Tool 03 · Self-knowledge
GAD-7 Anxiety Screener
The seven questions clinicians actually use, with answers you can read without a medical degree.
Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following?
The GAD-7 (Spitzer et al., 2006) is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic test. A score above the threshold doesn't mean you have GAD; a low score doesn't mean you don't. It's one signal, used by clinicians alongside a longer conversation.
What this measures
Generalised Anxiety Disorder, in clinical shorthand, is anxiety that is present more days than not, for at least six months, about multiple things (work, money, family, the future…), and hard to switch off. The GAD-7 is a short screening tool for that pattern. It was developed in 2006 by Spitzer and colleagues and is now one of the most-used instruments in primary care worldwide.
Who this is for
Anyone who's been wondering "is this normal" — and wants a number rather than a guess. People considering whether to talk to a clinician. People who already are talking to one and want to track whether things are getting better or worse.
If you've had a panic attack in the last 24 hours or are in acute distress, this screener will not help in the moment. See Disclaimer.
How to read the result
The cut-offs are 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, 15–21 severe. These come from Spitzer's original validation paper and have been replicated many times. They are starting points, not verdicts. A score of 11 in the middle of a divorce means something different from a score of 11 during a normal week.
If you've taken it before, the trend matters more than the absolute number. Most useful when done monthly, not daily.
Limitations
It does not screen well for specific phobias, social anxiety, OCD, panic disorder, or PTSD — those have their own instruments. It doesn't capture somatic anxiety very well in people who don't notice their thoughts. And it's only valid for adults; adolescent versions use different thresholds.
FAQ
Should I print this out and bring it to my doctor?
Yes. Most primary-care clinicians welcome it; many use it themselves. Use the Export button below the result to download a .txt.
Is this the same as a diagnosis?
No. A screener flags risk. A diagnosis requires a clinician, a longer conversation, and usually a longer assessment (often the GAD-7 alongside the PHQ-9 for depression).
How often should I take it?
Monthly is the sweet spot. Daily is too noisy; weekly catches the wrong signal.
How do I use GAD-7 Anxiety Screener step by step without mistakes?
Follow the order given in the usage section: The seven questions clinicians use to screen for generalised anxiety. Score, interpret, and decide what to do next. The step-by-step part matters less than the unit check that sits inside it. Confirm every unit matches the thing you are actually trying to measure before you press calculate - that single check catches more wrong answers than any other habit, and it costs about ten seconds.What are the common mistakes when using GAD-7 Anxiety Screener?
Most common mistakes come down to four habits: entering 20 when the field expects 0.2 because the field is a percentage; leaving a field blank and accepting the default without checking what it stands for; changing one input and reading a result that was calculated before the change; and quoting the output as an exact figure when the page describes it as a reference estimate. Press calculate again after any edit, and treat the number as a reference point rather than a final answer.Advertisement