Mental Health Assessment - The First Step to Diagnosing a Mental Health Problem<br /><br />When patients seek help for mental health they might be overwhelmed by their emotions. They might not know how to deal with these feelings. Fortunately, loved ones are able to recognize when something is amiss and help them take the next step.<br /><br />Assessment is the method by which therapists gather and analyze data to determine the client's needs. It can be informal or formal, standardized or non-standardized, self-report or therapist-administered.<br /><br />Mental health<br /><br />A mental health assessment is a process where an expert examines an individual to determine if they have an issue with their mental health. The process may include a medical examination as well as observations and tests. The examination could take a long time and may require several appointments. It is important to be honest with the medical professional and to answer all questions in a professional manner. This will help the professional get a precise diagnosis.<br /><br />Psychiatrists and psychologists use different methods for mental health assessments. They may give you tests in the form of written or verbal. These are known as psychological tests and can include tests that test for specific conditions. These are often used in conjunction with interviews and observations to determine an assessment. The MMPI-2 test is among the most frequently used tests. It tests a range of mental disorders. Another test that is commonly used is the Y &amp; Z Test, which measures a person's response to stress and anxiety.<br /><br />Mental health professionals will test the cognitive function of the patient during an assessment. This will include a detailed description about the person's alertness and level of consciousness in relation to their motor and speech activities, their feelings and moods, their thoughts and perception as well as attitudes and understanding. They will also test their ability to remember things as well as think abstractly and follow instructions.<br /><br />If you're concerned that your child may have an illness of the mind, it is important to bring them to a professional to be assessed. This could be a psychologist, psychiatrist or counsellor. It is important to make sure the appointment is long enough for the professional to understand what is happening to your child, and how they're feeling. It is best if your child can be alone with the health professional for all or a portion of the assessment.<br /><br />It is important to explain to your child that going for an assessment isn't an act of punishment and that you're hoping the professional can find out what is going on so that it can be addressed. It could be helpful to remind them that everyone is down and anxious now and then, but if these feelings are persistent they need to be addressed.<br /><br />Symptoms<br /><br />A mental health disorder can affect thinking, perceptions emotions, and behaviour. It can make it difficult to cope with daily life and relationships. Counselling and medication can be helpful.<br /><br />Everyone feels sad or anxious at times, but it's more serious if these changes disrupt your life and keep happening. If someone you know is experiencing changes in their moods and behavior that are disturbing or making it hard to function day-to-day, talk to them about it. If you suspect they are at risk of self-harm or suicide, contact triple zero (0000) immediately.<br /><br />Depression anxiety disorders, depression and other mental illnesses affect around 264 million people worldwide. They can be characterized by symptoms like low mood, difficulty in concentrating or sleeping, and changes in drinking and eating.<br /><br />The condition can be caused by a myriad of causes like genes, brain chemicals or stress. It could also be caused by traumatic events such as a car accident or natural disaster, or even war. Other causes include the family history, certain drugs, or physical health problems.<br /><br />There is no single test that can identify mental disorders. However, a diagnosis can be determined by a psychiatrist or other medical professionals, or clinical psychologists. Mental health professionals utilize a classification system called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM which classifies disorders into categories such as anxiety disorder, depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.<br /><br />Alternative methods of diagnosis include non-categorical systems such as those devised by German psychiatrist Kraepelin in the 19th century, and more recent ones, such as the dimensional model. There is a debate in the scientific community on the relative merits between categorical and non-categorical models.<br /><br />People with mental health issues are viewed as a stigma, and it can contribute to poorer outcomes. In addition, there are many different organizations and movements working to educate people about mental health issues and dispel the myths that surround them. The Royal College of Psychiatrists campaign Changing Minds and the Carter Centre, based in the United States which provides fellowships to journalists who conduct research and writing about mental illness and illnesses, are two examples.<br /><br />Diagnosis<br /><br />The first step in managing your symptoms is to get an accurate diagnosis of mental illness. A diagnosis will aid your doctor in determining the root of your mood or behavior issues and determine the most efficient treatment. Depending on the condition you may require outpatient treatment, hospitalization or medication. A mental health assessment can aid your doctor in finding out if something else, such as an illness of the body, may be the cause of your symptoms.<br /><br />During the mental state exam, your doctor may ask you questions to assess how you feel and think. They may also perform physical examinations to check for signs of weakness in your muscles and changes in your eyesight, or difficulties walking. They will ask about any medication you take in addition to over-the-counter medications and supplements.<br /><br />There are a variety of mental health tests including self-report questions to brain imaging techniques. <a href="https://www.iampsychiatry.uk/private-mental-health-assessments/">online mental health assessment</a> are utilized to detect specific illnesses, such as anxiety or depression. Some tests are used to evaluate a person's abilities such as memory or concentration.<br /><br /><br /><br />One of the most important parts of a mental health evaluation is the cognitive evaluation that checks for any disorders that affect the way you think. Your doctor will assess your alertness, concentration as well as your memory, reading comprehension, and language usage. You may be asked to read a brief piece of literature, and be asked questions about it later. This is to look for paraphasic mistakes (mistakes made in pronunciation), semantic mistakes (mistakes made in the meaning) and neologisms.<br /><br />Some tests are designed to measure a patient's emotions or behaviors such as an inventory of personality. These tests can show whether you are more optimistic, pessimistic or empathetic or if you're likely to trust others or be competitive. Other tests assess the capabilities, abilities, and motivations. For instance they could assess work-related competency or job-related value.<br /><br />Many mental health professionals prefer using their own assessment tools. They can also combine these tools with other methods, such as conducting interviews with clients or recording physiological functions. The MMPI-2 for instance, is the world's most commonly used psychometric test that evaluates how your thoughts, emotions and actions affect you. It has 10 primary clinical scales and three subscales to detect lies, defensiveness and inconsistencies in responses.<br /><br />Treatment<br /><br />Many people have tough times, and some have even a mental disorder. Mental illness can lead to numerous problems that affect everyone around the person. It can lead to unemployment or homelessness, substance abuse, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and a lower quality of life. Treatment for mental disorders can be highly effective and improve the quality of life for a person. The treatment involves some form of therapy and medication. Certain patients need to be in a psychiatric hospital.<br /><br />In a mental test, a doctor can determine the degree to which a person's brain functions, remembers and processes data (cognitive function). The doctor will ask the person questions and then examine him or her. The doctor might also inquire about the way in which the person interacts together with other people.<br /><br />The mental health assessment can include tests that measure short-term memories, which is the ability of recalling information quickly after completing an intellectual task. The test could involve learning four unrelated concepts or objects, a sentence, or someone's name and address. After 3 to 5 minutes, you will be asked to remember the information. The Beck Anxiety Inventory is a popular test for self-report to gauge anxiety.<br /><br />In certain instances the doctor may order an examination to rule out neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, which may exhibit similar symptoms to other mental disorders. During the physical exam the doctor will examine the person's reflexes and sensory perception, gait and posture. The doctor may also perform a urine or blood test to rule out any infection or other conditions that could affect the patient's mental health.<br /><br />Talking therapies and psychiatric drugs are the most popular treatments for mental disorders. Talking therapies include psychotherapy as well as group therapy. The majority of medications are prescribed as antidepressants, benzodiazepines and mood stabilizers. The use of psychiatric medication can ease symptoms, but it's not always efficient. The effectiveness of treatment is dependent on the severity and nature of disorder, the patient's response, and the length of time that the patient is in treatment. Early treatment can stop the symptoms from getting worse and make recovery more likely.<br /><br />