.
What does my PHQ-9 score mean?
PHQ-9 scores of 0–4 suggest minimal symptoms of depression, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, 15–19 moderately severe and 20–27 severe. A score of 10 or more is the usual point where a GP would look further. If you answered anything other than “Not at all” to question 9, about thoughts of death or self-harm, talk to someone soon, whatever your total.
Can I do this for my teenager?
These checks are for adults (18 and over) answering about themselves. Young people need a check with a GP or a youth service. In Australia, headspace (ages 12 to 25) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800, ages 5 to 25) can help. If you’re worried about their safety, call 000 or your local emergency number.
Which check should I do?
If low mood or loss of interest is the main problem, start with the PHQ-9. If worry, nerves or feeling on edge is the main problem, try the GAD-7. The K10 gives a general picture of distress and is often used in Australian general practice. Doing more than one is fine.
Are my answers stored?
No. Your answers stay in your browser tab and are gone when you close or refresh the page. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.