Lesson 1Medical and medication history: thyroid, anaemia, neurological symptoms, medication/substance interactions, and urgent conditionsThis part organises taking medical and medication history important for mental health. It spotlights thyroid issues, anaemia, neurological and immune signs, current meds, 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 at work, school, home, and with others. It includes basic tasks, complex chores, thinking ability, missing work, low productivity, and role duties, linking 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 you to check for bipolar types. It looks at past high and manic signs, how long they lasted, their impact, mixed signs, and MDQ use, plus common mistakes and ways to get the diagnosis right.
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, appetite, weight, and energy checks with body clock and sleep type questionsThis part covers steady checks on sleep, eating, weight, and energy. It stresses body clock, sleep type, shift work, and sleep habits, connecting patterns to mood, worry, and 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 and sorting them out: hearing/seeing things, false beliefs, jumbled thoughts checksThis part builds skills to spot psychotic signs. It covers hearing/seeing things, false beliefs, thought issues, low energy signs, awareness, using gentle questions and extra info to tell psychosis from mood or cultural ways.
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: set questions (CAGE, AUDIT-C), timeline check, habits and extra confirmationThis part sets up substance history taking for alcohol, drugs, and prescribed meds. It teaches CAGE and AUDIT-C, timeline review, spotting habits, withdrawal dangers, and getting confirmation to boost 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 scales (PHQ-9, HAM-D) with how to read themThis part focuses on key mood questions and trusted scales. You'll use PHQ-9 and HAM-D, check mood, no joy, guilt, body signs, and read 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: aimed questions and tools (GAD-7, PHQ-A items)This part details sharp questions for worry, panic, and restlessness. Practice GAD-7 and PHQ-A, tell worry from panic, check impact, and use scores for smart 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 check: thoughts of self-harm, plans, ways, prep acts, safety factors, and safety plansThis part guides steady checks for self-harm and harm to others risks. Covers thoughts, plans, ways, prep steps, past tries, safety factors, big stresses, and team 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 extra info: when to reach family, clinic docs, bosses, and legal record requestsThis part explains when and how to get extra info from family, clinic, work, others. Stresses agreement, privacy rules, sharp questions, record asks, and weaving info into care summaries.
Indications for seeking collateral inputObtaining consent and explaining purposeFocused questions for family and caregiversRequesting and reviewing medical recordsReconciling conflicting collateral reports
