Where To Find A Free Mental Health Test And Do You Need One?

Self-screening mental health tests

Self-screening mental health tests are those you can take yourself, opposed to psych evaluations. They typically allow you to note your feelings or any patterns of behavior. This can be helpful in terms of identifying possible mental health concerns. 

These are not tests for diagnosis, but they can give you information that may help you better communicate your concerns to a professional. You may want to print any results and bring them to talk with your doctor, especially if you're having a hard time describing what you're experiencing. First, though, you will likely need to identify which tests are potentially useful and which are not.

The internet

It’s easy to turn to the internet for mental health resources, including tests that can help you understand your symptoms. One thing you may want to keep in mind, though, is that not all tests are created equal, and it may be challenging to determine how reliable a given test is simply by doing a quick internet search. 

The types of tests which can be found on the internet are vast, so much so that it might be confusing if you're not sure exactly what type of test to use. You may encounter things like depression tests, anxiety tests, eating disorder tests, or alcohol and substance use disorder tests. These will usually have questions relating to your habits and behaviors, your reactions, and the challenges you might experience. Again, online tests can help you realize that you may need to seek professional support, but they aren’t meant to replace speaking with a doctor. It may be best, then, to steer clear of resources that claim to be able to offer a diagnosis.

Your doctor

Your healthcare provider will either have the resources necessary to conduct a thorough psychological evaluation, or refer you to a qualified mental health professional who can. Their expertise can help them diagnose your mental health symptoms based on criteria outlined by official resources like the DSM-5, a manual used by professionals to understand different mental health disorders. 

Sometimes seeking out an assessment from a professional can be cost-prohibitive. When that’s the case, some community health centers, student health centers, nonprofit organizations, and other groups may be able to offer mental health screening or other resources that can help at a reduced or no cost. Even if you’re unsure about whether you’re able to pursue traditional mental health screenings, it might still be worth speaking to a doctor about what options are available to you within your means.

Which mental health test should you take?

Whether you’re looking into self-guided mental health screening tools or are interested in a professional diagnosis, it can be helpful to know how best to focus your search. Especially if you turn to the internet, you’ll likely encounter a myriad of test options, some of which might be more relevant to you than others.

Below are a few examples of different mental health tests you might take:

• A depression test may be helpful for people who feel disinterest in things that previously brought joy, intense sadness, or numbness. 
• An eating disorder test can help you identify whether behaviors related to eating, exercising, or body image may be cause for concern. 
• An anxiety test can help people who may be living with intense feelings of anxiety, panic attacks, and other symptoms understand the severity of their experiences.
• An addiction test may help determine if existing substance use leans toward a potentially unhealthy or harmful pattern of behavior.

There are also many other condition-specific tests that may target symptoms related to an individual diagnosis. Additionally, more general mental health screening tools may also be available; these tests typically ask questions related to a variety of conditions and behaviors to offer a more overarching view of what might be causing your symptoms.

Who should take a mental health test?

Anyone can take a mental health test, but the truth is that doing so may not be necessary, particularly if your goal is to receive an official diagnosis. Still, it can be potentially beneficial to use these tools for educational purposes or to discover what treatment options are available to you.

Pros:

• A mental health test might give you the information you may need to determine whether it's time to talk to a professional about your symptoms. 
• Many online and otherwise easily reachable tests are free to use, which may help you limit the amount of money you dedicate to professional screenings. By beginning with some idea of what you might be experiencing, you may be able to make the process of receiving a diagnosis quicker and easier.
• Mental health tests can help you discover which behaviors or experiences might be related to mental health disorders, including things that you may not have been aware of before.

Cons:

• Not all tests are accurate, based on reliable information, or helpful. Some may even lead you to draw incorrect conclusions. 
• Many mental health tests are designed for adults, so they may not be able to accurately gauge symptoms experienced by teens and children.
• Tests available online are not meant to replace diagnosis from a professional, but because they often produce some sort of result, they may lead some people to self-diagnose. While self-diagnosis may seem like the only approachable option, it can be inaccurate, which might lead you to mistreat or potentially worsen your symptoms.

If you simply would like to learn more about your experiences and how they may relate to mental health disorders, a test might be a great tool for you. But, if you’re hoping to find information that will help you reach a diagnosis, you might not need to take a test at all – instead, it’s likely best to seek out the advice of a professional.

How to pursue professional mental health treatment

Just about anyone can benefit from the advice and guidance of a mental health professional, even if you end up without an official diagnosis of any particular mental illness. A therapist, for example, can help you identify areas of need, learn to overcome challenges, and develop sustainable solutions for any concerns you may face.

If you’re concerned about cost, convenience, or are generally uncertain about contacting a professional, you may want to consider online therapy as a potential treatment option. Because online therapists don’t need to worry about overhead costs, they can often offer services at a much more affordable rate. Likewise, not having to drive to and from an office for screenings or treatment can make getting help less of a challenge.

No matter what symptoms with which you’re living, online therapy can likely help you create change in your life. One recent literature review of several online cognitive behavioral therapy studies found that it could significantly decrease anxiety and depression symptoms. It also observed that online therapy can be just as effective as traditional options for treating panic disorder, PTSD, and more.

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.