A reader told me he had been reading up on bipolar disorder and felt he had all the signs. He said, "How can I get tested for bipolar?"

At this point there's no medical test for bipolar. It sure would be nice and handy if someone could do a blood test or a throat culture but... it's not that simple. In the future a blood sample may be used to run genetic tests. Brain imaging scans such as MRIs and PET scans show promise.

But right now the best thing you can do if you suspect you have bipolar disorder is to keep a journal of your moods and behaviors and then take that to a mental health professional, preferably a psychiatrist who can prescribe medications for you.