Take a Bipolar Disorder Test
Have you experienced periods when your mood, energy, activity, or behaviour felt very different from your usual self? At other times, have you gone through periods of feeling unusually low, withdrawn, or without energy? Bipolar disorder involves significant changes in mood and activity levels. Some people experience periods of elevated or unusually irritable mood and increased energy, followed by periods of depression. These changes can affect sleep, concentration, relationships, work, studies, and everyday decisions.
Before You Begin
Think about your experiences over time rather than focusing only on how you feel today. Some of the questions ask about periods when you felt noticeably different from your usual self. Choose the response that best describes your experience.
Have You Experienced Significant Changes in Your Mood or Energy?
Think about any period in your life when you felt noticeably different from your usual self.
How Does the Bipolar Screening Work?
Unlike a screening that focuses only on how you feel today, a bipolar assessment looks at changes over time. This is important because bipolar disorder can involve different mood states. A person may experience periods of depression as well as periods of unusually elevated, expansive, or irritable mood accompanied by changes in energy and activity.
Think Beyond Your Current Mood
When completing the screening, consider whether you have experienced noticeable changes from your usual pattern. Think about: changes in sleep and energy, unusually increased activity, changes in speech or thought speed, increased confidence or feeling unusually capable, irritability or unusual behaviour, impulsive decisions or risk-taking, periods of low mood or reduced interest, and changes in work, studies, relationships, or daily functioning.
What Does Your Screening Result Mean?
A self-screening result can help identify experiences that may deserve further attention. It cannot determine whether someone has bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, cyclothymia, depression, or another mental health condition. Screening tools can be useful for identifying possible bipolar-spectrum symptoms, but studies have found that their accuracy can vary depending on the population and screening threshold. This is why a positive screening result should be followed by professional assessment rather than being treated as a diagnosis.
Why Is a Psychiatric Assessment Important?
A psychiatrist may explore: your current mood and emotional state, previous periods of elevated or unusually irritable mood, depressive episodes, changes in sleep and energy, changes in activity and behaviour, impulsivity or risk-taking, the effect of mood changes on daily life, personal and family mental health history, and other medical or psychological factors. Looking at the complete pattern helps a psychiatrist understand whether your experiences may fit bipolar disorder or another condition.
When Should You Consider an Assessment?
Professional support may be worth considering when significant mood changes are recurring, difficult to manage, affecting relationships or daily responsibilities, or associated with major changes in sleep, energy, behaviour, or decision-making.
Take the Next Step With ReWell
If you have noticed significant changes in your mood, energy, sleep, or behaviour over time, a psychiatric assessment can help you explore these experiences in a structured and individualised way.
ReWell Institute of Mental Health
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