Stress, Anxiety and Depression Test — Free 18-Question Three-Track Check

Low mood, bodily tension and a racing heart, and tightness that will not let go: a free self-check that looks at these three easily tangled tracks in 18 questions. About four minutes, with a 0-18 score and four bands per area so you can see which track weighs most right now.

What's included

Questions: 18 items
Price: Free
Areas measured: 가라앉음 (기분·의욕) · 두근거림 (불안·신체 각성) · 팽팽함 (긴장·과민)

When this check is useful

There are times when several tracks are tangled together: no motivation, yet your heart races, and even a small notification sound puts your nerves on edge. Low mood, body alarm and tension often arrive together, but each calls for a different response, so separating them and seeing which is largest is a useful first step. You rate how often each statement applied over the past two weeks, and the three areas are scored separately.

"Low mood" looks at how far interest, drive and your view of yourself have dropped; "body alarm" at how often bodily alerts fire, such as a pounding heart, trembling hands, shallow breath and a sense of dread; "tension" at how tightly wound you stay, including snapping at small things, tightness in the shoulders and jaw, feeling chased, and finding waiting hard to bear. The items were written by Soundary with reference to published literature; they address the same three themes as standard scales like the DASS-21 but are different items, not a translation or adaptation.

What to do with your result

Each of the three areas has six items scored 0-18. Read 0-4 as at ease, 5-8 as slightly raised, 9-13 as noticeably raised and 14-18 as deeply worn out or a loud alarm. Rather than adding up a total, start with the highest area. For low mood, try one routine that restores the body first, such as sleep, daylight or a short walk; for body alarm, practise breathing in for four seconds and out for six and review caffeine and sleep; for tension, schedule ten minutes of doing nothing each day and add relaxing activities such as stretching or a bath.

If any area is 14 or higher, if a score of 9 or more persists for several weeks, or if work, study or relationships are clearly affected, consider talking to a psychiatrist or counsellor. Physical symptoms in the body-alarm area can also have medical causes such as thyroid or heart conditions, so have them checked if needed. Rechecking every two to four weeks shows which track eases first; pairing high low-mood with the PHQ-9, high body alarm with the GAD-7, and an overall heavy load with the Mind Burden Check (SMB-10) adds useful detail.

How scores are interpreted

가라앉음 (기분·의욕)

의욕과 흥미, 나에 대한 시선이 얼마나 가라앉아 있는지 살펴보는 6문항입니다 (0~18점).

0–4pts · 편안한 편
요즘 마음의 에너지와 흥미가 비교적 잘 유지되고 있어요. 지금의 리듬을 그대로 지켜 주세요.
5–8pts · 조금 가라앉음
의욕이 떨어지는 날이 종종 있네요. 잠, 햇빛, 짧은 산책처럼 몸이 먼저 회복되는 루틴을 하나만 챙겨 봐도 도움이 됩니다.
9–13pts · 눈에 띄게 가라앉음
흥미와 기운이 자주 낮아지는 편이에요. 혼자 버티기보다 믿을 만한 사람에게 요즘 상태를 한 번 이야기해 보면 좋겠어요.
14–18pts · 많이 지쳐 있음
가라앉은 기분이 일상 여러 곳에 퍼져 있는 것 같아요. 힘든 시기를 잘 버텨 오셨습니다. 정신건강의학과나 상담 전문가와 한 번 이야기 나눠 보시길 부드럽게 권해요.

두근거림 (불안·신체 각성)

몸의 각성 반응과 두려움, 아찔한 순간이 얼마나 나타나는지 살펴보는 6문항입니다 (0~18점).

