--- title: "Free Bipolar Test (MDQ): Am I Bipolar?" url: "https://www.ellomind.com/bipolar-screening/" description: "A free, private bipolar screening test based on the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ). See if your history is worth a full evaluation. Not a diagnosis." --- Free bipolar screening test # Could it be bipolar? A 5-minute screening test. This is the **Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ)**, the most widely used screening tool for bipolar spectrum disorder. It looks for past periods of unusually high or irritable mood, not just low mood. Your answers stay on your device. Nothing is saved or sent. **This is not a diagnosis.** Bipolar disorder can only be diagnosed by a qualified professional after a full assessment, and that assessment usually includes a psychiatrist. A positive screen means your history is worth a proper evaluation, not that you have bipolar disorder. A negative screen does not rule it out. Instrument MDQ Screens for Bipolar spectrum Sensitivity \~73% Specificity \~90% Validation (psychiatric outpatient sample): Hirschfeld RMA, et al. (2000). _American Journal of Psychiatry_ 157(11):1873-1875\. [See full sources and limitations →](#scoring-sources) ## How to use this 1. Set aside about 5 quiet minutes. There are 17 short questions. 2. Answer about how you have felt **at any time in your life**, not only recently. The questions ask whether there was _ever_ a period like this. 3. Be honest. There are no right or wrong answers. 4. Your result appears below once you have answered every question. 5. If your screen is positive, the next step is a full evaluation, not a conclusion. ## The questions Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and… **0** of 17 answered ## Understanding your result How is the MDQ scored? The Mood Disorder Questionnaire has three parts, and a positive screen needs all three at once: 1. **Symptoms:** “Yes” to 7 or more of the 13 questions about past periods of unusually high, energetic, or irritable mood. 2. **Same period:** “Yes” that several of those happened during the same stretch of time, not scattered across your life. 3. **Impact:** that these caused at least a _moderate_ problem, such as trouble at work, with family, money, the law, or relationships. This three-part rule is what makes the MDQ specific. Endorsing several symptoms on their own, without the same-period and impact criteria, is common and does not make the screen positive. That is by design, so the tool does not over-flag ordinary good moods, energy, or confidence. What if my screen is positive? A positive screen is not a diagnosis. It means a full evaluation is worth pursuing. Bipolar disorder is often missed or mistaken for depression, because people usually seek help during the low periods, not the high ones, so screening for the highs matters. A comprehensive evaluation looks at: * The pattern, length, and timing of high or irritable periods, and whether they are clearly different from your usual self * Family history of bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness * How much the episodes affect work, relationships, sleep, money, and safety * Whether something else (thyroid problems, medication or substance effects, ADHD, trauma) might better explain what you experience Because a bipolar diagnosis and any medication sit with a psychiatrist, that is usually where the assessment happens. An ElloMind psychologist can help you prepare for it, make sense of the result, and provide talk therapy alongside your medical care. We do not diagnose or prescribe. What if my screen is not positive but something still feels off? Trust that. A screening tool checks one specific pattern. Low mood, exhaustion, anxiety, sleep problems, or feeling out of control can have many causes, and most are treatable. If low mood is the main thing you notice, our [free depression test (PHQ-9)](/tools/depression/) may fit better. If worry is louder, try the [anxiety test (GAD-7)](/tools/anxiety/). Either way, talking to a psychologist can help you find what is actually going on. Is the scoring official? Validation, accuracy, and limitations ### Where the questions and scoring come from The 13 symptom items and the two follow-up questions are reproduced from the published MDQ without modification. The 7-of-13 cut-off, the same-period rule, and the moderate-or-serious impact rule are the instrument’s own scoring criteria. ### How accurate is it? In the original validation in a psychiatric outpatient sample (Hirschfeld et al., 2000), the MDQ identified about 7 in 10 people who had bipolar disorder (sensitivity \~0.73) and correctly cleared about 9 in 10 who did not (specificity \~0.90). **An honest limitation:** in general community samples, rather than psychiatric clinics, the MDQ is far less sensitive and misses many cases. It is a screening aid to start a conversation, not a diagnostic test. A negative screen should never close the door on getting help if you are struggling. ### Full citations 1. Hirschfeld RMA, Williams JBW, Spitzer RL, Calabrese JR, Flynn L, Keck PE Jr, Lewis L, McElroy SL, Post RM, Rapport DJ, Russell JM, Sachs GS, Zajecka J. Development and validation of a screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder: the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. _American Journal of Psychiatry._ 2000;157(11):1873-1875. 2. American Psychiatric Association. _Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)._ Washington, DC: APA Publishing; 2013. **If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself,** please reach out now. [Helpline numbers and emergency resources →](/crisis-helpline/) ## Common questions ### What is the MDQ bipolar test? The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) is a validated screening tool for bipolar spectrum disorder, developed by Dr. Robert Hirschfeld and colleagues in 2000\. It asks about past periods of unusually high, energetic, or irritable mood. It is a screening aid, not a diagnosis. ### Can an online test diagnose bipolar disorder? No. No online test can diagnose bipolar disorder. Only a qualified professional can, after a full assessment, and that usually involves a psychiatrist because treatment can include medication. A positive screen means an evaluation is worth pursuing, not that you have bipolar disorder. ### What counts as a positive MDQ screen? A positive screen needs all three criteria together: yes to 7 or more of the 13 symptom questions, yes that several happened during the same period of time, and that they caused at least a moderate problem. Endorsing symptoms alone, without the same-period and impact criteria, is not a positive screen. ### What is the difference between bipolar and depression? Depression is persistent low mood and loss of interest. Bipolar disorder involves both low periods and distinct high or irritable periods (mania or hypomania) with more energy, less need for sleep, and faster thoughts. Bipolar is often mistaken for depression because people usually seek help during the lows, which is why screening for the highs matters. ### Is this bipolar test free and private? Yes. It is free, needs no login, and runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are not saved or sent anywhere unless you choose to get in touch. ### I got a positive screen. What should I do? Arrange a comprehensive evaluation with a psychiatrist, who can confirm or rule out bipolar disorder. An ElloMind psychologist can help you prepare for that assessment, make sense of the result, and provide talk therapy alongside your medical care. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, contact Tele-MANAS at 14416 or see our crisis-helpline page. ## Related A screener points you toward an assessment rather than replacing one. A bipolar diagnosis sits with a psychiatrist. * [Free depression test (PHQ-9)](/tools/depression/) if low mood is the main thing you notice. * [Free anxiety test (GAD-7)](/tools/anxiety/) if worry or being on edge is louder. * [Free mental health support in Kerala](/guides/free-mental-health-support-kerala/) for how to reach an assessment if cost is what is stopping you. * [Individual therapy](/services/individual-therapy/) for support alongside medical care, in Malayalam or English.