DIY self diagnosis

This questionnaire is intended to provide a rough self-diagnosis guide only. It does not substitute for the advice given by a GP.

ANXIETY UK strongly advises that people seek further information and guidance from their GP who will be able to make a formal diagnosis.

If you can answer YES to most of the questions in any category, it is likely that you are affected by that condition.

Depression

  • Has your appetite significantly changed (either decreased or increased) during the past 2 weeks?
  • Do you experience less joy or pleasure from the things you normally enjoy?
  • Have your sleeping habits changed significantly (sleep has either increased or decreased by 1-2 hours)
  • Have you felt tired most days during the past 2 weeks?
  • Have you experienced difficulties in concentrating most days of the past 2 weeks?
  • Have you experienced frequent suicidal thoughts?
  • Have you felt a failure most days of the past 2 weeks?
  • Have you had difficulty concentrating most days of the past 2 weeks?
  • Have you experienced feelings of guilt most days during the past 2 weeks?
  • Have you experienced feelings of hopelessness about the future on most days of the past 2 years?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • Have you ever experienced or witnessed a traumatic event - for example, rape, sexual abuse, car accident etc.?
  • Do you frequently get upset whilst thinking about atraumatic event?
  • Do you experience "flashbacks" in which you feel as if you are re-living a traumatic event?
  • Do you feel emotionally numb or on edge because of having experienced a traumatic event?
  • Are you aware of avoiding doing things that remind you of a traumatic event?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

During the past 2 weeks:-

  • Do you worry obsessively about contamination by germs/chemicals/dirt and/or that something bad might happen to you/other people, and/or that you might say something you didn't want to that might upset others.
  • Do you feel compelled to carry out certain behaviours?
  • Do you check, count or repeat things over and over again?

Panic disorder

During the past 2 weeks:-

  • Have you experienced sudden attacks of intense anxiety or fear during which you felt as if you were going to die, or lose control, or go crazy?
  • Do you worry about having other attacks of intense anxiety or fear?
  • Have you started to modify your behaviour in order to avoid certain situations which in the past have caused you anxiety?
  • Do you worry about the physical symptoms (increased heartbeat, breathlessness, shakiness, light-headedness) that the attacks of anxiety cause?

Agoraphobia

During the past 6 months:-

  • Do you regularly avoid situations because you are frightened of having a panic attack?
  • Do any of the following make you feel anxious:-
    • Going outside away from your home
    • Standing in long lines
    • Being in a confined space such as being in a tunnel, on the underground etc.
    • Being at home alone
    • Being in wide open spaces - such as in a field, in a park
    • Being in crowded places
  • Do you avoid being in any of the above situations?

Social phobia

During the past 6 months:-

  • Do you worry a lot about embarrassing yourself in front of others?
  • Do you worry about what people might think of you?
  • Do you feel anxious in social situations?
  • Do you worry about behaving anxiously in any of the following situations:-
    • Public speaking
    • Eating/drinking in front of other people
    • Writing in front of other people
    • Parties and other social gatherings
  • Do you avoid any of the above situations because they make you feel anxious?

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

During the past 6 months:-

  • Do you feel that you have been nervous/on edge most days over the past 6 months?
  • Do you have problems falling asleep
  • Do you feel tension in your muscles because of feeling on edge?
  • Do you frequently feel tense and irritable?

Trichotillomania

Over the past 6 months:-

  • Have you pulled at your hair/nails/eyelashes because of experiencing feelings of anxiety?
  • Have you found that the anxiety you experience is relieved by pulling out your hair/picking your skin or nails?

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)

Over the past 6 months:-

  • Have you felt disgusted by a particular aspect of your body?
  • Do you feel that a part of your body is abnormal?
  • Do you spend a lot of time examining/scrutinising your appearance?
  • Do you avoid looking at yourself in mirrors, windows etc.?
  • Do you feel that other people are looking at your appearance or are disgusted by it?