0–4pts · 차분한 편
몸이 크게 놀라지 않고 대체로 안정된 상태를 유지하고 있어요.
5–8pts · 가벼운 긴장
특정 상황에서 가슴이 뛰거나 숨이 얕아지는 순간이 있네요. 4초 들이쉬고 6초 내쉬는 호흡처럼 몸을 진정시키는 방법을 미리 익혀 두면 좋아요.
9–13pts · 자주 예민해짐
몸의 경보가 자주 켜지는 편이에요. 카페인·수면·일정 밀도를 함께 살펴보고, 반복되는 상황이 있다면 기록해 두면 도움이 됩니다.
14–18pts · 경보가 크게 켜져 있음
몸의 불안 반응이 자주, 강하게 나타나고 있어요. 불편한 신체 증상은 충분히 도움받을 수 있는 영역이니, 전문가와 한 번 상의해 보시길 권해요.

팽팽함 (긴장·과민)

긴장이 풀리지 않고 예민해지는 정도, 이완의 어려움을 살펴보는 6문항입니다 (0~18점).

0–4pts · 잘 풀리는 편
긴장했다가도 스스로 잘 풀어내고 있어요. 지금의 회복 방식이 잘 맞는 것 같습니다.
5–8pts · 약간 팽팽함
몸과 마음이 조금 당겨져 있네요. 하루 중 아무것도 하지 않는 10분을 일정처럼 넣어 두면 도움이 됩니다.
9–13pts · 자주 팽팽함
쉬는 시간에도 긴장이 잘 풀리지 않는 편이에요. 일의 총량을 조금 덜어 내고, 몸을 이완시키는 활동(스트레칭·목욕·가벼운 운동)을 늘려 보세요.
14–18pts · 많이 팽팽함
긴장이 거의 상시로 켜져 있는 상태로 보여요. 오래 지속되면 수면과 몸 건강에도 영향을 줄 수 있으니, 상담이나 진료를 통해 함께 방법을 찾아보시길 권해요.

Sample questions

1. 좋아하던 취미나 영상을 틀어 놓고도 재미가 거의 느껴지지 않았다.
2. 아침에 눈을 떠도 하루를 시작할 마음이 좀처럼 생기지 않았다.
3. 샤워나 설거지처럼 늘 하던 일도 몸이 무거워 자꾸 미뤘다.
4. 누가 요즘 어떻게 지내냐고 물었을 때, 나눌 만한 좋은 일이 떠오르지 않았다.

지난 2주 동안 각 문장이 나에게 얼마나 자주 해당했는지 골라 주세요. 정답도 오답도 없으니, 오래 고민하지 말고 떠오르는 대로 편하게 답하시면 됩니다.

FAQ

How do I read the three area scores, and why is there no total?

Low mood, body alarm and tension each have six items, scored 0-18 per area. Read 0-4 as at ease, 5-8 as slightly raised, 9-13 as noticeably high and 14-18 as very high. Because the three tracks call for different responses, the check does not add them up; its purpose is to show which area stands out.

Is this the DASS-21?

No. This is Soundary's own 18-item self-check (M3C-18). It covers the same three themes as the DASS-21 (depression, anxiety, stress), but the item count, items and score bands all differ, so scores here cannot be compared with DASS-21 cut-offs or norms. If you need a standardized assessment, see a professional.

At what score should I consider counselling?

If any area falls in the 14-18 band, talking to a psychiatrist or counsellor is recommended. If a 9-13 score persists for several weeks or daily life is clearly affected, counselling helps then too. Physical symptoms in the body-alarm area may also have medical causes, so have them checked if they continue.

How often should I retake it?

Since the items cover the past two weeks, every two to four weeks is a sensible interval. Retaking it right after a big event such as exams, a deadline or a move shows which track eases first and which lingers. Saving results lets you compare the trend of all three areas side by side.

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 distinguishing depression, anxiety and stress; not a translation or adaptation of any standardized instrument. A representative standard tool on the same three themes is Lovibond, P. F., & Lovibond, S. H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33(3), 335–343, but the item count, 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.

This is a self-screening tool, not a medical diagnosis. If the result concerns you, please consult a mental health professional.