Lesson 1Medical and medication history: thyroid, anaemia, neurological signs, drug/substance effects, and urgent conditionsLearn to gather medical and medication details key to mental health care. Focus on thyroid issues, anaemia, neurological and immune signs, current treatments, interactions, substances, and warning signs 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 life, thinking skills, daily tasks, and job performance questionsMaster evaluating daily functioning in work, school, home, and relationships. Cover basic tasks, complex activities, thinking ability, time off work, on-job struggles, and role challenges, connecting issues to diagnosis and support 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 screening: past high-energy episodes, length, effects, and tools like MDQGain skills to detect bipolar tendencies. Review past high mood or energy signs, how long they lasted, their impact, mixed states, and MDQ tool, spotting common errors to prevent wrong labels.
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, energy checks with body clock and sleep type questionsSystematically ask about sleep, hunger, weight changes, and energy levels. Highlight daily rhythms, sleep types, shift work, and habits, linking patterns to mood, worry, or health issues for better treatment.
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 signs detection: visions, false beliefs, thought issues questionsBuild ability to spot psychotic features. Cover sensory experiences, odd beliefs, thinking disruptions, low motivation, awareness levels, using gentle questions and family input to separate from mood or cultural norms.
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: key questions (CAGE, AUDIT-C), timelines, habits, and family checksOrganise questions on alcohol, drugs, and medicines. Use CAGE, AUDIT-C, timelines, spot patterns, withdrawal dangers, and verify with others for accurate history.
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 questions and scales like PHQ-9, HAM-D with results guideFocus on essential mood checks and trusted scales. Use PHQ-9, HAM-D for mood, joy loss, guilt, body complaints, and read scores in full context for diagnosis and progress 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 8Anxiety, panic, restlessness checks: focused questions and tools (GAD-7, PHQ-A)Target questions for worry, panic attacks, and agitation. Practice GAD-7, PHQ-A items, tell worry from panic, measure daily impact, and use scores for care 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 checks: self-harm thoughts, plans, access, actions, supports, and safety stepsConduct full risk review for self-harm and harm to others. Cover thoughts, seriousness, plans, access, past acts, supports, stresses, and joint safety plans with key records.
Eliciting suicidal thoughts and communicationAssessing intent, plan, means, and accessReviewing past attempts and self-harm historyIdentifying risk and protective factorsDeveloping and documenting safety plansLesson 10Family and other info gathering: when to call relatives, doctors, bosses, and record requestsKnow when and how to get extra details from family, doctors, work, safely. Stress permissions, privacy rules, sharp questions, record access, and weaving info into case summary.
Indications for seeking collateral inputObtaining consent and explaining purposeFocused questions for family and caregiversRequesting and reviewing medical recordsReconciling conflicting collateral reports
