In crisis or thinking about suicide? Call or text 988 (U.S. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) — free, confidential, 24/7.
← All care gaps
Anxiety Adults

Measuring anxiety severity at diagnosis

When anxiety is newly diagnosed, a simple severity score (GAD-7) should be recorded to guide care.

92% of the time this step is missed

The silent should: When anxiety is newly diagnosed, a simple severity score (GAD-7) should be recorded to guide care.

In our analysis of de-identified U.S. psychiatric records, this step was missing 92% of the time it should have happened.

This page is information to help you ask questions — it is not medical advice, and you should never start, stop, or change a medication on your own. Bring these questions to your clinician.

Questions for your doctor the next time you see them

Copy a line and ask it — these are questions, never instructions to change treatment.

  • Could we record a simple anxiety score so we can track how I'm doing?
  • Can we measure my anxiety at visits to see if treatment is helping?

This page is informational and not medical advice. It describes care patterns across a population, not your situation. Bring these questions to a clinician who knows you.

Build a checklist for your own care →