Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

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Exams and Tests

There are no lab tests for bipolar disorder; instead your doctor will ask detailed questions about your symptoms, including how long they last and how often you have them. He or she will discuss your family history and may do a mental health assessment.

A mental health assessment tests your emotional functioning and your ability to think, reason, and remember. It includes an interview with a health professional, a physical examination, and written or verbal tests. During the interview, the health professional assesses your appearance, mood, behavior, thinking, reasoning, memory, ability to express yourself, and your ability to maintain personal relationships.

Blood and urine tests, such as a toxicology screening, may be done to rule out other causes of your symptoms. A toxicology screening examines blood, urine, or hair for the presence of drugs.

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