1. Have you ever had a distinct period of consistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood lasting throughout at least four days that is clearly different from your usual non-depressed mood?
2. If yes, during the period of mood disturbance have you had at least three or more of the following symptoms to a significant degree, and throughout the entire period?
- Inflated self esteem or grandiosity
- Decreased need for sleep (e.g., 3 hours sleep and not tired the next day)
- You were more talkative than usual, or felt a pressure to talk
- Your thoughts were racing quickly
- You were very distractible
- You had an increase in goal directed activities (either at home, work/school, or sexually), or felt agitation
- You had excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (such as unrestrained buying, sexual indiscretions, foolish business investments)
Scoring: If your answer to question #1 is yes, and you answer yes to three of questions a-g, and were not on any substances known to cause mood disturbances (e.g., stimulants, other drugs of abuse, steroids), then it is likely that you have some degree of bipolar disorder-either mild (cyclothymic, bipolar II) or more severe (Bipolar type I).