SearchList your clinic

Self-checks

GAD-7 anxiety screening

The original GAD-7 questionnaire, used worldwide to screen for generalized anxiety, so you can compare the past two weeks against its published scoring bands.

2-4 minutes7 questions

Answer based on the past two weeks, including ordinary days as well as harder ones. The GAD-7 is a short, widely used screening questionnaire with seven items about worry and its physical companions. Pick the option closest to how often each one actually applied to you, not how often you feel it should have.

Worry and controlRestlessness and tensionIrritability and dread

The GAD-7 is a validated screening tool for generalized anxiety, not a diagnostic instrument. It does not distinguish generalized anxiety from panic disorder, social anxiety, health anxiety or anxiety driven by a medical condition or caffeine and stimulant use; only a clinician can do that. If worry is disrupting sleep, work or relationships, treat this result as a reason to book an appointment rather than a conclusion.

Fix the same two weeks

Keeping every item anchored to the same window stops a single stressful meeting or a single calm weekend from swinging the whole result.

What the GAD-7 covers

Seven items track excessive worry, trouble relaxing, restlessness, irritability, difficulty controlling worry, and a sense that something bad might happen.

A score, not a label

The total sums how often each item occurred. It is a starting point for a conversation with a professional, not a self-contained verdict.

Seven items, one total

Each item scores from not at all to nearly every day, and the seven scores add up to a total from 0 to 21, checked against the published bands below. The GAD-7 was designed to flag generalized anxiety specifically, so it can miss anxiety that shows up mainly as physical symptoms, panic attacks or a narrow fear of one situation, since those often need a different screening approach.

Physical anxiety is easy to miss here

Worry can arrive as a racing heart, tight chest, stomach upset or muscle tension well before it registers as conscious thought, and someone can score low on this questionnaire while still living with real physical strain. If your body carries anxiety more than your thinking does, mention that pattern to a doctor even if the total below looks mild.

Following up in Thailand

If your result concerns you, note which items scored highest, how long the pattern has lasted, and whether caffeine, alcohol, a recent life change or a medical condition might be contributing. Clinics and hospitals in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket with international or English-speaking services can take this screening result as a starting point, though it is worth confirming language support before you book.

Before you start

Does a high GAD-7 score mean I have an anxiety disorder?

No. The GAD-7 is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. A high score is a reasonable prompt to see a doctor or mental health professional, who will consider medical causes, other anxiety conditions and life circumstances before reaching any conclusion.

Can the GAD-7 tell anxiety apart from panic disorder?

Not reliably. The GAD-7 was built around generalized, ongoing worry rather than sudden panic attacks. If you experience sudden episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms, describe them separately to a clinician instead of relying on this total alone.

How often should I retake this?

Retaking it every few weeks can help you and a clinician track change, particularly during treatment. It is not meant for daily use, and a persistently high score deserves a conversation with a professional rather than repeated self-testing.