The GAD-7 is a seven-question questionnaire that doctors and researchers use to gauge how much anxiety symptoms have been part of someone's life over the last two weeks. It was first developed for generalised anxiety disorder and has since been studied as a screen for panic, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress as well.
It takes about two minutes. Each answer scores from 0 to 3, giving a total between 0 and 21. The total suggests a level of symptoms; it cannot tell you whether you have an anxiety disorder. Only a conversation with a qualified professional can do that.
Screening, not a diagnosis. A score can point to whether it may help to talk to a professional. It cannot tell you what you have, and a low score does not mean you should ignore how you feel.
Your result
0 out of 21
This is a screening result, not a diagnosis. Only a qualified professional who talks with you can say what it means for you. Your answers have not been sent anywhere.
How the score works
Each answer scores 0 (“Not at all”), 1 (“Several days”), 2 (“More than half the days”), 3 (“Nearly every day”). The total ranges from 0 to 21. The bands below are the ones published by the questionnaire’s authors.
| Total | Band |
|---|---|
| 0–4 | Minimal anxiety |
| 5–9 | Mild anxiety |
| 10–14 | Moderate anxiety |
| 15–21 | Severe anxiety |
When to get help
Consider speaking to a doctor or mental health professional if your score is 10 or more, if worry is getting in the way of work, study, sleep or relationships, or if you have been feeling this way for several weeks.
Physical symptoms such as a racing heart, chest tightness or breathlessness can come from anxiety but also from other conditions, so have them checked by a doctor.
Finding support in Thailand
Our guide to mental health support in Thailand covers how to find a psychiatrist, psychologist or counsellor, what to ask before booking, and what to expect at a first appointment.
Sources
- PHQ Screeners: select a screener (Pfizer)
- Instruction manual for the PHQ and GAD-7 measures (phqscreeners.com)
- Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health: 1323 mental health hotline
- National Institute for Emergency Medicine: 1669 emergency medical service
Item wording and score bands follow the official English form and instruction manual. Developed by Drs Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke and colleagues, with an educational grant from Pfizer Inc. No permission is required to reproduce, translate, display or distribute it. Last reviewed 23 October 2026.