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Mental Health Assessment – The First Step to Diagnosing a Mental Health Problem When people seek mental health services they may be overwhelmed by their feelings and don't know what to do. Fortunately, loved ones are usually able to tell when something is not right and urge the person to take action. The assessment process is where therapists gather information and examine it to determine a client's specific requirements. It can be informal or formal, standardized or non-standardized, self-report or therapist-administered. Mental health A mental health assessment is a procedure in which a professional examines an individual to determine if they have a problem with their mental health. The process may include a medical examination as well as tests, observations and examinations. It could take a lot of time, and often the assessment includes several appointments. It is important to be honest with the health professional and to answer all questions in a professional manner. This will help the professional get a precise diagnosis. Psychologists and psychiatrists use different techniques to assess mental health. You could be given written or verbal assessments. These are called psychological tests and can include standardized tests that are designed to detect specific conditions. These tests are typically used with interviews and observations in order to diagnose the person. The MMPI-2 test is among the most commonly used tests. It is a test that measures a variety of mental disorders. Another test that is commonly used is the Y & Z Test, which evaluates a person's reaction to stress and anxiety. Mental health professionals will also evaluate a patient's cognitive functioning during the assessment. This will include a detailed description about the patient's alertness, level of consciousness as well as their speech and motor activities as well as their moods and feelings, their thoughts and perception as well as their attitudes and understanding. They will also test the ability to follow directions, remember things and think abstractly. If you are concerned that your child has a mental health issue, it is very important to have them evaluated by a specialist. This could be a psychologist, psychiatrist or counsellor. It is essential to ensure that the appointment is enough time for the professional to fully understand the issues that are affecting your child and the way they're experiencing. It is recommended for the child to be with the professional for the entire or a portion of the evaluation. Explain to your child that the assessment is not punishment and that you hope that the professional will be able find the cause to treat it. It might be helpful to remind your child that everyone experiences depression and anxiety from time to time, but if the feelings persist, they need to be addressed. Symptoms A mental health issue can affect thinking, perceptions emotions, and behaviour. It can make it difficult to manage daily life and relationships. Counselling and medication can help. Everyone feels sad or worried at times however it's more serious if these changes affect your life and continue to happen. Talk to someone about changes in emotions and behavior that are making it difficult to function on a daily basis. If you believe they are at risk of self-harm or suicide, call triple zero (000) immediately. Depression anxiety disorders, depression and other mental illnesses affect approximately 264 million people worldwide. This includes a variety of symptoms such as low mood, difficulty concentrating or sleeping, and changes in drinking and eating. It can be caused by a variety of things, including brain chemicals, genes or stress. Traumatic events such as the crash of a vehicle, natural catastrophe, or war could cause it. Other causes could be an ancestor's history of mental illness, or taking certain medications or having issues with your physical health. There is no single test that can be used to identify mental health issues. A psychiatrist, a medical doctor or a clinical psychologist can diagnose mental health problems. Mental health professionals utilize an approach to classification known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM which classifies disorders into categories such as anxiety disorder, depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Non-categorical schemes like the one that was developed by German psychiatrist Kraepelin in the 19th century, as well as more recent ones, such as the dimensional models, are alternatives to diagnose. There is a debate in the scientific community on the relative merits of categorical and non-categorical systems. Some people with mental health issues are viewed as a stigma, and it can contribute to worse outcomes. In addition, there are many different organizations and groups which are trying to educate the public about mental health issues and eliminate the myths associated with them. These include 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 The first step in addressing your symptoms is to get a diagnosis of a mental illness. A diagnosis can help your doctor determine the root of your mood or behavioral issues and choose the best course of treatment. Based on the severity of your illness it could be that you require outpatient treatment, hospitalization, or medication. A mental health exam can also help your physician determine if a physical condition is responsible for your symptoms. During the mental status examination the doctor will ask you questions about how you are feeling and thinking. They may also perform a physical examination to check for muscle weakness or changes in vision, or trouble walking. They will ask you about any medication you're taking, including over-the counter medicines and supplements. There are a myriad of types of tests for mental health including self-report questions to brain imaging techniques. Certain tests are utilized to identify specific illnesses such as anxiety or depression. Others are used to assess a person's functioning, such as memory or concentration. One of the most crucial aspects of a mental health evaluation is the cognitive evaluation that looks for signs of disorders that affect the way you think. Your doctor will assess your alertness, capacity to pay attention and focus, memory, reading comprehension, and the 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 look for paraphasic errors (mistakes made in pronunciation) as well as semantic errors (mistakes that are interpreted as meaning), and neologisms. experienced are designed to measure a patient's behavior or emotions such as an inventory of personality. These tests can help determine if you are optimistic, pessimistic or empathetic or competitive or if your character is more likely to trust other people or be competitive. Other tests test the capabilities, abilities, and motivations. For instance they can assess work-related competency or job-related value. Many mental health professionals prefer to use their own assessment tools. They can also combine these with other methods like interviewing the client or recording physiological functions. The MMPI-2 for instance is the most commonly used psychometric test that examines how your thoughts, emotions and actions influence your life. It includes 10 scales for clinical assessment, as well as three subscales to detect lies, defensiveness and inconsistent responses. Treatment Many people face difficulties and some suffer from mental disorder. Mental illness can affect the entire family. It can result in unemployment and homelessness, substance abuse, inappropriate incarceration, suicide 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 hospital. In a mental test, a doctor can determine how well a person thinks, remembers and processes data (cognitive function). The doctor will examine and ask questions to the person. The doctor will also ask the person about their relationship with others. The mental health assessment may include tests to assess short-term memory, which is the ability to recall information immediately after completing a second mental task. The test may include learning four unrelated objects or concepts like a sentence, name and address and then being asked to recall them within 3 to 5 minutes. The Beck Anxiety Inventory is a popular test for self-report to gauge anxiety. In certain situations, a doctor may order a physical exam to rule out neurological disorders like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, which can present with symptoms similar to mental disorders. In a physical exam the doctor will examine the patient's reflexes and sense perception. They will also examine their gait and posture. The doctor may also perform an examination of blood or urine to determine if there is an infection or other diseases which could affect the patient's mental condition. The most commonly used treatments for mental disorders involve talking treatments and psychiatric medication. Talking treatments include psychotherapy and group therapy. Antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed medications. Psychiatric medications can ease symptoms, but they aren't always efficient. The effectiveness of any treatment depends on the type and severity of the disorder, the person's response to it, and how much time the person spends in treatment. Early treatment can prevent symptoms from worsening and improve recovery.