Google Search Will Now Prompt You to Take an Assessment Test If you Search For “Clinical Depression”

If you live in the US and you happen to type “clinical depression” on Google search, you will be prompted to take a questionnaire to assess if you are suffering from the Illness, Mary Giliberti, Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance On Mental Illness,  said in a blog post.

The US National Alliance on Mental Health is currently in partnership with the search giant to begin the project exclusively for the residents of USA.

Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health reveal that mental disorders are the most common illnesses suffered by many US citizens,  affecting over 40 million adults within the age of 18 and above.  However,  as common as this ailment is,  only about 50% of the affected number seek medical help.

Mental disorders may include: General Anxiety Disorder which affects over six million adults, Panic Disorder which affects six million adults,  Social Anxiety Disorder which affects fifteen million adults and other related illnesses which affect over 48 million people in the USA today.

The CEO said in a blog post concerning this project:

“To raise awareness of this condition,  we’ve teamed up with Google to help provide more direct access to tools and information to people who may be suffering.”

When you search for “depression” or “clinical depression”, instead of the usual straight up general information that provides you with symptoms and possible treatments,  there is “a clinically validated screening questionnaire which can help identify levels of depressive symptoms”

You can determine your level of depression by tapping “check if you are clinically depressed”. The result of this private self-assessment can help you have a more informed conversation with your doctor. It is a starting point to getting medical help quickly and not a replacement for qualified mental health professionals.  “The results of the PHQ-9 can help you have a more informed conversation with your doctor”, Giliberti said

The Patient Health Questionnaire, (PHQ-9) is a series if 9 questions about the subject matter- mental health.  It includes questions that bother on the level of interest or pleasure in doing things or the problem with concentrating on things such as watching TV or reading newspaper.

For privacy concerns, users who fill the questionnaire will not have their answers logged by the organization and neither will they be used as targets for advertisement.