We’ve all taken our fair share of quizzes and tests in our life, whether it be a skills test while applying for a job or taking a fun online quiz with friends. But there are also tests and quizzes that focus on serious topics, like mental health. There are many online assessments available to help you determine how you align with certain mental health disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

 

Did you know that you can assess your thoughts, behaviors and emotions to see if you’re exhibiting symptoms of bipolar disorder? Our bipolar disorder quiz can be highly beneficial as you go through your mental health journey. But it’s important to know about the benefits of an online bipolar quiz, as well as what it can’t provide.

 

Read on to learn about the basics of bipolar disorder as well as what an online bipolar quiz can and can’t tell you. You’ll also learn about the steps to take after you receive the results from your online quiz.

 

What is bipolar disorder?

 

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic-depressive disorder, is a mood disorder that affects about 4.4% of U.S. adults in their lifetime. It’s characterized by periods of extreme mood and energy shifts, called episodes, which fluctuate between manic highs and depressive lows. The mood changes can interfere with your quality of life by making it difficult to maintain healthy relationships and complete your daily tasks.

 

Bipolar manic episodes can last up to one week and consist of:

 

• Unusually high energy levels
• Risky and spontaneous behavior
• Irritability
• Heightened level of self-importance
• Overestimating your abilities

 

Bipolar depressive episodes can last for more than two weeks and consist of:

 

• Pervasive negative feelings, such as sadness and hopelessness
• Trouble concentrating
• Changes in appetite and sleep patterns
• Fatigue
• Suicidality

 

There are two major types of bipolar disorder: bipolar 1 and bipolar 2. Bipolar 1 has the highest level of acuity with extreme transitions between manic and depressive episodes. Bipolar 2 has hypomanic episodes as opposed to manic episodes, which means that the symptoms are less intense. There are also longer periods of emotional stability between episodes when compared to bipolar 1.

 

You may have cyclothymic disorder, which means that you exhibit symptoms and have episodes but don’t align with a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Episodes for people with cyclothymic disorder can last more than one year.

 

What an online bipolar quiz can tell you

 

When you’re trying to navigate your mental health journey, you may want to use resources that are right at your fingertips, such as an online bipolar quiz. If you believe that you exhibit bipolar disorder behaviors, emotions and thoughts, a quiz can help you in several ways.

 

Here are three things you can learn from an online quiz:

 

1. If you align with the criteria for a bipolar disorder diagnosis, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association in DSM-5-TR
2. How many bipolar disorder symptoms you exhibit
3. The severity of your symptoms

 

What an online bipolar quiz can’t tell you

 

While an online bipolar quiz can help you compare your behavior, thoughts and emotions to bipolar disorder symptoms, it shouldn’t be the only resource that you use. It’s important to keep in mind that there are a few things that you can’t learn about your mental health from an online quiz.

 

Here are three things that an online bipolar quiz can’t provide:

1. A formal diagnosis of bipolar disorder
2. Information about how to manage your bipolar disorder symptoms 
3. Medication options

How Lightfully Behavioral Health can help you after an online bipolar quiz

 

While an online bipolar disorder quiz can help you analyze how you align with the criteria of bipolar disorder, it can’t give you a formal diagnosis. Without a formal diagnosis, you can’t receive the proper treatment that you need. No matter what the results are from your online bipolar disorder quiz, it’s important to seek help from a mental health provider to help you manage your behavior, thoughts and emotions that prompted you to take the quiz. 

 

We offer four programs at our treatment centers to assist with your bipolar disorder symptoms: Residential Treatment, Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (vIOP), Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), also called our Day Treatment Program. 

Change is possible. When you’re ready to get help for your bipolar disorder, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.