Lesson 1Medical and medication history: thyroid, anaemia, neurological symptoms, medication/substance interactions, and urgent conditionsThis part organises how to take medical and medication histories that matter for mental health care. It spotlights thyroid issues, anaemia, neurological and immune system signs, current medicines, interactions, substances, 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 part teaches checking daily functioning in work, school, home, and social life. It covers basic daily tasks, more complex ones, thinking abilities, missing work, being at work but not productive, 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 part trains clinicians to check for bipolar spectrum issues. It looks at past high-energy and manic signs, how long they lasted, their impact, mixed signs, and using the MDQ, while noting common mistakes and ways to avoid 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 part covers thorough checks on sleep, eating, weight, and energy. It stresses body clock rhythms, sleep types, shift work, and sleep habits, linking patterns to mood, worry, and health issues to shape 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 sorting them out: hearing/seeing things, false beliefs, thought confusion checksThis part builds skills for spotting psychotic signs. It covers hearing or seeing things, false beliefs, thought issues, low energy signs, and awareness, using gentle questions and family info to tell psychosis from mood or cultural matters.
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: structured questions (CAGE, AUDIT-C), timeline review, patterns and family checksThis part organises taking substance use histories, covering alcohol, drugs, and prescribed medicines. It teaches using CAGE and AUDIT-C, timeline reviews, spotting patterns, withdrawal dangers, and family checks 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 7Core mood check questions and using proven scales (PHQ-9, HAM-D) with explanationsThis part focuses on key mood questions and trusted scales. You'll use PHQ-9 and HAM-D, explore mood, loss of joy, guilt, and body symptoms, and explain scores in context to guide diagnosis and treatment progress.
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 anxiety, panic, and restlessness: focused questions and tools (GAD-7, PHQ-A items)This part details targeted questions for anxiety, panic, and restlessness. You'll practise GAD-7 and PHQ-A items, tell worry from panic, check daily impact, and use scale 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 checks: thoughts of self-harm, plans, access, actions, strengths, and safety plansThis part guides structured checks for self-harm and harm to others risks. It covers thoughts, plans, access, actions, past tries, strengths, current stresses, and joint safety planning, including 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 10Gathering extra info: when to reach family, local clinics, bosses, and requesting records properlyThis part explains when and how to get extra info from family, local clinics, bosses, and others. It stresses agreement, privacy rules, focused questions, record requests, and weaving in extra data for assessments.
Indications for seeking collateral inputObtaining consent and explaining purposeFocused questions for family and caregiversRequesting and reviewing medical recordsReconciling conflicting collateral reports
