Cornwall Counseling · A guide to finding support

Could Support Help?

Considering mental health care and choosing a next step

Created by Dr. Michael Cornwall, PsyD, PhD, LPC, LCSW.

1940s-style illustration of people waiting together at a railway station.

You do not have to have every answer before beginning a conversation.

Why I created this quiz

I created this quiz to help you consider whether support might improve your emotional life, your daily functioning, or your ability to respond to current circumstances. Asking for help does not require a diagnosis or a crisis. Wanting to understand yourself, strengthen relationships, or learn more flexible ways of thinking is enough reason to begin.

Emotions are part of human experience. Sadness, worry, grief, and frustration do not automatically mean that something is wrong with you. Consider how intense your experiences are, how long they last, whether they are improving or worsening, and how they affect your choices and responsibilities. Your circumstances, culture, physical health, medicines, substance use, past treatment, and available support also matter.

Persistent distress or difficulty managing everyday tasks can be a reason to seek professional care. Two weeks is a useful reference point, not a requirement to wait; severe symptoms or safety concerns deserve attention sooner (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2025).

Emotional intelligence includes noticing what you feel, examining the thinking connected with it, and choosing a useful response. Seeking assistance can be one of those responses. This quiz evaluates concerns and possible next steps—not your worth, strength, or character.

Disclaimer and privacy

This is an original educational self-reflection quiz for adults. It is not a standardized or scientifically validated screening test. It does not diagnose a condition, assess suicide risk comprehensively, determine a level of care, or establish that you do or do not need treatment. The scoring bands and referral rules were chosen for this educational guide; they are not research-established clinical cutoffs.

Your answers cannot replace a professional assessment. A low score does not rule out a serious concern, and a high score does not establish a diagnosis. You can seek care at any score. Completing this quiz does not establish a professional relationship with Dr. Cornwall. Young people should seek age-appropriate guidance from a trusted adult or qualified professional.

Your selections are calculated in this page. The quiz does not submit or save answers to Cornwall Counseling; leaving or refreshing clears them. Standard website visit information may be collected by ordinary website services. No one monitors your answers or will contact you because of a result.

Help before a score

If you may act on thoughts of harming yourself or another person, cannot stay safe, or have an overdose or another life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. In the U.S., call or text 988 for crisis support, including thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Outside the U.S., use your local emergency or crisis service. Do not wait to finish this quiz.

New severe confusion, a loss of contact with reality, or a major change involving very little sleep and risky behavior needs prompt professional attention. If symptoms are severe or safety is uncertain, use emergency care.

How to answer

For questions 1–15, think about the past two weeks and rate how much each statement describes you: 0 = not at all; 1 = a little; 2 = moderately; 3 = a great deal. Question 16 asks about duration and change. Questions 17–20 use No, Yes, or Unsure. They are separate safety checks and do not add points. There are no right or wrong answers.

If a statement does not describe you, select “Not at all.” You may stop at any time. If you prefer not to answer a sensitive question, use the guidance on this page or speak privately with a professional; a complete numerical result requires all twenty answers.

Begin the quiz ↓

0 of 20 answered

1. I have felt sad, empty, hopeless, or unusually irritable.
2. I have lost interest or pleasure in things that usually matter to me.
3. Worry, fear, panic, or repeated checking has been difficult to manage.
4. Painful memories, grief, or a major life change have been difficult to cope with.
5. My sleep, appetite, energy, or concentration has changed in a way that concerns me.
6. My emotions or reactions have felt overwhelming or hard to regulate.
7. My concerns have interfered with work, school, household tasks, or other responsibilities.
8. My concerns have disrupted relationships or led me to avoid important situations.
9. I have struggled to maintain basic routines such as eating, bathing, taking prescribed medicines, or attending appointments.
10. I have tried reasonable coping strategies, but my concerns have continued or returned.
11. Someone I trust has noticed a concerning change in my mood, behavior, or functioning.
12. I have felt stuck in patterns I would like individualized help understanding.
13. I have used alcohol, drugs, or medicines other than as prescribed to cope, or used more than I intended.
14. Alcohol or drug use has caused problems, or I have struggled to reduce it despite wanting to.
15. I have felt alone with my concerns and wanted connection with people facing similar experiences.
16. How persistent are the concerns you endorsed above?
17. During the past two weeks, have you had thoughts of suicide, wished you were dead, or had urges to hurt yourself?
18. Have you recently had new or worsening experiences such as hearing or seeing things others do not, strong unusual beliefs, or confusion that affects your sense of what is real?
19. Have you recently had an unusual period of very little need for sleep along with markedly increased energy, racing thoughts, or impulsive or risky behavior?
20. Are you in immediate danger now—for example, you may act on thoughts of harming yourself or someone else, cannot keep yourself safe, face violence, or have an overdose or severe withdrawal?

How the assessment makes its judgments

Concern score: questions 1–14 add to a total of 0–42. Questions 1–6 describe emotional concerns (0–18), 7–12 describe interference or need for individualized help (0–18), and 13–14 describe substance-related concerns (0–6). This is a summary of your answers, not a probability of illness.

TotalEducational starting point
0–9Reading, self-care, and community connection may be useful when functioning is intact and concerns are brief. Professional help remains available.
10–20Consider a professional conversation and a structured skills or counseling group.
21–42Arrange an individualized professional assessment rather than relying on self-help alone.

Additional rules take priority: any rating of 3 on questions 1–12, a rating of 2 or 3 on basic self-care (question 9), a functioning subtotal of 8 or more, or concerns persisting or worsening on question 16 with any concern points leads to an individual assessment recommendation, even with a low total. Any substance concern on questions 13–14 leads to advice to discuss use with a professional; moderate or greater concerns also suggest recovery support alongside care. Question 15 rated 2 or 3 adds group or peer connection as an option. None of these rules determines clinical urgency by itself.

Safety overrides: Yes or Unsure on questions 17–19 prompts immediate crisis support or prompt clinical assessment as appropriate. Yes or Unsure on question 20 prompts immediate safety guidance. These answers override the score. “No” answers cannot certify safety.

Group counseling is led by a qualified professional and can provide structured work on anxiety, emotional regulation, relationships, or grief. A peer or mutual-help group connects people with shared experience; it is not necessarily professional treatment. Preference, accessibility, group fit, and a clinician’s assessment should guide the choice. Several kinds of support can be used together.

Choose a useful next step

Alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous. If you drink heavily or regularly, or have withdrawal symptoms, seek medical guidance before abruptly stopping. Seizures, severe confusion, or other severe withdrawal symptoms require emergency care. A support meeting does not manage medical withdrawal (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [NIAAA], n.d.).

If cost, insurance, transportation, privacy, or scheduling is a barrier, ask about telehealth, community clinics, sliding-scale fees, or an EAP. FindTreatment.gov can help locate services. You can begin with a brief conversation even if you are unsure what kind of help fits.

References and support resources

National Institute of Mental Health. (2025). My mental health: Do I need help? Read the NIMH guide.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023, April 24). Find a support group for mental health, drugs, alcohol. Find peer-support options.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Alcohol use disorder: From risk to diagnosis to recovery. Read about treatment and withdrawal.

These sources inform the general guidance. They did not create or validate this quiz or its scoring rules.