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GAD-7 Anxiety Screening

Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems? Pick exactly one answer per question. Your total score (0–21) and severity band will appear automatically.

Reference period: the past 2 weeks. The GAD-7 is a screening tool — not a medical diagnosis.

0 / 7

1. Feeling nervous, anxious, or on edge

2. Not being able to stop or control worrying

3. Worrying too much about different things

4. Trouble relaxing

5. Being so restless that it is hard to sit still

6. Becoming easily annoyed or irritable

7. Feeling afraid as if something awful might happen

Answer all 7 questions to see your GAD-7 score.

Severity bands

Minimal

Symptoms minimal — keep monitoring

0 – 4
Mild

Symptoms mild — self-care, re-test in 2–4 weeks

5 – 9
Moderate

Consult a healthcare professional

10 – 14
Severe

Seek professional help promptly

15 – 21

How it works

The GAD-7 was developed and validated by Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams and Löwe (Arch Intern Med, 2006). Seven items, each scored 0 (Not at all) to 3 (Nearly every day), sum to 0–21. A cutoff of 10 has the best balance of sensitivity (89 %) and specificity (82 %) for generalized anxiety disorder and is widely used as a referral threshold.

This is a screening tool, not a medical diagnosis. If your score is 10 or above, or you have concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the GAD-7 measure?+
The GAD-7 screens for generalized anxiety disorder by asking how often you have been bothered by seven core symptoms over the last 2 weeks. It is widely used in primary care and mental-health settings.
What do the score bands mean?+
0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, 15–21 severe anxiety symptoms. A score of 10 or more is the commonly used cutoff that warrants further clinical evaluation.
Is the GAD-7 a diagnosis?+
No. The GAD-7 is a screening and severity tool — not a diagnosis. A clinician confirms or rules out an anxiety disorder using a full evaluation, your history and clinical judgement.
How often should I take the GAD-7?+
It works well as a baseline and then every 2–4 weeks during treatment or when symptoms change. Trends across multiple tests are more meaningful than a single value.
Can the GAD-7 also detect panic disorder, social anxiety or PTSD?+
It performs best for generalized anxiety, but has moderate accuracy for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and PTSD. A specialist will use additional tools (PHQ-9, PCL-5, etc.) when those are suspected.
What if I have thoughts of self-harm?+
The GAD-7 does not screen for suicidal thoughts. If you have thoughts of hurting yourself or others, contact emergency services or a crisis line immediately (in the US: 988; in Germany: 0800 1110111).
Is the GAD-7 suitable for teenagers?+
The GAD-7 is validated for adults and is also used in adolescents from about age 13. For younger children, age-specific tools are preferred.

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Background

GAD-7 Anxiety Test: Generalized Anxiety Screening — Score & Bands

8 min