Lesson 1Medical and medication history: thyroid, anaemia, neurological symptoms, medication/substance interactions, and urgent conditionsThis lesson organises the taking of medical and medication histories important for mental health care. It spotlights thyroid issues, anaemia, neurological and immune system signs, current medicines, interactions, substances of abuse, and urgent conditions needing quick medical checks.
Screening for systemic and endocrine illnessNeurologic symptoms and seizure historyMedication list, adherence, and side effectsSubstance, supplement, and interaction reviewRed-flag signs needing urgent evaluationLesson 2Functional assessment: work, social, thinking skills, daily activities, and job performance questionsThis lesson covers checking how someone functions at work, school, home, and with others. It includes daily self-care, complex tasks, thinking abilities, time off work, reduced productivity, and role duties, connecting problems to diagnosis and care plans.
Evaluating work and school performanceAssessing social and family role functioningActivities of daily living and self-careInstrumental tasks and independent livingSubjective versus observed impairmentLesson 3Bipolar spectrum screening: past high-energy/low-energy episodes, length, effects, and tools (MDQ)This lesson teaches screening for bipolar conditions. It reviews past high and manic episodes, their length, impact, mixed signs, and MDQ tool use, noting common errors and ways to prevent wrong diagnoses.
Eliciting past hypomanic and manic episodesAssessing duration, severity, and impairmentIdentifying mixed and rapid cycling featuresUsing and interpreting the MDQ in practiceDistinguishing bipolar from unipolar depressionLesson 4Sleep, eating, weight, and energy checks with body clock and sleep type questionsThis lesson handles detailed checks on sleep, eating, weight, and energy levels. It stresses body clock rhythms, sleep types, shift work, and sleep habits, linking patterns to mood, worry, and health issues for better treatment plans.
Sleep onset, maintenance, and early awakeningNightmares, parasomnias, and sleep qualityAppetite, weight change, and eating patternsDaytime fatigue, anergia, and overactivityChronotype, shift work, and social jetlagLesson 5Psychotic symptoms and differences: sensing things, false beliefs, thinking issues checksThis lesson builds skills to spot psychotic signs. It covers sensing things not there, false beliefs, thinking disorders, reduced symptoms, awareness, using gentle questions and other sources to separate psychosis from mood or cultural factors.
Probing hallucinations across sensory modalitiesExploring delusional themes and convictionAssessing thought form and disorganizationIdentifying negative and cognitive symptomsDifferentiating psychosis from culture or traumaLesson 6Substance use history: standard questions (CAGE, AUDIT-C), timeline review, patterns and confirmation from othersThis lesson structures gathering substance use history, including alcohol, drugs, and prescribed meds. It teaches CAGE and AUDIT-C, timeline reviews, pattern spotting, withdrawal dangers, and checks from others for better accuracy.
Opening nonjudgmental substance questionsUsing CAGE and AUDIT-C effectivelyTimeline follow-back for quantity and frequencyIdentifying withdrawal and overdose risksCollateral and records for substance historyLesson 7Main mood check questions and standard scales (PHQ-9, HAM-D) with explanationsThis lesson centres on key mood questions and proven scales. You'll use PHQ-9 and HAM-D, explore mood, loss of joy, guilt, body symptoms, and explain scores in context for diagnosis and treatment tracking.
Open-ended mood and anhedonia questionsExploring guilt, hopelessness, and worthlessnessAdministering and scoring the PHQ-9Using the HAM-D in clinical settingsTracking treatment response over timeLesson 8Checking worry, panic, and restlessness: focused questions and tools (GAD-7, PHQ-A items)This lesson details targeted questions for worry, panic, and restlessness. Practice GAD-7 and PHQ-A, separate worry from panic, check impacts, and use scores for clinical choices.
Openers for anxiety and worry narrativesCharacterizing panic attacks and triggersScreening with GAD-7: items and scoringUsing PHQ-A anxiety items in adolescentsAssessing agitation, restlessness, and distressLesson 9Risk checking: thoughts of self-harm, plans, access, actions, supports, and safety plansThis lesson guides structured checks for self-harm and harm to others risks. It covers thoughts, plans, access, actions, past tries, supports, current stresses, and joint safety plans with key notes.
Eliciting suicidal thoughts and communicationAssessing intent, plan, means, and accessReviewing past attempts and self-harm historyIdentifying risk and protective factorsDeveloping and documenting safety plansLesson 10Gathering info from others: when to contact family, doctors, bosses, and legal record requestsThis lesson explains when and how to get info from family, doctors, employers. It stresses agreement, privacy rules, key questions, record asks, and using this info in clinical summaries.
Indications for seeking collateral inputObtaining consent and explaining purposeFocused questions for family and caregiversRequesting and reviewing medical recordsReconciling conflicting collateral reports
