Beck Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire

dubagirl · 22-01-2009, 12:18 AM

I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about this questionnaire? I did it with my psychologist a couple of weeks ago, and got the result from it today. I have found out that I scored 53/63, which my doctor told me is a very high score.
Does this mean I have a diagnosable anxiety disorder?
I know I should have asked my psychologist this today when I saw her, but I was too scared to, in case she thought I was asking her to diagnose me (obviously I am NOT trying to add to my illnesses, but I'm worried that she would think that I am).
Just wondering what you think this means?
Thanks everyone.

miss_kitty · 22-01-2009, 02:58 AM

inventories like this can be used as a short cut to diagnosis, but most good practitioners will take a lot more than that into account. i would say that a score like that is a strong indication that you have a diagnosable disorder, but other facts about you and your life may mean you don't, or that having a firm diagnosis would not help you at this time.

everybody thinks and feels and understands and answers questions differently, so these things should not be used as an "i ams sicker than you" measure.

what i find tests like this useful for are as a monitor over time; so if you score 53 now and 43 after 10 weeks of treatment, then that means the therapy is helping.

one lie at a time · 22-01-2009, 04:56 AM

I don't have much information in this, but I just took it a week ago. Dunno a thing about it, though. I'm curious, too.
Hope you find the information you're looking for. xx

sherlock holmes · 22-01-2009, 12:57 PM

From experience, most psychs use those to help them understand how high your anxiety/depression etc is. I've never been formally diagnosed with anxiety but my psych recognises it.

They may or may not formally diagnose you, but from the test they will at least know you have anxiety.

Misunderstood. · 22-01-2009, 02:50 PM

I don't think a psychologist can diagnose any kind of disorder like a psychiatrist can, they can gesture towards what they think it might be. But I would hope that a diagnosis which will stay with you for a substantial amount of time unless strongly disagreed with by another psychiatrist would not be arrived at with further investigation into your MH.
I'm sure the results of the questionairre will help hurry things along in terms of you getting help with your anxiety though.

Catherine x x x x

dubagirl · 22-01-2009, 06:17 PM

Thank you everyone, I really appreciate your replies :)
I am quite hopeful about my psychologist as she seems very good and knowledgeable, and has given me a few things that should help shift my anxiety in time, as well as helping out with my depression (which was the initial problem).
Thanks again.
xxxx

Steel Maiden · 22-01-2009, 08:56 PM

I'm a bit sceptical, because I took the depression questionnaire and it said that I am moderately to severely depressed, which is not true.

But you should talk to your psychologist about your thoughts. What's your psychologist's name?