Self-Diagnosis Questionnaire

The following questionnaire is designed to help you identify which particular anxiety disorder you may be dealing with. It is based on the official classification of anxiety disorders used by all mental health professionals and known as DSM-IV (Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Mental Disorders — fourth edition).

Full Name

Email *

Do you have spontaneous anxiety attacks that come out of the blue? (Only check “yes” if you do not have any phobias.) *

Yes

Have you had at least one such attack in the last Month? *

Yes

If you had an anxiety attack in the last Month, did you worry about having another one? Or did you worry about the implications of your attack for your physical or mental health? *

Yes

If your answers to 1, 2, 3 and 4 were Yes, stop. You’ve met the conditions for panic disorder.

If your answer to 1 was Yes, but your anxiety reaction involved three or fewer of the symptoms listed under 4, you are experiencing what are called limited symptom attacks, but do not have full-blown panic disorder.

If you have panic attacks and phobias, go on.

Does fear of having panic attacks cause you to avoid going into certain situations? *

Yes

If your answer to 5 was No, but you do have phobias go on.

Do you avoid certain situations not primarily because you are afraid of panicking but because you are afraid of being embarrassed or negatively evaluated by other people? (your embarrassment could subsequently lead you to panic) *

Yes

If your answer to 7 was Yes, stop. It’s likely that you are dealing with social

phobia. See question 8 to determine the extent of your social phobia.

Which of the following situations do you avoid because of fear of embarrassing or humiliating yourself? *

Sitting in any kind of group (for example, at work, in school classrooms, social organisations, self help groups)

Giving a talk or a presentation before a small group of people

Giving a talk or a presentation before a large group of people

Parties or social functions

Eating in front of others

Writing or signing your name in front of others

Dating

Any situation where you might say something foolish

Other

The number of situations you checked indicates the extent to which social phobia limits your activities.

If your answers to questions 5 and 7 were No, but you have other phobias continue.

Do you have high degrees of anxiety usually only when you have to face one of these situations? *

Yes

If you checked one or more items in 9 and answered Yes to 10, stop. It’s likely that you are dealing with a specific phobia. If not proceed.

Do you feel quite anxious much of the time but do not have distinct panic attacks, do not have phobias and do not have specific obsessions or compulsions? *

Yes

Have you been prone to excessive worry for at least the last 6 Months? *

Yes

Has your anxiety and worry been associated with at least three of the following 6 symptoms? *

Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge

Being easily fatigued

Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank

Irritability

Muscle tension

Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling asleep or restless unsatisfying sleep)

If your answers to 11, 12 and 13 were yes, stop. It’s likely that you are dealing with generalized anxiety disorder. If you answered Yes to 11 but No to 12 or 13, you’re dealing with an anxiety condition that is not severe enough to qualify as generalized anxiety disorder.

Do you have recurring intrusive thoughts such as hurting or harming a close relative, being contaminated with dirt or toxic substance, fearing you forgot to lock your door or turn of an appliance, or an unpleasant fantasy of a catastrophe? (you recognize that these thoughts are irrational but you can’t keep them from coming into yourmind) *

Yes

Do you perform ritualistic actions such as washing your hands, checking, or counting to relieve anxiety over irrational fears that enter your mind? *

Yes

If you answered Yes to 14 but No to 15, you are probably dealing with an obsessive compulsive disorder, but have obsessions only.

If you answered Yes to 14 and 15, you are probably dealing with obsessive

compulsive disorder, with both obsessions and compulsions.

If you answered No to 14 and 15 and most or all preceding questions, but still have anxiety or anxiety related symptoms, you may be dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder or a nonspecific anxiety condition. Use the section in this chapter on post-traumatic stress disorder to determine whether your symptoms fit this category.