What we want to know How to ask

Was her aggression associated with Tell me a little about your diet and what you were
substance use? talking around the time you had the incident with your
father?

You said you use wee. How old were you when you first
smoked?

Have you ever used any other drugs?

When… what…?
Rule out medical cause Records review

Delusions or Hallucinations Have you ever been in a situation where you have seen
something that other people did not see or heard?

Do you have any beliefs that other people tend to

challenge or don’t agree with?

Is there anyone out to get you or harm you?

Observation

Elevated mood Do you ever have periods of time where your problems
go away? Weight off your shoulders

How long did this feeling last?

How about when things are not going your way?

Manic Symptoms Do you ever feel like you can do anything? What do you
do?
Inflated self esteem
Decreased need for sleep How would you describe your sleep?
More talkative How many hours did you sleep last night?
Flight of ideas Has there ever been a time when you went for long
Distractibility periods without needing to sleep? How long?
Increased goal directed activity
Excessive involvement in
pleasurable or risky activities
Depressive symptoms
Change in appetite
Insomnia or hypersomnia
Agitation
Suicidal ideation
Duration of mania/hypomania
Intent to harm
Conduct/ Attention
How’s your thinking? What it is like to make decisions?
How would you make a PB&J sandwich? MMSE
Do you ever do anything you regret?
How do you feel most days “emotionally”?
Have you ever felt like you want to sleep all day?
Poetry, goals, how often are you able to work on it , get
in the way?
Have you ever wanted to hurt yourself?
Have you ever tired?
Now? Plan?
When you feel really down, how long until better
place?
How do you feel about how your stepdad died or what
you did?
Have you hurt anyone else?
How do you feel about that?
What were you like before your mom died?
What was it like for you when you went to school
before ?
School when locked up? How did you do? What was it
like to learn?
Anxiety and Trauma related
symptoms

Identity Disturbance Lose time? Ever find yourself somewhat and not sure
how you got there?
Tolerance and withdrawal
Cannabis (use disorder)

Negative consequence use