Mar 16, 2026
Understanding Your Wellness Scores
At 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months after your psilocybin journey, we'll ask you to complete brief wellness check-ins. These use two validated clinical scales, the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, to track how you're doing over time. Here's what these numbers mean, why they matter, and how to use them.
What is the PHQ-9?
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a 9-question scale that measures symptoms of depression over the past two weeks. Each question is scored from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), giving a total score between 0 and 27.
PHQ-9 severity levels
What is the GAD-7?
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is a 7-question scale that measures anxiety symptoms over the past two weeks. Scored the same way, 0 to 3 per question, total between 0 and 21.
GAD-7 severity levels
What the research shows
Clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted therapy consistently show significant reductions in both PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores. In the Johns Hopkins studies of treatment-resistant depression, the average PHQ-9 score dropped from the "moderately severe" range to the "mild" range within two weeks, and maintained that improvement at 12 months.
At Meadow, we see similar patterns. Most clients show meaningful score reductions at the 2-week check-in, with continued improvement at 1 and 3 months.
How to interpret your trend
In your portal's Integration Hub, you'll see sparkline charts showing your PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores over time. Here's how to read them:
- Downward trend: Scores are decreasing, this is the expected pattern. Your symptoms are improving
- Flat line: Scores are stable. If they're already low, this is fine. If they're elevated, it may be worth discussing with your facilitator
- Upward spike: A single elevated score doesn't indicate a problem. Life events, stress, poor sleep, many factors affect individual check-ins. Look at the overall trend, not individual data points
- Sustained increase: If scores trend upward over multiple check-ins, your facilitator will reach out to discuss additional support options
These numbers don't define you
Wellness scores are clinical tools, not character assessments. A high score doesn't mean you've failed, and a low score doesn't mean you're "fixed." They're data points, useful for tracking patterns and identifying when extra support might help.
Some important nuances:
- Scores can temporarily increase after a session as difficult material surfaces for processing. This isn't a setback, it's part of the integration process
- The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 measure symptoms, not wellbeing. You may be doing important inner work that doesn't show up in these particular scales
- Context matters. A score of 12 during a genuinely difficult life period means something different than a score of 12 during a stable period
When we follow up
Your facilitator reviews your wellness scores as part of your ongoing care. They will reach out if:
- Scores indicate moderate or higher severity on either scale
- There's a significant increase from your previous check-in
- You flag any concerns in the check-in comments
You don't need to wait for a scheduled check-in to reach out. If you're struggling, contact your facilitator through the messaging feature in your portal. That's what it's there for.