DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST
for Moodiness

Why: to determine if acute or chronic.

Why: may suggest premenstrual tension where mood changes begin from 2 to 14 days before menstruation and are relieved immediately when menstrual flow begins.

Why: e.g. severe loss, such as the death of a loved one, marital separation or financial loss. Note that moodiness and depression may develop for no apparent reason.

Why: questions specifically about relationship, family, children, social support, occupation, general physical health and financial stresses. Significant stressors may cause moodiness or may increase the risk of depression and insomnia.

Why: e.g. it is common for the hormonal changes in puberty to cause moodiness; depression can have bizarre features in the elderly and may be misdiagnosed as dementia or psychosis. Agitated depression is the most frequent type of depression in the elderly. Other symptoms in the elderly may include histrionic behavior, delusions and disordered thinking.

Why: it is important for the doctor to know if you are a suicide risk.

Why: medical illness is an important precipitant of moodiness and depression, especially in the elderly. Depression with chronic fatigue syndrome may follow an illness such as glandular fever or influenza or may follow an operation or childbirth.

Why: certain mental illnesses known to cause moodiness include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, mania and personality disorders.

Why: some medications may increase the risk of mood changes e.g. beta-blockers, anti-Parkinson drugs, corticosteroids, anti-cancer drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, combined oral contraceptive pill, progesterone-only contraceptives.

Why: Alcohol abuse may cause moodiness and also increase the risk of major depression.

Why: many illicit drugs may increase the risk of moodiness and personality change.

Why: e.g. depression, anxiety, bipolar affective disorder.

Why: e.g. depressed mood, lability of mood, crying spells, irritability, anhedonia (loss of interest or pleasure), increase or decrease in appetite (usually decreased), weight loss or gain, insomnia or increased sleeping (usually early morning waking), fatigue, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of excessive guilt, poor concentration, difficulty making decisions, low libido, thoughts of death or suicide attempt.

Why: e.g. episodes of depression (often psychotic in intensity) and at other times episodes of psychotic excitement (mania or hypomania). Symptoms of psychotic excitement may include elevation of mood, lability of mood, increased activity, grandiose ideas, irritability, disinhibition (which affects social, sexual and financial behavior), rapid speech and racing thought, delusions (persecutory or grandiose) and sometimes hallucinations.

Why: e.g. nervousness, shakiness, tremor, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, poor concentration, heart palpitations, racing heart, sweating, dizziness, diarrhea, lump in throat and frequency of urination.

Why: e.g. hallucinations, delusions, disordered thought - may assist in differentiating schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and severe psychotic depression.

Why: e.g. headache, dementia, seizures, stroke-like symptoms, irritability, depression.

Why: e.g. hot flushes, night sweats, heart palpitations, lightheadedness, dry vaginal, dry skin, headaches - Menopause may also present with depression and moodiness.

Why: e.g. impaired memory, impaired judgement and thinking, impaired verbal fluency and impaired ability to perform complex tasks. Personality may change, impulse control may be lost and personal care deteriorates. People with dementia may also have psychiatric symptoms such as delusions, paranoid ideas, hallucinations, mood disturbance and behavioral disturbance.

Why: e.g. husky voice, tiredness, weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, loss of hair - Hypothyroidism may also present with depression and mood changes.

Why: e.g. loose bowel motions, intolerance to heat, sweating of hands, muscle weakness, increased appetite, weight loss, heart palpitations, emotional lability - Hyperthyroidism may also present with depression and mood changes.

Why: e.g. weight gain especially central abdominal, change of appearance, moon-like face, thin skin, easy bruising, excessive facial hair growth, acne, muscle weakness, lack of or rare menstrual periods, poor libido, psychosis, insomnia, frequent urination, excessive thirst - Cushing's syndrome may also present with depression and mood changes.

Why: e.g. loud snoring, daytime sleepiness and fatigue, unrefreshed sleep, restless sleep, morning headache, nocturnal choking, mood changes, reduced libido.

Why: e.g. a group of physical, psychological and behavioral changes which begin from 2 to 14 days before menstruation and are relived immediately when menstrual flow begins. Symptoms may include depressed mood, irritability, tiredness, headache, bloating, breast tenderness, tension and aggression.