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Mental Health Assessments A mental health assessment is a crucial instrument for helping people evaluate their mental health. Professionals use a variety tools to help with this such as self-report and standardized tools. The most common is a mental health examination, which aids counselors and doctors look at a client's appearance, attitude and activities, mood and emotions, thoughts, and insight. Signs and symptoms Mental health issues can cause people to change their emotions, thoughts and behavior. These changes can impact their ability to work and socialize. Mental illness is a serious health condition. Many of the same conditions that impact physical health can also affect mental health. Everyone has mood swings. However, if the changes are severe and last for a long time it could be a sign of a mental illness. The most common signs are a change in sleeping and eating habits or levels of energy; an extreme increase or reduction in emotions such as sadness, happiness or anger; difficulties remembering or concentrating; and feeling tired constantly. If you have concerns about your loved ones, it's important not to ignore them. Calling a helpline or seeing an experienced health professional in the early stages can stop mental health problems getting worse. Many of these changes are triggered by life events, such as loss of an employment opportunity, family issues or an accident that's serious. It's important to get treatment for a mental disorder so that it doesn't affect your work and relationships. Certain illnesses can be treated with counselling or medication. Some conditions require hospital care. There are over 200 mental disorders that can be classified, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorders. Some of them can be life-threatening. Some phobias are milder and don't impact daily life as severely. Mental health of an individual is influenced by many aspects, such as genetics and biological differences as well as life events and stress, lifestyle choices and the way society treats its members. It is crucial to recognize that mental illness should not be viewed as a cause for shame. Similar to heart disease and diabetes it can be treated and improved. Mental illness is treatable, and many people can recover with proper treatment. This can include psychotherapy (talk therapy) or medication such as antidepressants or sedatives. Combining treatments is usually the most effective. Some people find that self-help groups and support groups can be helpful, too. History The history of mental health problems is a crucial element of any evaluation. Apart from examining the signs and symptoms, and performing psychological tests, a psychiatrist will need to examine your medical history and whether you have had any relatives with mental illness. They will ask about your current medications, as well as any substance or alcohol use you have had in the past. In some instances, a doctor might request that you keep a log of your symptoms or bring your family member or friend along to get a full description from their viewpoint. A mental health evaluation can be the first step for some individuals to seek treatment for a specific problem. Most often, it is initiated by a recommendation from a doctor or other professional, but it could be initiated by the individual themselves. The psychiatric assessment will provide the medical professional with the necessary information to establish a clear diagnosis. Western civilization has viewed mental illness as the result of supernatural forces or demon possession for most of recorded history. This led to primitive methods like drilling a tiny hole into the skull (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. The term “mental” is employed in two ways: to describe a state of mind, and to describe a state of wellbeing as well as a concept that includes psychiatry and therapy. Although there is a broad movement to separate mental health apart from psychiatry to establish it as its own discipline, this distinction has yet to be fully established. Mental health is defined differently in different cultures, however the majority of them contain elements like self-realization and an overall sense of accomplishment and happiness as well as a complete understanding of one's environment. These criteria are influenced however, by cultural values that can exclude those who haven't reached their full potential, people who live in low-income areas and those living in areas of poverty and minorities who are subject to discrimination and reject. Other assessment tools can be used to assess the mental health of a person. They include the DSM-5 Checklist, which lists for specific disorders, and the Life Events Checklist which can check for distressing or traumatic events in the life of a patient. Physical Examination The physical examination of a patient who is suspected of having a mental health issue is usually conducted by a medical doctor or psychiatrist. The exam may be part of the general physical examination, or it could be conducted when a health care provider believes that a particular illness such as dementia, schizophrenia or abuse of drugs is involved. The test is a chance to evaluate the person's appearance and emotional state, and how they respond to questions. The doctor will inquire about the duration of symptoms and if there is a family history of mental illness. The doctor will want to know if the person has ever taken any medication such as over-the-counter medications and supplements. A psychiatric examination is necessary to identify what is happening inside a person and what type of treatment might be beneficial. A diagnosis is vital, and sometimes a person requires inpatient treatment or medication depending on the diagnosis. The diagnosis is usually done in the hospital, however some people have an assessment of their mental health at home by an accredited professional. Evaluation of cognitive function is a major part of a mental assessment. This includes the capacity of paying attention, retaining and organizing information, solving problems, and making decisions. It also includes the fundamental abilities like the capability of interfacing with others. The test of cognition entails testing the spontaneity of a person and the quality of their speech, by having them answer open-ended questions or read standardized short stories. The evaluation of thought content is a process of looking for a variety of things, including hallucinations that may be visual, auditory, tactile or olfactory; illusions of special abilities, status or persecution by others; paranoid thinking and irrational fears as well as compulsive and obsessive behavior and compulsions; looseness of connections (making unrelated connections between various topics) and depressive or suicidal thoughts. Diagnostic tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging or blood tests are frequently required to supplement an assessment of mental health. These tests can help to rule out other disorders and diseases that may cause similar symptoms to mental illness. Tests The mental status test is a method of evaluating an individual patient's mental health by watching and asking questions. It involves a health care provider watching the patient's behavior, mood, level of activity and general appearance. It may also include the use of written or verbal tests that include standardized rating systems that evaluate symptoms. The MMPI-2 is a common depression test. There are other tests that can be used to measure anxiety, intelligence, and autism. The patient's medical history and physical examination can provide valuable information that can be used to determine if symptoms are related to a mental disorder or a medical condition such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or drug abuse. Additionally, certain physical conditions such as selective brain lesions or certain types of tumors present with similar symptoms as psychological disorders and may require laboratory or clinical testing like blood work, CT scans or MRI as an adjunct to an assessment of mental health to establish a diagnosis. Psychological testing is an essential part of the mental health assessment. It can provide valuable information regarding how a patient thinks, remembers and interacts with other people. The results of these tests can aid the health care professional to determine the various signs like hallucinations (the perception of an object, a person or event that is not real) or a lack of connection (the tendency to make irrelevant connections between subjects). A psychiatric health assessment may include questions regarding the patient's family history of psychiatric illness and other illnesses. It will inquire about how long the symptoms have been present, the extent of their effects, and if they hinder everyday activities. mental health online assessment uk will also ask about any prior psychiatric issues the patient has experienced and the treatment they received in the past. It is important for the patient to be honest in their responses as it will assist the health care professional discern the extent of the patient's health. During the interview, the health professional will observe the patient's conversation and how they interact. They will also inquire about any supplements or medications the patient is taking, both prescription and non-prescription, and how they affect their mental health.