Am I Depressed?
Depression isn't always easy to recognise, especially in yourself. Although society has a much better understanding of depression than it once did, it still often goes unrecognised, and many people struggle alone instead of seeking support. If you think you might be depressed, start by taking our 'Am I Depressed?' quiz, based on the clinically validated PHQ-9 screening tool. While it is a trusted way to screen for symptoms of depression, it cannot provide a diagnosis. It can, however, help you better understand what you may be experiencing and whether it's time to seek professional support.
Am I Depressed? Our Quiz
Trudy Jacobsen
Trudy Jacobsen is a highly experienced counsellor with over 20 years of experience supporting individuals and couples with her warm, grounded and outcome-driven approach. She is available for new clients for in-person appointments in Booval, Brisbane as well as online video appointments.
https://lifesupportscounselling.com.au/counsellors/trudy-jacobsen/
- Master of Social Work
- Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
- Member of the AASW
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Open 8am to 8pm weekdays and 9am to 5:30pm weekends
What Your Score Means
0–4: None/minimal. Our depression test (Australia) indicates that it’s unlikely you’re experiencing significant symptoms of depression. However, you don't need to be depressed to benefit from therapy. If you're struggling with life's challenges or would like extra support, we're here to help.
5–9: Mild. You may be experiencing mild symptoms of depression. If these feelings persist or begin affecting your daily life, consider speaking with your GP or a therapist. Early support can help prevent symptoms from becoming more severe.
10–14 Moderate. You may be experiencing moderate symptoms of depression. We recommend speaking with your GP or a mental health professional to discuss your symptoms. Counselling can help you better understand what you're experiencing and develop strategies to manage it.
15–19: Moderately severe. You may be experiencing moderately severe symptoms of depression. It's important to seek support from your GP or a mental health professional, who can recommend an appropriate treatment plan. Effective treatments are available, and you don't have to face this alone.
20–27: Severe. You may be experiencing severe symptoms of depression. We encourage you to seek professional support as soon as possible. If you're finding it difficult to cope or are concerned about your safety, seek immediate help from your GP, your nearest emergency department, or a crisis support service like Lifeline on 13 11 14.
The results of this depression test (Australia) are a screening guide only and are not a diagnosis. If your symptoms are causing distress or affecting your daily life, it's important to speak with a qualified health professional, regardless of your score. If you need urgent support, please contact Lifeline (13 11 14), who offer 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
How Depression Counselling Can Help
If you think you may be experiencing depression or low mood, Life Supports can help. We take the time to understand your needs, preferences and availability before matching you with a therapist whose experience and approach best suit your situation. Our counsellors have extensive experience supporting people with depression, and appointments are available face-to-face, online or by phone, seven days a week.
If you’re interested in learning more about counselling or would like to organise a session, call 1300 735 030 or leave us an email via our contact page.
FAQs
Yes. While everyone feels sad from time to time, depression is a mental health condition that involves persistent low mood or a loss of interest and pleasure in activities, along with other emotional and physical symptoms. It can also affect your sleep, appetite, energy, concentration and motivation, and may lead you to withdraw from people and activities you once enjoyed. If you're unsure whether what you're experiencing is depression or something else, speaking with a therapist can help you better understand your symptoms and explore the right support.
For many people, counselling can be an effective treatment for depression without medication. However, the approach you should take will depend on your symptoms, their severity, as well as your individual circumstances. While therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can work to challenge and change negative thought patterns and establish more productive coping strategies, for some people, medication might also be recommended. This isn’t something you need to figure out yourself, and one of our qualified mental health professionals will be able to help you determine the approach that's right for you.
Your first session is a chance to get to know your therapist and for your therapist to get to know you, and understand what has brought you to counselling. Your therapist will ask how you’ve been feeling, what has been going on for you recently, as well as your therapy goals. This initial session will help the therapist understand your situation a little more clearly, so they can plan a path forward. We know the initial session can feel daunting, but our therapists make clients feel as comfortable as possible and will always move at the pace you feel comfortable with.