7 free self-assessments for substance use, mood, anxiety & trauma
Validated, public-domain screening instruments developed by the WHO, NIDA, NIMH, the VA, and the CDC. Used in primary-care offices around the world. Now usable here, anonymously, with no email, no account, and nothing stored on our servers. A high score is information, not a verdict — most conditions these tools cover are treatable.
All seven instruments below are screening tools, not diagnoses. Each takes 3-7 minutes, runs entirely in your browser (nothing is stored), and produces a score band with plain-language interpretation and an evidence-based next step. The combinations that primary-care clinicians use most often: AUDIT-10 + PHQ-9 (alcohol + depression — standard SBIRT), DAST-10 + GAD-7 (drug use + anxiety), ACE + PCL-5 (past trauma exposure + current PTSD symptoms — standard trauma workup).
Substance-use screeners
Three instruments cover the most common patterns clinicians screen for. AUDIT-10 and CAGE-4 focus on alcohol; DAST-10 covers drug use other than alcohol and tobacco. Pair any of these with PHQ-9 or GAD-7 if mood or anxiety is also a concern — co-occurring conditions are the rule, not the exception.
Depression & anxiety screeners
Both instruments are USPSTF-recommended (B-grade) and embedded in nearly every primary-care electronic medical record system. PHQ-9 is the most widely used depression screen worldwide; GAD-7 is its anxiety counterpart. Take both for a full mood-and-anxiety picture.
Trauma screeners
The two instruments below ask about childhood adversity (ACE) or current post-traumatic symptoms (PCL-5). These questions can bring up difficult memories or feelings. If you are not in a place to do this right now, that's a valid choice — come back later, or call 988 if you need to talk to someone first. Both tests are designed to be taken anonymously and at your own pace.
Together these two cover the standard trauma workup that clinicians use: ACE measures past exposure (childhood adversity events), PCL-5 measures current symptoms (last month). High scores on both is common and treatable — evidence-based therapies include CPT, PE, EMDR, IFS, and (when substance use is also present) the COPE protocol for integrated PTSD-plus-SUD treatment.
Which test should I take first?
There is no wrong answer here — you can take any of the seven, in any order, as many times as you want. But these are the pairings primary-care clinicians use most often, drawn from SAMHSA's SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) framework and from APA practice guidelines:
| If you are noticing… | Start with | Then consider |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking more than you intend | AUDIT-10 | PHQ-9 (mood often co-occurs) |
| A loved one is worried about your drinking | CAGE-4 | AUDIT-10 for full picture |
| Taking prescription meds in ways the doctor didn't say | DAST-10 | GAD-7 (anxiety often drives use) |
| Persistent low mood, low energy, no interest | PHQ-9 | GAD-7 + AUDIT-10 |
| Constant worry, can't relax, edgy | GAD-7 | PHQ-9 (often co-occurs) |
| A difficult childhood is part of your story | ACE | PCL-5 if symptoms are current |
| Recent traumatic event — flashbacks, avoidance, hypervigilance | PCL-5 | PHQ-9 + DAST-10 |
| Just want a complete behavioral-health snapshot | AUDIT-10 + DAST-10 + PHQ-9 + GAD-7 (~12 minutes total) | |
What these tests can and can't do
- Identify whether further evaluation is warranted
- Give you specific language to bring to a clinician
- Track change over time (especially PHQ-9 and GAD-7 every 2-4 weeks)
- Catch co-occurring conditions you might not have flagged on your own
- Diagnose any condition (only a clinician can)
- Rule out a medical cause for symptoms (thyroid, B12, sleep apnea all mimic mood disorders)
- Replace clinical interview, history, and observation
- Substitute for safety planning if you are in active crisis
If a test pointed you somewhere, here is where to go next
- Find treatment near you: 22,000+ SAMHSA-verified facilities across all 50 states, filterable by level of care and insurance.
- Understand the levels of care: treatment options from medical detox to outpatient counseling — what they look like, who they're for, how long they last.
