Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) – Test – DOMILIEN PSYCHIATRY AND WELLNESS, LLC

Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) – Test

The Beck Depression Scale, the so-called BECK Test – is a self-report scale and is used to screen for symptoms of depression in oneself.
However, it is only an auxiliary tool, it is not a substitute for a medical examination – depression can only be diagnosed by a doctor.
The result of the test can be a good indication if you give honest answers when completing it – to yourself, after all.
The assessment should relate to how you have felt over a chosen period of time: the last week or the last month (use the same measure of time when answering).
You should take about 10-20 minutes to complete the test.
Please answer all questions.

Feeling sad and depressed

I am not sad or depressed I often feel sad and depressed I feel sad all the time and cannot get rid of it I am constantly sad and unhappy, it is unbearable

Worrying about the future

I am not very concerned about my future I often worry about my future I am afraid that nothing good awaits me in the future I feel that the future is hopeless and nothing will change that

Do you think you are neglecting your responsibilities?

I do not think I am neglecting much I think I am more negligent than others When I reflect on myself, I see a lot of mistakes and negligence I am completely inefficient and do everything wrong

Are you satisfied with yourself?

I enjoy what I do I do not enjoy what I do Nothing gives me real satisfaction right now I am unable to experience contentment and pleasure. Everything bores me

Do you deserve to be punished?

I do not think I deserve to be punished I think I deserve to be punished I expect to be punished I know I am being punished

Do you often have feelings of guilt?

I do not feel guilty about myself or others I quite often feel remorseful Very often I feel that I am at fault I constantly have feelings of guilt

Self-satisfaction

I am satisfied with myself I am not satisfied with myself I feel resentment towards myself I hate myself

Do you feel inferior to other people?

I do not feel inferior to other people I accuse myself of being inept and making mistakes I constantly condemn myself for the mistakes I have made I blame myself for all the evil that exists

Do you have suicidal thoughts?

I do not think about taking my own life I think about suicide - but would not be able to do it I want to take my own life I will commit suicide when the opportunity is right

Do you often want to cry?

I do not cry more often than usual I cry more often than I used to I still want to cry I would like to cry, but I am not able to

Are you more nervous and irritable lately?

I am not more irritable than I used to be I am more nervous and irritable than I used to be I am constantly nervous or irritable Everything that used to irritate me has become indifferent

Has anything changed in your interest in other people?

I am interested in people as I used to be I am less interested in people than I used to be I have lost most of my interest in other people I have lost all interest in other people

Have you been having more problems making different decisions recently?

I take decisions easily, as I used to I procrastinate more often than I used to I have a lot of difficulty in making decisions I am not able to make any decision

Do you think you look worse and less attractive than you used to?

I think I look no worse than before I am worried that I look old and unattractive I feel that I look worse and worse I am convinced that I look awful and repulsive

Do you find it more difficult to do different jobs and tasks?

I can work as I used to I find it difficult to start any activity I force myself to do anything with great effort I am not able to do anything

Do you have trouble sleeping?

I sleep well, as usual I sleep worse than before In the morning, I wake up 1-2 hours too early and find it difficult to get back to sleep I wake up a few hours too early and cannot get back to sleep

Do you get tired more than usual?

I do not get more tired than before I get tired much easier than before I get tired of everything I do I am too tired to do anything

Do you have trouble with your appetite?

My appetite is no worse than it used to be My appetite is somewhat worse My appetite is noticeably worse I have no appetite at all

I have not been on a diet to lose weight in the last month, but I have lost weight:

I am not losing weight (in the last month) I have lost more than 2 kg I have lost more than 4 kg I have lost more than 6 kg

Have you been more worried about your health recently?

I am not more worried about my health than I have always been I am worried about my ailments, I have an upset stomach, constipation, pains The state of my health worries me a lot, I often think about it I worry so much about my health that I cannot think about anything else

Do you have problems with potency?

My sexual interests have not changed I am less interested in sex Sex clearly interests me less I have completely lost interest in sex

Your score

No depression. No cause for concern. A score this high usually indicates a temporary worsening of mood, triggered by simple despondency or some current, usually unpleasant, event. Such a score is more likely to be obtained by people who take the test by accident, out of curiosity or at someone else’s insistence, rather than on the basis of their own intuition that something serious is beginning to happen to them.

Mild depression. A result that should make us think and prompt us to see a psychologist or psychotherapist. Ideally, it should be a specialist working with the method of cognitive-behavioural therapy, oriented towards a concrete and quick solution to problems.

Modern medicine treats mild depression primarily with psychotherapy. Rather, without including pharmacotherapy.

Moderate depression. Scoring this many points suggests that you should see a psychiatrist straight away, as it is likely that you will need to be put on drug treatment (administration of antidepressants). The psychiatrist will also refer the patient for therapy after assessing the severity of the illness and selecting the appropriate drug and dose. In the treatment of moderate depression, a combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy is considered the most effective method.

Make an appointment for a Link to book an appointment for a psychiatric consultation

Modern medicine treats mild depression primarily with psychotherapy. Rather, without including pharmacotherapy.

Severe depression. The patient should see a psychiatrist immediately. In fact, the steps taken on the part of the patient should be the same as in the case of moderate depression. The form of therapy will be different, of course. Longer, more intensive, it is very likely that hospitalisation may also be necessary. Important: if suicidal thoughts occur or, even more so, if certain steps are taken to take one’s own life, these are absolute indications for hospital treatment.

Make an appointment for a Link to book an appointment for a psychiatric consultation

Modern medicine treats mild depression primarily with psychotherapy. Rather, without including pharmacotherapy.

(Reference – Beck AT, Ward CH, Mendelson M, Mock J, Erbaugh J (1961), An inventory for measuring depression, Archives of General Psychiatry, 4: 53-63)

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