Take the “Patient Health Questionnaire,” or the PHQ-9 for short.

This questionnaire includes 9 questions to assess symptoms of depression. This questionnaire cannot provide you with a diagnosis. Only a mental health provider can accurately diagnose depression and other mental health disorders. Scores of 10 or more can signal you are struggling with moderate to severe depression, while scores of 9 or below mean you are either not struggling with depression or that you may be experiencing mild depression.

Download the questionnaire, answer the questions at your convenience, and add up your scores. Explore the answer key within the questionnaire to gain insight into recommendations regarding mental health treatment for depression and find other helpful resources.

View PHQ-9

For all scores 10 or above:

Your answers suggest that you’re not satisfied with how things are going in several areas of your life. Your answers may mean that you are dealing with depression. For some people depression is an overwhelming kind of sadness, for others there are feelings of irritability or emptiness that affect the ability to function and enjoy life. There are different types of depression, each with specific signs and symptoms. Based on your answers, you may benefit from mental health treatment focused on depression. Some proven treatments that have helped many women who have served in the military include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT). Connect with a WVoP staff member today about getting connected with a provider who specializes in these treatments.

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For all scores 9 or below:

Your answers suggest that you are functioning pretty well across many areas of your life so mental health treatment for depression may not be needed at this time. If you are experiencing other symptoms that are keeping you from living your best life, connect with a WVoP staff member today. If you’re interested in learning about other resources in the L.A. community, check out our curated list here.

Community Resources

On Item 9, if you scored 1 , 2, or 3:

You indicated that you sometimes think you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way. If you feel at any time that you might be in danger of harming yourself or someone else, please know that there are people who care and ready to help right away:

1. Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), press 1 for Veteran.
2. Text the Veterans Crisis Line at 838255.
3. Chat with a Veterans Crisis Line counselor 24/7 by clicking here.
4. Reach out to a crisis counselor through Crisis Text Line. Text HOME to 741741.