Pooh Pathology Test: what is Winnie the Pooh TikTok trend, how to take quiz, results explained

There’s a new quiz taking the internet by storm: The Pooh Pathology Test.

Created by Individual Differences Research, the test claims to reveal which mental health disorders a person suffers from based on the Winnie The Pooh character they resemble the most. It asks participants to respond to a series of statements - and interrogates their thoughts, feelings, and how they react to different scenarios.

The description of the test reads: “Professors Dr. Sarah E. Shea (M.D.), Dr. Kevin Gordon (M.D.), and associates studied the characters of Winnie the Pooh and concluded that each of them could be linked to a definite psychiatric diagnosis.” The beloved childhood characters have therefore been linked to different conditions such as anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorder, and even schizophrenia.

Although the test notes in its small print that results “should not be construed as providing professional or certified advice of any kind” and that “no test ever devised can designate your personality style with complete accuracy or reliability”, the quiz has still gone viral on social media - particularly on TikTok.

So what exactly is the Pooh Pathology Test, what does it reveal, and how do I take it? Here’s everything you need to know about the internet’s latest viral trend.

What is the Pooh Pathology Test?

The Pooh Pathology Test is essentially a personality test. It presents you with 33 statements about your thoughts, feelings and response to certain situations, and asks you to answer with how much you ‘agree’ or ‘disagree’ with them.

Some of the statements include:

• ‘When I feel overwhelmed by my senses, I have to isolate myself to shut them down.’
• ‘I am quick to act on a whim, thinking little about the negative consequences of my actions.’ 
• ‘Even when things are going fine for me, I am anxious that it won’t last.’
• ‘Sarcasm and tone of voice are often lost on me.’
• ‘I am constantly daydreaming.’
• ‘When I start feeling down, it’s as if I keep sinking until I’ve hit rock bottom.’

Then, the quiz uses these answers to compare you to a character from childhood series Winnie The Pooh. However, it then goes a step further by claiming this result can be linked to a mental health disorder.

Which character is linked to which result?

Winnie The Pooh - Attention Deficit Disorder

Pooh is linked to attention deficit disorder (ADD), according to the quiz. The beloved yellow bear is described as someone who “easily gets lost in his own world” and has a “short attention span”. He also is said to have “obsessive fixations”, as represented through the motif of his love for honey.

Piglet - Anxiety Disorder

The test says that those who resemble Piglet may suffer from anxiety, explaining that the loveable character spends most of his time “excessively worrying”. It says Piglet frequently “anticipates negative outcomes” and “worries more than is warranted”, meaning he often finds it “difficult to control” his fears.

Eeyore - Depression

Eeyore is many people’s favourite character, but the quiz claims that those who relate to the melancholic donkey the most may suffer from depression. “Eeyore is depressed more days than not,” the test results read. The donkey also reportedly struggles from “chronically low moods” and “feelings of hopelessness”.

Tigger - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Tigger, the “always bouncing”, “overly excited” and “high energy” tiger, has been linked to ADHD. Those who relate to the vivacious and fun character may have a “high stimulus threshold and trouble feeling fear”. The test warns that this “overconfidence” can result in an “inability to learn from the frightening and hazardous incidents he gets himself into”.

Rabbit - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Those who receive Rabbit as their test results could suffer from OCD, according to the quiz. It says that the caring character has “recurrent and persistent urges that everything must be perfect”, giving his neat organisation of his house and garden as an example. The test adds: “The mental habits that Rabbit has formed are clearly excessive compared to the hazards they are intended to neutralise.”

Roo - Autism

The test suggests that those who resemble Roo the most may have autism. The cute, tiny kangaroo, who in the series is the youngest in the group, is noted to “lack awareness of what is going on around him”, be “unaware of social clues and subtexts”, and have “difficulty understanding and expressing emotions.”

Christopher Robin - Schizophrenia

Christopher Robin, the only human in the fun gang, is described by the test as someone who “believes he can talk to animals and creates an entire fantasy world that only he lives in.” Therefore, the test suggests that those who resemble Christopher may suffer from schizophrenia, writing: “He likely has two distinct ego states: an ordinary one in the real world and a magical one in the Hundred Acre Wood. The different personalities of each character are, in reality, fragments of his own personality.”

How do I take the test?

There are many versions of the test circulating online, but the original one which went viral is on IDRlabs.com, created by Individual Differences Research. You can access the test here.

How reliable are the results?

Plenty of social media users have been sharing their results - shocked at how “accurate” the descriptions are. But while the creators say they have “endeavoured to make the test as reliable, valid, accurate, and complete as possible”, they also note that the results “should not be construed as providing professional or certified advice of any kind”.

Results should be taken with a pinch of salt - and as just a bit of fun. Anyone concerned should seek professional advice.