Use this simple self-test to find out if your job search is keeping you down more than it should.
Photo Credit: JD Hancock
The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9 for short) was developed by Pfizer and “is used as a screening and diagnostic tool for mental health disorders of depression, anxiety, alcohol, eating, and somatoform,” according to Wikipedia.
While some self-tests are just gimmicks, a 2006 study to “assess the validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire depression module” had results that “support the construct validity of the PHQ depression scale, which seems to be a useful tool to recognize not only major depression but also sub-threshold depressive disorder in the general population.”
In other words, the PHQ-9 is useful enough that doctors will administer it to potential patients, yet simple enough that you can test yourself.
Ok im a very depress human being… i wake up at 11am i was supposed to go find a job but instead i take a sleepin pill
— -unstable- (@hannigramoou) August 10, 2016
While I’m not a doctor and this test shouldn’t be considered as medical advice, take it here below to judge whether you should talk to a doctor or otherwise get help for a state of mind that’s making your job search harder than it needs to be.
But before you take it-
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.Free bonus: Download The Job Search Depression Report which contains this test and insights on how to manage if you're too depressed to look for work.
The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
As you do the test, choose the best answer to each question and note the corresponding number of points, which you can add up as you go or at the end.
Over the past 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems?
1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things
Not at all: 0 points
Several days: 1 point
More than half the days: 2 points
Nearly every day: 3 points
2. Feeling down, depressed or hopeless
Not at all: 0 points
Several days: 1 point
More than half the days: 2 points
Nearly every day: 3 points
3. Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much
Not at all: 0 points
Several days: 1 point
More than half the days: 2 points
Nearly every day: 3 points
4. Feeling tired or having little energy
Not at all: 0 points
Several days: 1 point
More than half the days: 2 points
Nearly every day: 3 points
5. Poor appetite or overeating
Not at all: 0 points
Several days: 1 point
More than half the days: 2 points
Nearly every day: 3 points
6. Feeling bad about yourself – or that you’re a failure or have let yourself or your family down
Not at all: 0 points
Several days: 1 point
More than half the days: 2 points
Nearly every day: 3 points
7. Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
Not at all: 0 points
Several days: 1 point
More than half the days: 2 points
Nearly every day: 3 points
8. Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed. Or, the opposite – being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual
Not at all: 0 points
Several days: 1 point
More than half the days: 2 points
Nearly every day: 3 points
9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way
Not at all: 0 points
Several days: 1 point
More than half the days: 2 points
Nearly every day: 3 points
Calculating your score
Once you complete the test, now add up all the points from your answers to calculate a final score. If you tally more than 27 points, you’ve either miscalculated or you recorded multiple answers for at least one question.
Before checking your results, please keep in mind again that I’m not a doctor, and that the following conclusions aren’t medical advice, they’re simplifications of what I’ve seen from scientific sources.
0-4 points total
Minimal depression, if any. Nothing to worry about.
5-9 points
Mild depression. Re-test yourself in another two weeks. If the situation hasn’t improved, talk to a doctor or therapist.
10-14 points
You might be moderately depressed. Talk to a doctor.
15 points or more
Please see a doctor as soon as possible, you need help and I want you to get it. While you might think to ask your general practitioner or family doctor first, a psychiatrist is best equipped to diagnose people who might be depressed and decide on the correct treatment for what is actually a fairly complex health issue.
Job search is hard enough without the burden of depression, and the accompanying lack of self-confidence is hampering you more than you realize. Employers rarely make pity hires, and you don’t need to be one.
Question of the article
What do you find is most depressing about your current job search? Tell us in the comments. Use a fake name, if you feel the need to go anonymous.
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- 15 Causes of Job Search Depression and How To Prevent It
- 13 Signs of Job Search Depression
- Unsure About The Signs? Take The Test
- 9 Ways To Deal With Job Search Depression
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