Bipolar disorder? Depression? Take our questionnaire

This has recently been developed by mental health professionals to help assess if someone truly has Bipolar Disorder and, if so, what their particular challenges are.

Please complete the questionnaire and take it with you to discuss with your health professional. It may help your medical professionals see what you are feeling.

Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and...

...you felt so good or so 'hyper' that other people thought you were not your usual self or you were so 'hyper' that you got into trouble? Yes
No
...you were so irritable that you shouted at people or started fights or arguments? Yes
No
...you felt much more self confident than usual? Yes
No
...you got much less sleep than usual and found that didn't really miss it? Yes
No
...you were more talkative or spoke much faster than usual? Yes
No
...thoughts raced through your head or you couldn't slow your mind down? Yes
No
...you were so easily distracted by things around you that you had trouble concentrating or stayng on track? Yes
No
...you had much more energy than usual? Yes
No
...you were much more active or did many more things than usual? Yes
No
...you were much more social or outgoing than usual, for example you telephoned your friends in the middle of the night? Yes
No
...you were much more interested in sex than usual? Yes
No
...you did things that were unusual for you or that other people thought were excessive, foolish or risky? Yes
No
...spending money got you or your family into trouble? Yes
No

How much of a problem did these cause you - like being unable to work; having family, money or legal troubles; getting into arguments or fights?

No problem
Minor problem
Moderate problem
Serious problem

Have any of your blood relatives (children, brothers or sisters, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles) had manic-depressive illness or bipolar disorder? Yes
No
Has a health professional ever told you that you have manic-depressive illness or bipolar disorder? Yes
No

This instrument is designed for screening purposes only and is not to be used as a diagnostic tool
Derived from Hischfeld RM et al. American Journal of Psychiatry 2000; 157: 1873-1875