Lesson 1Medical and medication history: thyroid, anaemia, neurological symptoms, medication/substance interactions, and urgent conditionsThis part lays out taking medical and medication histories key to mental health care. It spotlights thyroid issues, anaemia, neurological and immune system signs, current meds, 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 part teaches checking functioning in work, school, home, and social areas. It includes daily activities, complex tasks, thinking skills, time off work, reduced productivity at work, 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 hypomanic/manic symptoms, length, effects, and screening tools (MDQ)This part trains clinicians to check for bipolar spectrum conditions. It goes over past hypomanic and manic signs, how long they lasted, their effects, mixed signs, and MDQ use, while pointing out common errors and ways to dodge 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, appetite, weight, and energy checks with body clock and sleep type questionsThis part covers thorough checks on sleep, appetite, 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: hallucinations, delusions, thought disorder checksThis part builds skills for spotting psychotic signs. It covers hallucinations, delusions, thought issues, negative signs, and awareness, using gentle questions and extra info to tell psychosis apart 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 follow-back, patterns and extra checksThis part organises taking substance use histories, covering alcohol, drugs, and prescribed meds. It teaches CAGE and AUDIT-C, timeline follow-back, spotting patterns, withdrawal dangers, and extra verification 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 use of proven scales (PHQ-9, HAM-D) with explanationsThis part centres on key mood check questions and proven scales. Learners will use PHQ-9 and HAM-D, explore mood, loss of joy, guilt, and body symptoms, and explain scores in context to steer 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 screening tools (GAD-7, PHQ-A items)This part details targeted questions for anxiety, panic, and restlessness. Learners will practise GAD-7 and PHQ-A items, tell worry from panic, check effects, and blend scale scores into 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 checking: suicidal thoughts, intent, plan, access, prep actions, safety factors, and safety plansThis part guides structured checks for suicide and violence risks. It covers thoughts, intent, plans, access, prep steps, past tries, safety factors, sudden stresses, and joint safety plans, including key record-keeping.
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, GP, bosses, and how to request records properly and helpfullyThis part explains when and how to get extra info from family, GP, bosses, and others. It stresses agreement, privacy rules, focused questions, record requests, and weaving extra data into care assessments.
Indications for seeking collateral inputObtaining consent and explaining purposeFocused questions for family and caregiversRequesting and reviewing medical recordsReconciling conflicting collateral reports