- Check insurance coverage: how 15+ major insurance providers cover rehab, plus Medicaid / Medicare / Tricare specifics.
- Read about the science: RehabHive guides on detox, MAT, family therapy, fentanyl, and more.
- Crisis right now: Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7), SAMHSA helpline 1-800-662-4357, or 911.
How we chose these instruments
Every screener on this page meets four criteria: (a) peer-reviewed validation in adult populations, (b) public-domain or freely-distributed (no licensing fee that would block at-home use), (c) short enough to complete during a primary-care visit (≤10 minutes), and (d) in active use by SAMHSA, the WHO, the VA, or a recognized USPSTF-cited body. We do not host instruments that require purchase (e.g. SCID, BDI-II) or require clinician administration (e.g. CAPS-5).
We do not score, store, or transmit your responses. The scoring formulas, band cutoffs, and interpretive guidance on each quiz page come directly from the instrument's published validation paper or its current clinical-use guideline. Where the original publisher (e.g. Pfizer for PHQ-9) provides a free-use license, we honor it; PHQ-9 is reproduced with permission per phqscreeners.com.
Primary sources
- WHO AUDIT manual — Saunders 1993, Babor et al. 2001
- NIDA-modified DAST-10 — Skinner 1982
- PHQ-9 — Kroenke, Spitzer, Williams 2001
- GAD-7 — Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams, Löwe 2006
- CAGE — Ewing 1984 (JAMA)
- CDC ACE — Felitti et al. 1998 (Am J Prev Med)
- VA NCPTSD PCL-5 — Weathers et al. 2013
FAQ
Are these self-tests a diagnosis?
No. Every screener on this page is a screening instrument, not a diagnostic tool. Diagnosis requires a licensed clinician who reviews your full history, rules out medical causes, and combines instruments with interview, observation, and (when relevant) collateral information. A score above the suggested cutoff is a reason to schedule an evaluation, not a verdict.
Is my data stored?
No. Every quiz on this page runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Answers and scores never leave your device. Nothing is sent to RehabHive servers, no cookies are set for the quiz state, no email is requested. You can refresh the page to wipe your responses immediately.
Which test should I take first?
Start with the area you noticed first. If alcohol is the concern, AUDIT-10 (or CAGE-4 for a faster screen). If you suspect drug use is part of the picture, DAST-10. If mood is low, PHQ-9; if worry is constant, GAD-7. If childhood adversity is part of your story, ACE; if recent traumatic events are a factor, PCL-5. Many people benefit from pairing two — for example, AUDIT-10 plus PHQ-9 is the standard SBIRT primary-care combination.
Why are these instruments free?
All seven are in the public domain or distributed without licensing fees by their original authors and institutions (WHO, NIDA, NIMH, VA National Center for PTSD, CDC, Pfizer for PHQ-9). They were designed as primary-care tools precisely so they could be used without barriers — including by individuals at home.
What if my score is high?
A high score means a clinician interview is the appropriate next step — not that something is wrong with you. The instruments measure symptom presence, not character. Effective, evidence-based treatments exist for every condition these tests cover. If you are in active crisis, call or text 988 (24/7, free, confidential) before doing anything else.
Can I retake these tests?
Yes. PHQ-9 and GAD-7 in particular are routinely re-administered every 2-4 weeks during treatment to track change. AUDIT-10, DAST-10, CAGE, ACE, and PCL-5 measure either a fixed history (ACE) or a recent symptom window (PCL-5: last month) — retaking after the window has elapsed gives a current snapshot.
Do these tests work for veterans?
Yes — and PCL-5 was specifically developed by the VA National Center for PTSD. AUDIT-10 and PHQ-9 are also embedded in standard VA primary-care workflows. Veterans in crisis can dial 988 and press 1 (Veterans Crisis Line, 24/7).
A score is a starting point — not the conclusion
If anything you read here surfaced something, our helpline is free, 24/7, and confidential. We help you verify insurance, understand levels of care, and find a facility that takes your plan.
