Google launches anxiety self-assessment tool in Search

Google Search will now show an anxiety questionnaire for search queries related to anxiety in the US.

A third of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression, according to data by the Census Bureau. (Pexels)

Google has partnered with The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to introduce a questionnaire on anxiety disorder in Search. This is a clinically-validated questionnaire and users will be asked to answer questions based on symptoms for anxiety.

The GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7) questionnaire will appear in Google Search whenever users search for information related to anxiety. This could be symptoms or common treatments for anxiety.

Users will be required to answer seven questions which are usually questions that a medical professional would ask. Google also assures that all answers are private and secure. This tool also comes with access to resources developed by NAMI.

The GAD-7 will have seven questions related to anxiety that users can answer. (Google)

The GAD-7 will have seven questions related to anxiety that users can answer. (Google)

“The GAD-7 is the third mental health screener available on Google Search. We've previously partnered with Google so that people who search for information on depression and PTSD can access relevant clinically-validated questionnaires that provide more information and links to resources about those conditions,” Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. CEO of NAMI said in a blog post.

In the US around 48 million adults are affected by anxiety disorders, Gillison added. This has increased even more with Covid-19 as a third of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression, according to data by the Census Bureau.

The anxiety assessment tool is available first in the US. Google plans to launch it in other countries as well.