What Is the GAD-7 Anxiety Test?
This free anxiety test is the GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale), one of the most widely used anxiety screening questionnaires in primary care and psychiatry. It asks how often, over the last two weeks, you've been bothered by seven core symptoms of generalized anxiety: nervousness, uncontrollable worry, worrying about many things, trouble relaxing, restlessness, irritability, and a sense of dread. It takes about two minutes and is scored instantly in your browser — your answers are never stored or sent anywhere.
The published GAD-7 form also includes an unscored follow-up question about how difficult these problems have made work, home life, or getting along with other people. It doesn't change your score, but it's worth thinking about — and worth sharing with a clinician — because how much anxiety gets in the way of your life matters as much as the number.
What Does My GAD-7 Score Mean?
Each answer scores 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), for a total of 0 to 21. The GAD-7's authors defined four severity levels: 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, and 15–21 severe. Ten or above is the usual point where clinicians recommend a full evaluation.
A score is information, not a diagnosis. Thyroid problems, heavy caffeine use, some medications, poor sleep, and other conditions such as depression or panic disorder can all raise a GAD-7 score. That's why a high score should be followed by a conversation with a licensed clinician.
Do I Have Anxiety or Just Stress?
Everyone feels anxious sometimes — before a deadline, a medical test, or a hard conversation. Generalized anxiety disorder is different: the worry is frequent, hard to control, spreads across many parts of life, and lasts for months rather than passing when the stressful event ends. It often comes with physical symptoms like muscle tension, fatigue, trouble sleeping, and difficulty concentrating.
The GAD-7 focuses on generalized anxiety. If your anxiety mostly arrives as sudden surges of fear, see panic attack treatment; if it centers on being judged or embarrassed around others, see social anxiety treatment. Low mood often travels with anxiety too — you can also take our free depression test.
What Happens After an Anxiety Test?
If your score is 10 or higher, the recommended next step is an online psychiatric evaluation with a licensed psychiatric provider — a psychiatrist (MD/DO), psychiatric nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. At Anywhere Clinic, that's a first video visit of about 30 to 40 minutes where your provider reviews your symptoms, history, sleep, and any medical factors, then builds a plan with you. Anywhere Clinic is licensed in 46 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.
Depending on your situation, that plan may include therapy with a licensed therapist, skills like CBT, lifestyle changes, or medication when clinically appropriate. Our anxiety treatment guide explains how these fit together, and our anxiety medication guide covers the common options. Prescriptions are never guaranteed, and controlled medications may require an in-person visit.
Curious about other options you may have read about? Our free educational ketamine consult explains how ketamine is used off-label and whether it's worth discussing with a provider. Ketamine is not FDA-approved for any psychiatric condition.
Where Does the GAD-7 Come From?
The questions, answer choices, and scoring on this page are reproduced exactly from the published GAD-7: Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JBW, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092-1097. The PHQ and GAD-7 screeners were developed with a grant from Pfizer and are free to reproduce and display; no permission is required.
