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Mental Health Assessment – The First Step to Diagnosing a Mental Health Problem When individuals seek out mental health services they are often overwhelmed by their emotions and don't know what to do about them. Fortunately, family members are often able to discern the signs of trouble and help the person take action. Assessment is the method by which therapists collect and analyze data to determine the client's needs. It can be informal or formal, standardized or non-standardized, self-report or therapist-administered. Mental health A mental health assessment is a process in which a professional checks to determine if someone may have a mental health issue. Medical examinations, observations and tests could be part of the procedure. The examination could take a long time and may require several appointments. It is essential to answer all questions honestly and be honest with your health care professional. This will allow the doctor to provide an accurate diagnosis. Psychiatrists and psychologists use different methods for mental health assessments. You could be given written or oral tests. These tests are called psychological tests and can include standardized tests to look for specific problems. These tests are usually utilized in conjunction with interviews and observations to determine the condition of an individual. The most commonly used tests include the MMPI-2 that measures a number of different types of mental disorders, and the Y & Z test, which is designed to measure the person's response to stress and anxiety. Mental health professionals will also assess the cognitive function of a patient during the examination. This will include a detailed description about the patient's alertness, level of consciousness, their motor and speech activities as well as their moods and feelings, their thoughts and perception as well as attitudes and perception. They will also test their capacity to recall information as well as think abstractly and follow the directions. If you're concerned that your child might be suffering from mental illness it is essential to refer your child to a professional to be assessed. This could be a psychologist, psychiatrist or counsellor. It is essential to ensure that the appointment is long enough for the professional to understand the issues that are affecting your child, and how they are feeling. It is best for your child to be with the professional for the entire or a portion of the assessment. Explain to your child that the test is not punishment and that you're hoping that the professional will be able to find out what's going on so that it can be treated. It can be helpful to remind your child that we all experience anxiety and depression at times however if the symptoms persist they must be addressed. Signs and symptoms Mental health disorders can affect how you think and behave. It can make it hard to manage everyday life and relationships. Counselling and medication can be helpful. Everyone is worried or sad at times but it's a lot more serious when these changes impede your life and continue to happen. Talk to someone about changes in behavior and emotions that make it difficult to function on a daily basis. If you believe they are at risk for suicide or self-harming, call triple zero (0000) immediately. Around 264 million people suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental disorders. This includes a variety of symptoms like low mood, difficulty concentrating or sleeping, and changes in eating habits and drinking. The condition can be caused by a variety of factors including brain chemicals, genes or stress. It could also be caused by traumatizing events, such as a car accident, natural disaster or war. Other causes could be a family history of mental illness, or taking certain medications or issues with your physical health. There is no single test that can identify mental disorders. A psychiatrist, another medical doctor, or a clinical psychologist may diagnose mental health disorders. Mental health professionals use an approach to classification known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM which classifies disorders into categories like anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder. Non-categorical schemes such as the one developed by German psychiatrist Kraepelin in the 19th century, as well as more recent ones, including the dimension models, are alternatives to diagnose. There is a debate among scientists on the relative merits of categorical and non-categorical system. People with mental health issues are viewed as a stigma and this can lead to worse outcomes. In addition there are a variety of movements and organisations working to educate people about mental health problems and dispel the myths that surround them. This includes the Royal College of Psychiatrists' campaign Changing Minds, and the Carter Centre in the United States, which supports journalism fellowships that allow journalists to study and write about mental health and illnesses. Diagnosis Being able to get a mental health issue diagnosed is the first step towards managing your symptoms. A diagnosis can aid your doctor in determining the root of your mood or behavior issues, and decide on the most effective treatment. Depending on the illness it is possible that you will require hospitalization, outpatient care or medication. A mental health evaluation can aid your doctor in finding out if there is something else like a physical illness, could be causing your symptoms. In the mental health exam Your doctor will ask you questions about how you're feeling and thinking. They can also conduct a physical examination to check for muscle weakness and changes in vision or difficulty walking. They will inquire about any medication you're taking that is not prescription-only and supplements. There are many different kinds of mental health tests that range from simple self-report questionnaires to brain imaging techniques. Some tests are used to screen for specific illnesses, such as anxiety or depression. Certain tests are used to assess a person's capabilities such as memory or concentration. One of the most crucial aspects of a mental health examination is the cognitive assessment, which checks for issues that affect how you think. Your doctor will test your alertness, capacity to pay attention and focus on reading comprehension, memory and your use of language to express yourself. You may be asked to read a brief piece of literature, and then be asked about it later. This is to check for paraphasic mistakes (mistakes made in pronunciation) and semantic mistakes (mistakes that are interpreted as meaning) as well as neologisms. Certain tests assess a person's behavior or emotions, such as a personality inventory. These tests will reveal if you are more optimistic, pessimistic, or empathetic, or if you are likely to trust others or be competitive. Other tests evaluate the skills, capabilities and motivations, like the work-related competencies or the values associated with jobs. Many mental health professionals prefer using their own assessment tools. They can also combine these tools with other methods, like conducting interviews with clients or recording physiological functions. The MMPI-2 for instance, is the world's most commonly used psychometric test. It evaluates how your thoughts, feelings and behaviors influence your life. It includes 10 main clinical scales and three subscales to detect falsehood, defensiveness and inconsistencies in responses. Treatment Many people have tough times, and a few suffer even a mental disorder. Mental illness can affect the whole family. It can result in unemployment and homelessness, substance abuse as well as suicide, inadvertent incarceration and a less enjoyable life. Treatment for mental disorders is highly efficient and can greatly improve the quality of life of a person. The treatment consists of some type of therapy and medication. Certain patients need to be in a psychiatric institution. In a mental test the doctor will determine the degree to which a person's brain functions remembers, processes information and recalls it (cognitive function). The doctor will assess and ask questions of the person. The doctor may also ask about the way in which the person interacts together with other people. The mental health assessment could include tests that measure short-term memory, which is the ability of recalling information immediately after having completed an intellectual task. The test may involve learning four concepts that are not related or sentences, objects, or someone's name and address. After three to five minutes, you will be asked to remember the information. The Beck Anxiety Inventory, a popular test that self-reports for anxiety assessment, is used to measure anxiety. In some cases doctors will request a physical examination to rule out neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease, which may have similar symptoms to some mental disorders. During a physical examination, the doctor will examine the patient's reflexes as well as their sensory perception. Also, he will examine their gait and posture. investigate this site private healthcare mental health can also conduct urine or blood tests to rule out infection or other diseases that might affect the patient's mental health. Talking treatments and psychiatric medications are the most common treatments for mental disorders. Talking therapies include psychotherapy and group therapy. They are usually prescribed as antidepressants, benzodiazepines or mood stabilizers. Psychiatric medicines can alleviate symptoms, but they aren't always efficient. The effectiveness of any treatment depends on the severity and type of the disorder, the person's reaction to it, as well as how long the patient is in treatment. Early treatment can stop symptoms from getting worse and help make recovery more likely.