How this works
We ask how you've been, then suggest what kind of care tends to help at that point, and show options that fit your situation. The rules are fixed and published. No AI decides your step.
The questions
The first nine are the PHQ-9, a standard questionnaire used by doctors worldwide. Then we ask how long this has lasted, whether you've had times like this before, what you've tried, and a few things that change which options fit best.
The steps of care
Step 1: Self-help and support
Guided self-help and online CBT programs help many people with milder symptoms. They work best with some support from a person, like a coach, a group or a clinician.
Step 2: Talk therapy
Several kinds of talk therapy work about equally well. Choosing one you're comfortable with matters more than the type. Medication through your primary care doctor is another option if you prefer it.
Step 3: Therapy and medication
For more severe symptoms, therapy and medication together tend to work better than either alone. A primary care doctor or a psychiatrist can prescribe.
Step 4: Specialist treatment
When two or more medicines haven't helped enough, there are other treatments that work for many people, such as TMS, esketamine and ECT. A psychiatrist can help you choose.
The rules, in short
- Your PHQ-9 score sets a starting step: 5–9 self-help and support, 10–14 talk therapy, 15 or more therapy and medication.
- If this has lasted more than 2 years, or you've had episodes before, we move up one step (to at least talk therapy).
- If two or more medicines haven't helped enough and symptoms are still moderate or higher, we suggest specialist treatment.
- If you mention thoughts of suicide, we show crisis help first. If there's a plan or immediate risk, we ask you to reach out now.
- Pregnancy, age, past high-energy times, and alcohol or drug use change which options we show first.
Stage guide version 0.1 (pending clinical review)
These rules are being reviewed by clinicians before launch. They're based on guidelines from NICE (UK), the US Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense, the American College of Physicians and CANMAT (Canada).
How options are ordered
By fit to your step, then confirmed openings, then cost, then distance. No one can pay to be listed or to appear higher. Depression Guide is run by the Thinkable team at GGTUDE. If our own products appear, they follow the same rules and are marked.