Lesson 1Medical and neurological mimics of psychiatric presentations: thyroid, B12, infection, head injury, and medication-induced symptomsExamines frequent medical and neurological issues that resemble psychiatric conditions, such as thyroid problems, B12 shortage, infections, head injuries, and drug side effects, highlighting warning signs, basic tests, and teamwork with general practitioners.
Endocrine causes: thyroid, adrenal, and metabolic issuesNutritional and hematologic factors, including B12Infections, inflammation, and systemic illness effectsHead injury, seizures, and neurodegenerative diseaseMedication- and substance-induced psychiatric symptomsIndications for labs, imaging, and specialist referralLesson 2Principles of psychiatric diagnosis and differential formulationCovers basic rules of psychiatric diagnosis, stressing symptom observation, long-term patterns, overlapping conditions, and cultural influences, while teaching organised differential analysis that focuses on safety, response to treatment, and areas of doubt.
Phenomenological description of symptoms and signsLongitudinal course and life-stage considerationsComorbidity and overlapping symptom clustersCultural formulation and explanatory modelsPrioritizing safety and treatable conditions firstCommunicating diagnostic uncertainty to patientsLesson 3Bipolar spectrum and bipolar depression: signs suggesting hypomania/mania, sleep and activity changes, and differential featuresExplains identifying bipolar spectrum disorders, including mild hypomania, mixed episodes, and unusual depression, with emphasis on sleep patterns, energy levels, activity shifts, illness progression, and differences from single-episode depression and personality issues.
Clinical features of hypomania and maniaSleep, circadian rhythm, and activity pattern changesCourse patterns: episodicity, polarity, and seasonalityDifferentiating bipolar from unipolar depressionMixed features and rapid cycling presentationsScreening tools and collateral history for bipolarityLesson 4Primary psychotic disorders vs substance/withdrawal-induced psychosis and acute confusional statesLooks at distinguishing core psychotic illnesses from drug-triggered psychosis, confusion states, and other sudden mental fog, using start time, duration, awareness levels, thinking ability, and related health signs to direct immediate care choices.
Core features of schizophrenia spectrum disordersTemporal relationship between substance use and psychosisRecognizing delirium and fluctuating consciousnessCognitive testing and attention in acute confusionMedical workup for first-episode psychosisRisk assessment and need for urgent hospitalizationLesson 5Structured diagnostic tools and rating scales useful in outpatient assessment (PHQ-9, GAD-7, CAGE/AUDIT, C-SSRS, YMRS)Presents essential formal tools and scales for clinic-based evaluations, covering PHQ-9, GAD-7, CAGE, AUDIT, C-SSRS, and YMRS, including how to use them, understand results, their drawbacks, and fitting them into everyday clinical choices.
Selecting appropriate screening and rating instrumentsUsing PHQ-9 and GAD-7 in routine assessmentCAGE and AUDIT for alcohol use identificationC-SSRS for suicide risk screening and monitoringYMRS and other mania rating scalesDocumenting and tracking scores over timeLesson 6Formulating multi-factorial etiologies: biopsychosocial integration and weighing primary versus secondary diagnosesGuides on creating biopsychosocial explanations that blend risk factors, triggers, ongoing issues, and strengths, plus deciding between main and related diagnoses to shape treatment order and joint care arrangements.
Predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, protective modelBiological factors: genetics, neurobiology, medical illnessPsychological factors: traits, coping, trauma, beliefsSocial factors: relationships, work, culture, resourcesWeighing primary versus secondary diagnosesLinking formulation to treatment and prognosisLesson 7Substance use disorders and pattern recognition: alcohol, benzodiazepines, and opioids effects on mood and cognitionDiscusses spotting alcohol, benzodiazepine, and opioid misuse issues, concentrating on acute effects, withdrawal signs, and lasting impacts on emotions, worries, thinking, and hallucinations, and how usage habits cloud diagnosis and hide core problems.
Screening for alcohol, benzodiazepine, and opioid useIntoxication syndromes and acute behavioral changesWithdrawal states and rebound anxiety or agitationSubstance-induced mood and cognitive symptomsDistinguishing primary from substance-induced disordersAssessing severity, tolerance, and functional impactLesson 8Diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (DSM-5 / ICD-11): core symptoms, specifiers, duration, and severityExplains DSM-5 and ICD-11 standards for Major Depressive Disorder, listing must-have symptoms, time frames, extra details, and intensity levels, plus comparing with mourning, stress reactions, bipolar lows, and physical causes.
Core mood, cognitive, and somatic symptomsDuration, impairment, and exclusion criteriaSpecifiers: melancholic, atypical, psychotic, anxiousSeverity assessment: mild, moderate, severeDifferentiating MDD from grief and adjustment disorderDistinguishing MDD from bipolar and medical causesLesson 9How family history, occupational stressors, relationship loss, and social determinants modify diagnostic probability and prognosisInvestigates how genetic risks, job pressures, loss of loved ones, past hurts, financial woes, and cultural settings affect symptom start, path, and recovery chances, aiding doctors in sharpening diagnosis odds, danger levels, and future predictions.
Eliciting detailed family psychiatric and substance historyAssessing occupational stress, burnout, and job insecurityImpact of bereavement, separation, and attachment lossSocial determinants: housing, income, discrimination, migrationCultural and religious factors in symptom expressionIntegrating contextual risks into prognosis and planning
