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Mental Health Assessments A mental health assessment is an essential tool to help people evaluate their mental health. Professionals use a variety tools to help with this such as self-report and standardized tools. A mental status test is one of the most common. It permits doctors and counselors to observe the client's appearance, attitude, and activities. They can also track their mood and emotions as well as their thoughts. Signs and symptoms People who experience mental health issues often experience changes in their emotions, thinking and behaviour. This can impact their ability to work and socialize with others. Mental illness is a serious health condition and many of the same factors that can affect our physical health are also related to our mental health, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Everyone experiences fluctuations in their mood. However, if these changes are extreme and persist for a long period it could be an indication of a mental illness. Common symptoms include a change in sleeping, eating, or levels of energy; an extreme reduction or increase in emotions such as sadness, happiness or anger; difficulties remembering or concentrating; and feeling tired constantly. If you're concerned about someone close to you it's important to not ignore them. Making contact with a helpline, or contacting a health professional early can prevent mental health issues from getting worse. These changes are usually triggered by life events, such as losing work, family issues, or a serious accident. It is important to seek treatment for mental illness to ensure that it doesn't interfere with your work or relationships. Certain conditions can be treated by medication or counseling. Some conditions require hospital treatment. There are more than 200 distinct mental disorders, such as anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Some of them are serious and could be life-threatening. Others are less severe and do not interfere with daily living, such as some phobias. A person's mental health is affected by many factors, including genetics, biological differences as well as life events lifestyle choices, stress and the way society treats its members. It's important to understand that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. Similar to heart disease and diabetes, it can be treated and improved. Mental illness is treatable, and many people recover with appropriate treatment. This may include medication such as antidepressants or sedatives, as well as psychotherapy (talk-therapy). Combining treatments is typically the most efficient. Self-help groups and support groups can be beneficial to some people. History The background of mental health issues is a central part of any examination. A psychiatrist will also need to know about your medical history, and whether you have any relatives with mental illness. They will also ask you about your current medications and any previous drug abuse or alcoholism you may have had. In some instances doctors may ask you to write down your symptoms in an account book or bring a friend or family member to hear the full story. A mental health evaluation can be the first step for some people to get treatment for a particular problem. Often it is triggered by a recommendation by a physician or another professional, but it may be initiated by the person themselves. The psychiatric assessment will give the doctor with the data they require to establish an appropriate diagnosis. Throughout most of recorded time, Western civilization's view of mental illness was based on supernatural forces and demonic possession, leading to primitive treatment methods such as drilling a hole into the head (trepanning). The 18th and 19th centuries saw the rise of a more humane approach to treating the mentally ill, as doctors began to abandon these superstitions and adopt logical explanations/theories for their patients. Today, the term “mental health” is used in two ways: to refer to the state of being well-being as an umbrella term that encompasses both psychiatry and psychotherapy. Mental health is now being pushed to become a separate discipline. However, there has not been an absolute separation between it and psychiatry. The definition of mental health is different depending on the culture, but most systems incorporate elements like self-realization feeling of accomplishment, happiness; and mastery over one's environment. These criteria are influenced however, by cultural norms, which can exclude those who have not reached their full potential, those who live in low-income areas and those living in areas that are deprived and minorities who are subject to discrimination and reject. Other assessment tools can be used to assess the health of a person's mental state. These include the DSM-5 Checklist which contains lists for specific disorders as well as the Life Events Checklist which can check for distressing or traumatizing events in a patient’s life. Physical Examination A psychiatrist or medical doctor will usually conduct the physical examination of a person suspected of having an issue with mental health. The exam can be part of a general physical examination or when a doctor suspects a specific illness like dementia, schizophrenia, or drug abuse. The test gives the opportunity to examine the person's appearance and emotional state, and how they respond to questions. The doctor will inquire about the duration of the symptoms and if there is any family history of mental illness. The doctor will also want to know if the person has ever taken any medications such as over-the-counter supplements and drugs. A psychiatric evaluation is important as it allows you to find out what's happening inside the person and what treatment could assist. A diagnosis is important, and depending on the final diagnosis the patient may require medical or inpatient care. The diagnosis is usually made at a hospital, although some individuals undergo a mental health assessment done in their own home by an authorized professional. Assessment of cognitive function is a crucial part of a mental assessment. This is the ability to concentrate, remember and organize information, solve problems, and make decisions. It also includes the fundamental abilities like the capability to interact with other people. To evaluate cognition, an individual is asked to respond to open-ended or standardized questions and complete short stories. The evaluation of thought content can be a complex process, such hallucinations, which could be auditory or visual or tactile or olfactory, false perceptions of status, awe-inspiring powers or persecution by other people, paranoid thoughts obsessive-compulsive behaviour, irrational fear such as compulsions and compulsions, loose associations (making connections that are not relevant between various topics) as well as depressive or suicidal thinking. Sometimes, clinical tests are needed in conjunction with an assessment of mental health like blood tests or magnetic resonance imaging to rule out other diseases and disorders that could cause similar symptoms as mental illness. Tests The mental state exam is a method of evaluating an individual patient's mental health by watching and asking questions. Health care professionals observe the patient's behavior and mood, their level of activity, and their overall appearance. It may also include the use of written or verbal tests, including standardized rating systems that evaluate symptoms. The MMPI-2 is a well-known depression test. There are a myriad of other tests to assess anxiety, intelligence levels and autism. our homepage of the patient and physical examination will provide valuable information that can be used to determine whether the symptoms are caused by a mental disorder or a medical condition like hypothyroidism, diabetes, or drug abuse. Some physical conditions like certain kinds of tumors or selective brain lesions, can also present with similar symptoms to mental disorders. These conditions could require testing in a clinic or laboratory such as blood tests, CT scans, or MRIs, in addition to a complete mental health examination. Psychological testing is an essential part of an assessment of mental health and can provide valuable information about how a patient thinks, recalls, and interacts with others. These tests can be useful to identify symptoms such as hallucinations, or the tendency to make unrelated connections between people. A psychiatric assessment may include questions about the patient’s family history, including psychiatric illnesses as well as other illnesses. It will also inquire about how long symptoms have been present and the severity of them, as well as how they impact daily activities. It will also inquire about any previous mental illness the patient has suffered from and the type of treatment they've received in the past. It is crucial for the patient to be honest in their responses as it will help the health care professional to discern the extent of the patient's health. During the interview the health professional will also listen to the way the patient speaks and how they interact with others. They will also inquire of the patient about any prescription or non-prescription medicines and supplements they are taking and how they affect their mental health.