Depression Self-Check — Free 16-Question Mood Weather Test
- Free
- 16 questions
- No sign-up
- Instant result
A free depression self-check that looks broadly at mood, interest, sleep, appetite, energy, concentration and how you treat yourself over the past two weeks, in 16 questions. About four minutes, with a 0-48 score, four interpretation bands and change tracking across repeat checks.
What's included
- Questions
- 16 items
- Price
- Free
- Areas measured
- Depressive Experiences
When this check is useful
Sometimes days pass with your mood sunk for no clear reason, the shows, games or music you used to enjoy feel flat, and you keep postponing plans. Sleep may not come, or you sleep and still feel drained, and nothing sounds appealing at mealtimes. If changes like these have lasted close to two weeks, it is worth taking stock.
Beyond mood, the check covers sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, how you treat yourself, loneliness and how the future feels, through 16 everyday scenes. It also captures changes the word "depressed" does not quite express, such as being unable to make small decisions or feeling as if a pane of glass separates you from other people, which helps surface signals you may not have noticed. The items were written by Soundary with reference to published literature; they cover the same topic as standard depression scales such as the CES-D but are different items, not a translation or adaptation of any instrument.
What to do with your result
A score of 0-11 means the past two weeks were mostly clear, so keep your current rhythm of sleep, meals and relationships. A score of 12-22 is an early signal that cloudy days are increasing: fix a regular bedtime, get a little daylight or time with someone easy to talk to, then recheck in two weeks and compare.
A score of 23-33 points to marked depressive feelings. This is not a lack of willpower but a common change when mental energy runs low, so rather than enduring alone, consider talking to a psychiatrist or counsellor. A score of 34-48 suggests you are carrying a heavy load almost every day: seek care or professional counselling as soon as you can and let someone close know how you are doing. If you have thoughts of dying or hurting yourself, get help immediately regardless of the score.
Checks that pair well with this one include the PHQ-9 depression screen, the Mind Burden Check (SMB-10) and the Everyday Vitality Check. Repeating about once every two weeks lets you read the trend without being swayed by a single day's condition.
How scores are interpreted
Depressive Experiences
This is the combined result of your mood and interest, sleep and appetite, energy and concentration, attitude toward yourself, loneliness, and feelings about the future over the past 2 weeks. A lower score means your mind's weather has been mostly clear.
0–11pts · Mostly Clear
Your mind has been relatively stable over the past 2 weeks. Even if there are occasional cloudy days, you tend to recover quickly. Keep up your current rhythm of sleeping well, eating well, and staying connected with people.
12–22pts · More Cloudy Days
There were noticeable days when your mood sank or your sleep, appetite, and energy fluctuated. Rather than a major problem, this is more like an early signal from your mind. Try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, get some sunlight even for a short time, or make time to talk with someone you feel comfortable with. It would be helpful to check again in 2 weeks to compare the trend.
23–33pts · Distinct Depressive Feelings
You have spent a significant number of days over the past 2 weeks feeling heavy. When things you used to enjoy lose their appeal and your energy and concentration drop, every little daily task becomes more overwhelming. This is not due to a lack of willpower, but a common change that occurs when your mental energy is low. Rather than enduring it alone, we gently recommend speaking with a psychiatrist or a counseling professional.
34–48pts · Severely Exhausted
It seems you are enduring a heavy burden almost every day. When you are this drained, you will recover much faster by getting help rather than just waiting for time to pass. Please seek psychiatric treatment or professional counseling as soon as possible, and let someone close to you know about your current state. If you have thoughts of wanting to die or hurting yourself, please do not stay alone with them: go to the nearest emergency department or call your local emergency number right away. Free, verified 24-hour crisis lines for your own country are listed at findahelpline.com.
Sample questions
- 1. My mood sank even without any particular reason, and the day felt heavy.
- 2. Even in situations where I could laugh, my heart didn't respond much and my emotions felt flat.
- 3. I felt indifferent even when engaging in things I used to like (dramas, games, music, exercise, etc.).
- 4. Meeting friends or making plans felt overwhelming, so I kept putting them off.
Take a moment to reflect on the past 2 weeks. Please select how often each statement applied to you. There are no right or wrong answers, so please indicate your current state exactly as it is.
FAQ
How do I read my Mood Weather depression score?
Each of the 16 items scores 0-3, for a total of 0-48. Read 0-11 as mostly clear, 12-22 as more cloudy days, 23-33 as marked depressive feelings and 34-48 as deeply worn out. These bands are Soundary's own self-check thresholds, not diagnostic criteria.
At what score should I consider professional help?
From 23 points, it is worth talking to a psychiatrist or counsellor; from 34 points, seek care as soon as you can. Even with a lower score, if work, study or relationships are clearly affected, or you have thoughts of dying, get help right away regardless of the number.
Is this the CES-D depression scale?
No. This is Soundary's own 16-item self-check (SMW-16). It shares the topic of depressive symptoms over the past two weeks with standard scales such as the CES-D, but the items and score bands are different, so your score here cannot be compared with CES-D cut-offs. If you need a standardized assessment, see a professional.
How often should I take it?
Because the items ask about the past two weeks, a two-week interval fits best. Taking it daily mostly reflects that day's condition and makes the trend harder to read. Saving results lets you compare periods when cloudy days increase and when you recover, and gives you a useful summary to bring to a consultation.
Source
The items in this test are a self-check adaptation based on the original instrument and literature below: Items written by Soundary with reference to published literature on depressive symptoms; not a translation or adaptation of any standardized instrument. A representative standard tool on the same topic is Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D Scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), 385–401, but the items and score bands of this check differ from it.
The items in this test were written by Soundary with reference to published diagnostic criteria and academic literature. They are not a translation or adaptation of any standardized instrument, and the score bands are Soundary's own self-check thresholds.
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This is a self-screening tool, not a medical diagnosis. If the result concerns you, please consult a mental health professional.