The GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7) is the most widely used short questionnaire for anxiety symptoms. Seven questions, each about the past two weeks. It was originally developed for generalized anxiety disorder, but it also captures panic, social, and other anxiety symptoms well.
This test is not a diagnosis. But it helps you gauge whether what you experience as tension, rumination, or inner restlessness sits in a range that is worth talking about.
What this test measures: Severity of anxiety symptoms over the past two weeks
Source: Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams & Löwe (2006), Arch Intern Med. Deutsche Validierung: Löwe et al. (2008).
How to read your result
The GAD-7 adds your seven answers into a score from 0 to 21. The cut-offs are: 0–4 minimal, 5–9 mild, 10–14 moderate, 15–21 severe. A score of 10 or more is treated as a sign of clinically relevant anxiety – in studies, this threshold identifies generalized anxiety disorder with high accuracy.
Anxiety is not a problem in itself. It is a sensible response to threat. The GAD-7 asks whether that response is currently firing too often, lasting too long, or has detached from any concrete trigger.
Why the trend shows more than a score
Anxiety comes in waves. Before an exam, a conflict, or a deadline the score spikes and then falls again. A single GAD-7 can therefore mislead. Only repetition shows whether it was a passing peak or a level that stays.
This is exactly where InnerPulse comes in: you take the GAD-7 regularly, see the trend, and place it next to your influence factors. Often a pattern then emerges – for example, that tension reliably rises on poorly slept days or in particular social situations. "I just feel bad right now" becomes something you can name and work on.
Anxiety and depression are linked
Anxiety and depressive symptoms often occur together, and they reinforce each other. If your GAD-7 score is elevated, it is worth looking at the PHQ-9 depression test. The PHQ-4 short check combines both in under a minute.
Completely anonymous
The test runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are not stored, not sent, and not analysed. No account, no tracking, no database. Close the page and everything is gone. If you want to keep your scores over time, you can do that in InnerPulse, where your data never leaves your device either.
FAQ
Is the GAD-7 a diagnosis?
No. The GAD-7 is a self-assessment screening questionnaire. It can point to relevant anxiety symptoms, but interpreting them belongs in the hands of a doctor or therapist.
Does the GAD-7 only measure generalized anxiety?
It was developed for that, but in practice it also captures panic, social, and other anxiety symptoms well. Distinguishing the specific type of anxiety needs a professional conversation.
Are my answers stored?
No. The test runs entirely in your browser, with no account, tracking, or server transfer. Close the page and your answers are gone.
What does a score of 10 or more mean?
From 10 points up, anxiety is considered clinically relevant. That is a good reason to discuss it with a professional – and a score worth watching over time.
With data, not just a gut feeling
Want to track your questionnaires over time and compare results? Then download InnerPulse. Everything stays private, no data leaves your device, and you discover what lifts your mood or drags it down.
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