Mood Disorder Screening
Based on the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), the most widely used brief screening tool for bipolar spectrum features. This 16-question version asks about lifetime experiences with elevated mood, energy, and related symptoms. Takes about 4 minutes.
Your results
Primary symptom score (items 1–13)
Why bipolar is so often missed
Bipolar disorder, particularly Bipolar II, is frequently missed in initial evaluations. Most people seek help during depressive episodes, and without specifically asking about hypomanic or manic periods, only half the picture gets seen.
On average, people with bipolar disorder wait nearly a decade from first seeking help to receiving an accurate diagnosis. This screening is designed to surface the features that often go unasked.
Mania involves severe elevation in mood, energy, and behavior that causes significant impairment. Hypomania is less extreme, elevated energy, less need for sleep, increased productivity, but still represents a distinct departure from baseline.
Bipolar II is marked by hypomanic episodes rather than full mania, alongside depressive episodes. Many people experience their hypomanic periods as productive or positive, making them unlikely to mention them without being asked.
Treating bipolar disorder as depression alone, without mood stabilization, can trigger cycling. Getting the diagnosis right is not academic; it directly shapes what treatment approach will actually help.
The right diagnosis changes everything.
If your results raised questions about mood cycling or elevated mood periods, a thorough clinical evaluation is the right next step. Schedule a free consultation to discuss what you’re experiencing and what kind of support might help.
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