Grief Assessment
Grief is not something you get over. It's something you carry — and over time, for most people, it becomes lighter. But sometimes grief doesn't ease. It stays as raw and consuming as the day it began, or it quietly hollows out your life until you realize you've stopped living it.
This free assessment uses the PHQ-9 to screen for depression symptoms that commonly accompany grief — and that, when persistent, may indicate complicated or prolonged grief disorder. It won't measure the depth of your love or the magnitude of your loss. But it can help you understand whether what you're experiencing may benefit from professional support.
Your answers are scored entirely in your browser. Nothing is stored or shared.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
A grief assessment that distinguishes between normal grief and prolonged grief disorder using validated screening criteria.
Anyone who has experienced a significant loss and is wondering whether their grief may have become prolonged or complicated.
Grief has no timeline, but prolonged grief disorder is a recognized condition with effective treatments. This tool is for informational purposes only. Not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.
What Is the Grief Assessment Tool?
How Is the Grief Assessment Scored?
What Do My Grief Assessment Results Mean?
PHQ-9 Depression Self-Check
A widely used, validated screening questionnaire that helps you reflect on depressive symptoms over the past two weeks. Your answers stay in your browser and are never stored.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Before you begin
This self-check uses the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a validated screening instrument developed by Drs. Spitzer, Williams, and Kroenke and placed in the public domain.
Please understand:
- This is not a diagnosis and does not replace professional evaluation.
- Results are educational only — they describe symptom levels, not clinical conditions.
- Only a qualified healthcare professional can diagnose or treat conditions.
- Your answers are processed entirely in your browser and are never stored or transmitted.
- If you are in immediate danger or having thoughts of self-harm, please contact emergency services or a crisis hotline now.
Signs That Grief May Have Become Complicated
Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is diagnosed when these symptoms persist at a clinically significant level for more than 12 months after the loss (6 months for children). It affects approximately 10–15% of bereaved people.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between normal grief and complicated grief?
Normal grief is a natural, painful response to loss that evolves over time. While there is no set timeline, most people find that grief — though it never fully disappears — becomes less acute and more integrated over months to years. Complicated grief (also called Prolonged Grief Disorder, or PGD) is characterized by grief that remains intensely debilitating beyond 12 months after the loss (6 months for children), with persistent yearning, difficulty accepting the loss, bitterness, and inability to engage in life. PGD affects approximately 10–15% of bereaved people.
How do I know if my grief is 'normal'?
There is no single timeline for grief. Factors that suggest grief may have become complicated include: inability to accept the reality of the loss even months later, persistent inability to engage in normal activities or relationships, intense longing that doesn't diminish over time, feeling that life is meaningless without the person, bitterness or anger that doesn't ease, and avoiding reminders of the person to a degree that interferes with daily life. If grief is significantly impairing your functioning more than a year after the loss, it's worth speaking with a grief-informed therapist.
Can grief cause depression?
Yes. Grief and depression share many symptoms — sadness, sleep changes, appetite changes, difficulty concentrating, loss of interest. However, they are distinct conditions. Grief is typically focused on the loss and includes waves of intense longing, while depression is more pervasive. Grief can also trigger a major depressive episode, especially in those with a history of depression. The PHQ-9 used in this assessment screens for depression symptoms that may be grief-related or co-occurring with grief.
Is there treatment for complicated grief?
Yes. Complicated Grief Treatment (CGT), developed by Dr. Katherine Shear at Columbia University, is a specialized therapy with strong evidence for Prolonged Grief Disorder. It combines elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy with grief-specific techniques. Standard CBT and interpersonal therapy are also effective. Medication may help with co-occurring depression or anxiety. The Center for Complicated Grief (complicatedgrief.columbia.edu) offers resources and a therapist directory.
Can grief affect physical health?
Yes. Grief is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events (the 'broken heart' effect is real — risk of heart attack increases significantly in the days after a major loss), immune suppression, sleep disruption, and increased mortality in older adults. These effects are most pronounced in the first year after bereavement and in cases of complicated grief. Taking care of your physical health during grief — sleep, nutrition, medical appointments — is not optional.
Crisis & Support Resources
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 — if grief has brought thoughts of suicide
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- GriefShare: griefshare.org — grief support groups nationwide
- Center for Complicated Grief: complicatedgrief.columbia.edu — specialized treatment resources
This assessment is for educational purposes only — it is not a diagnosis. Only a licensed healthcare professional can diagnose complicated grief or related conditions. Your responses are processed entirely in your browser and are never stored or transmitted.
Reviewed by a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor (CADC-II).
Last reviewed: March 2026