While messing about on the internet the other day I came across the “Subjective Units of Disturbance Scale” (SUDS) and found it enlightening. It’s for assessing the level of subjective discomfort or psychological pain. It is a scale from 0 to 10 for measuring the subjective intensity of disturbance or distress currently being experienced, where 0 represents no disturbance, and 10 represents the worst disturbance the subject can imagine. The individual makes a self-assessment of where he is on the scale.
I realized that I spend just about every day of my life going back and forth between 7, 8 & 9 over and over throughout the day. Otherwise as a rule, I seem to hover consistently at a 7. No wonder I’m so fucking exhausted all the time.
This is the scale:
10 = Feels unbearably bad, out of control, as in a nervous breakdown, overwhelmed. The subject may feel so upset that he does not want to talk because he cannot imagine how anyone could possibly understand his agitation.
9 = Feeling desperate. What most people call a 10 is actually a 9. Feeling very, very bad, losing control of emotions, almost unbearable and are afraid of what she might do.
8 = The beginning of alienation, approaching loss of control.
7 = On the edge of some definitely bad feelings, maintains control with difficulty.
6 = Feeling bad to the point that subject begins to think something ought to be done about the way she feels.
5 = Moderately upset, uncomfortable. Unpleasant feelings are still manageable with some effort.
4 = Somewhat upset, to the point that the subject cannot easily ignore an unpleasant thought; feeling uncomfortable.
3 = Mildly upset, worried, bothered to the point that the subject notices it.
2 = A little bit upset, but not noticeable unless the subject pays attention to his feelings and then realizes there is something bothering him.
1 = No acute distress and feeling basically good, if the subject makes special effort she might feel something unpleasant, but not much.
0 = Peace, serenity, total relief, no bad feelings of any kind about any particular issue.
