Dr Chris James

The Tests.

Take the Depression Test
Take the Bipolar Test
Take the Happiness Test

Take the Depression Test.

If you have three or more of these symptoms you could be suffering depression.

• Are you constantly feeling unhappy?
• Do you feel anxious?
• Are you moody and irritable?
• Do you have a feeling of hopelessness?
• Have you given up the things you used to enjoy?
• Do you suffer from insomnia?
• Do you oversleep a lot?
• Have you lost interest in food?
• Do you over eat?
• Do you have poor concentration?
• Do you find it hard to complete tasks?
• Do you ever think about death or committing suicide?

There is nothing wrong with feeling occasionally depressed. It is quite normal we cannot be happy all the time. There are different types of depression, severe depression, mild depression and bipolar disorder. Ongoing depression and/or severe [acute] depression is much more than feeling sadness or being a bit down. Ongoing depression is a combination of factors that render life unworkable and in crisis. Ongoing depression can become acute depression, which affects the ability to work, to care for oneself and to enjoy life. If you think you might be suffering depression the first thing to do is to consult your doctor to make sure there are no physical reasons why you are feeling depressed. Some forms of depression can be inherited. Self-help and good management can assist with the affects of depression. If you would like more information or help with this problem send me an email.

Take the Bipolar Test.

If you have severe mood swings and have answered 'yes' to two or more of these questions you could be suffering from bipolar disorder.

• Do you ever feel so excited about things that it doesn't seem real?
• Do you ever get into trouble?
• Do people sometimes make comments about you being hyped-up?
• Are your frequently irritable?
• Do you lose your temper a lot?
• Do you feel the world is against you?
• Are there times when anger wells up inside you?
• Can you go without sleep and feel you don't miss it?
• Do your thoughts sometimes run away with you?
• Do you take unnecessary risks?
• Does anyone in your family suffer a mental illness?
• Do you intuitively feel you might be bipolar?

A therapist cannot give you a clinical diagnosis of bipolar disorder. If you have answered yes to two or more of these questions then you should see your doctor. A therapist can help you manage this condition by providing skills that will enable you to self-diagnose a possible oncoming incident so you can take immediate action to prevent or lessen the affects. While people might be predisposed to bipolar disorder the every day life world sets in place the triggers for an incident. Managing life means managing the incidents of bipolar events. If you would like to know more about bipolar disorder or would like to contact me send an email

Take the Happiness Test.

You can measure your level of happiness by answering 'yes' to these questions. Keep in mind all people are different so what makes one person happy may not apply to another. This test is meant to give you a general idea of whether your life is positive.

• Do you feel life has a purpose?
• Do you find it easy to set goals and follow them through?
• Do you feel life is exciting and/or challenging?
• Do you enjoy having other people around you?
• Do you find it easy to discuss things?
• Do you look forward to the future?
• Do you care about others?
• Do you care about your environment?
• Do you have a healthy diet?
• Do you feel good about your appearance?
• Do you exercise?
• Do you have activities you enjoy?
• Do you enjoy quiet times?
• Do you enjoy being alone?
• Do you feel creative and/or productive?

Happiness is a habit and like any other habit it is learned behaviour. If we have bad experiences and we carry them around for a long time then we are likely to feel unhappy. It is very necessary to work through these bad experiences in order to find happiness. Sometimes, not having the things we want can make us unhappy. Again, we may have to learn that the things we want are not as important as we might think they are. We cannot be deliriously happy all the time, sometimes there is a need for sadness, or contemplation. Happiness is something we are always striving towards.