Bipolar Disorder Self-Test

This self-test isn’t a clinical assessment and can’t diagnose bipolar disorder or any other condition. Bipolar disorder in particular requires a comprehensive clinical evaluation — including a full history — to diagnose accurately, because its symptoms overlap significantly with other conditions including depression, ADHD and borderline personality disorder. This test is designed to help you reflect on patterns in your mood and energy that may be worth discussing with a mental health professional. Whatever your result, if you have concerns, speaking with a qualified clinician is always the right next step.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder is a mood condition characterized by episodes of depression and episodes of elevated or expansive mood — called mania or hypomania — that are distinct from a person’s normal baseline. It’s not simply having mood swings or being emotionally sensitive. It involves distinct episodes, often lasting days to weeks, that represent a noticeable shift from how the person normally feels and functions.

Bipolar I vs. Bipolar II
Bipolar I involves at least one episode of full mania — a distinct period of abnormally elevated or irritable mood and increased activity lasting at least 7 days. Manic episodes can be severe enough to require hospitalization and may include psychotic features.
Bipolar II involves depressive episodes alongside hypomanic episodes, which are similar to mania but less severe and shorter in duration. Bipolar II is frequently misdiagnosed as depression because the hypomanic episodes can feel positive and are often not recognized as part of a mood disorder.

Mania vs. Hypomania
Mania significantly impairs functioning — causing poor judgment, reckless behavior, decreased need for sleep without fatigue, racing thoughts and sometimes grandiosity or psychosis.
Hypomania is a milder version of the same state. Energy is elevated, sleep need decreases, productivity may feel unusually high — and crucially, it can feel good in the moment. This is why hypomania is so frequently missed.

How to answer the questions: Think about periods in your life when you felt notably different from your normal self — either significantly lower or significantly higher in mood, energy or activity. Answer based on the most notable episodes you can recall, not just how you feel today.

If you are currently experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please reach out for support now — call or text 988, or contact the Mental Health Hotline 24/7. You don’t need to wait until the end of this test.