What the Well‑Being Risk Flag measures (and what it doesn’t)

The Well‑Being Risk Flag turns a set of common “early warning” signals into a single number you can track. People often notice these signals before they feel fully burned out: sleep starts to slip, stress feels constantly high, mood gets heavier, the mind loops on worries, motivation drops, social contact feels harder, and the body starts showing strain (tension, headaches, stomach knots, fatigue).

This calculator is intentionally simple. It does not try to interpret your life circumstances, mental health history, or medical factors. It does not diagnose depression, anxiety, burnout, or any other condition. Instead, it answers one practical question: “Based on my recent signals, how much risk am I carrying right now?”

• Load signals increase risk: stress load, mood heaviness, worry loops, motivation drop, withdrawal, body signals.
• Buffer signals reduce risk: sleep quality and support buffer.
• Risk score rises when load grows faster than buffers.

Think of it like a phone battery. If you run heavy apps all day (load) and never charge (buffer), the battery drains. You may still function — but performance drops, small issues feel bigger, and recovery takes longer. A risk flag helps you catch that drift early, when small adjustments still work.

The scoring formula (simple, transparent, adjustable)

Each slider is rated from 1 to 10. For load sliders, higher usually means higher risk. For buffer sliders (sleep quality and support buffer), higher means lower risk, so those two are inverted inside the formula.

• Sleep risk = 11 − sleepQuality
• Support risk = 11 − supportBuffer

Not all signals behave the same. Sleep and stress tend to amplify everything else — when sleep is poor, stress feels louder; when stress is high, worry loops grow; when worry loops grow, motivation drops. So the calculator gives slightly more weight to the “amplifiers,” while still counting the rest.

• Stress load: 18%
• Sleep risk (inverted sleep): 18%
• Mood heaviness: 16%
• Worry loops: 14%
• Motivation drop: 12%
• Withdrawal: 10%
• Body signals: 8%
• Support risk (inverted support): 4%

The weighted score lands on a 1–10 scale. We convert it to 0–100 using the same scaling approach as the Psychology V2 calculators:

• Weighted in 1..10 → Scaled = ((Weighted − 1) / 9) × 100

This makes the result easy to read: 0 is very stable, 50 is the watch zone, and 100 is high risk.

Three realistic examples (and what to do next)

Numbers feel abstract until you see them in the wild. Here are three patterns many people recognize. Use them as a mirror, not a verdict.

You’re working hard, but your buffers still hold.
Stress 7, Sleep 7, Mood 4, Worry 4, Motivation 4, Withdrawal 3, Body 4, Support 7. The score usually lands around the low‑to‑mid 30s: you’re not perfectly relaxed, but you’re not sliding.

• Best move: protect sleep and keep one weekly connection ritual.
• Watch signal: if sleep drops for 2+ weeks, everything else often follows.

Stress is high and sleep is slipping. You’re still functioning, but it feels harder.
Stress 8, Sleep 4, Mood 6, Worry 7, Motivation 6, Withdrawal 6, Body 6, Support 5. Scores often land in the 55–70 range. That’s your cue to reduce pressure and add recovery.

• Best move: pick one lever (sleep or stress) and improve it by 1 point this week.
• Micro‑action: choose a consistent bedtime window (even 20–30 minutes earlier).

Multiple signals are high at once, buffers are low, and your body is showing strain.
Stress 9, Sleep 3, Mood 8, Worry 8, Motivation 8, Withdrawal 8, Body 8, Support 3. Scores often land above 80. The priority becomes support, rest, and simplifying demands.

• Best move: tell one trusted person what’s going on and reduce your load today.
• Recovery principle: “smaller, gentler, sooner” beats “big fix later.”

What your color flag means

The score is a risk snapshot, not a permanent trait. A Green score doesn’t mean life is easy, and a Red score doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your current inputs suggest you’re carrying a certain amount of load — and you may benefit from different actions.

• 🟢 Green (0–39): Mostly stable. Keep your basics (sleep, movement, connection). Track weekly.
• 🟠 Amber (40–69): Watch zone. Reduce pressure + raise recovery. Choose one lever to improve by 1 point.
• 🔴 Red (70–100): High risk. Prioritize rest, support, and simplifying obligations. Consider professional support if distress is persistent.

Two extra notes help this stay honest:

• Trends beat single scores. If you’re slowly climbing week over week, take it seriously early.
• Drivers matter. Two people can share the same score for different reasons. Fix the driver, not the number.

If your score surprises you, don’t argue with it — investigate it. Which slider feels most “true” and which feels most “changeable” this week?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this a mental health diagnosis?

  No. This is a self‑reflection tool that summarizes a few common well‑being signals. It cannot determine whether you have depression, anxiety, burnout, or any medical condition. If you’re worried about your health, a licensed professional can help you interpret what you’re experiencing.

• Why do sleep and support get inverted?

  Because higher sleep quality and stronger support typically reduce risk. Inverting them keeps the scoring consistent: higher “risk equivalents” always push the final score upward.

• What timeframe should I choose?

  “Last 7 days” is the best default for trend tracking. “Today” is useful when you want to capture a stressful day. “Last 30 days” is helpful if you’re evaluating whether a rough patch has become a sustained pattern.

• How often should I run it?

  Weekly is ideal. Pick one day (Sunday night, Monday morning, etc.), run “Last 7 days,” and save it. You’ll start seeing which levers matter most for you.

• What should I do if I’m in the Red zone?

  Start with support and recovery: reduce non‑urgent obligations, protect sleep, and reach out to a trusted person. If distress is intense, persistent, or you feel unsafe, contact local emergency services or a qualified professional right away.

• Can I “game” the score?

  You can, but it defeats the purpose. The most useful mode is honesty. Your score is private — it’s just a mirror for you. If you want a practical challenge, try improving your lowest driver by 1 point over the next week.