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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 emotions and don't know what to do. Fortunately, loved ones are often able to tell when something is amiss and help them take the next step. Assessment is the process by which therapists gather and analyze data to determine a 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 where professionals examine the person to determine if they might have a problem with their mental health. A medical examination, observation and tests are part of the procedure. The examination could be lengthy and may require several appointments. It is crucial to be open with the medical professional and to answer all questions honestly. This will allow the professional to make an accurate diagnose. Psychologists and psychiatrists employ a variety of techniques for mental health assessments. You may be given written or oral tests. These are referred to as psychological tests. They can include standardized tests that test for specific conditions. They are usually used together with observations and interviews to make a diagnosis. The MMPI-2 test is among the most frequently-used tests. It tests a range of mental disorders. Another test that is frequently used is the Y & Z Test, which measures a person's response to stress and anxiety. Mental health professionals will test the cognitive functioning of the patient during an assessment. This includes a description of the person's alertness, consciousness level, motor and speech activity, feelings and mood as well as perception and thought and their attitudes and insight. They will also test their ability to recall things and abstractly think, as well as follow instructions. If you're concerned that your child might have an illness of the mind, it is important to take them to a professional for them to be evaluated. This might be a psychologist, psychiatrist or counsellor. It is important that the professional has enough time to fully understand your child's needs and the way they feel. It is best if your child can be alone with the health professional for the entire examination. It is important to explain to your child that going for an assessment isn't an act of punishment, and that you hope that the doctor can determine what is going on so that it can be addressed. It can be helpful to remind your child that we all experience anxiety and depression at times, but if the feelings persist they should be addressed. Symptoms A mental health problem can affect thinking, perceptions emotions, and behaviour. It can make it difficult to manage everyday life and relationships. Counselling and medication may help. Everyone feels sad or anxious at times however it's more severe if these changes affect your life and continue to occur. If you know someone who has changes in their mood and their behavior that make it hard for them to function day-to-day, speak to them about it. If you suspect they are at risk of self-harm or suicide contact Triple Zero (000) immediately. About 264 million people suffer from anxiety, depression disorders and other mental illnesses. The symptoms include mood swings, difficulty sleeping or concentrating and changes in drinking or eating. The condition can be caused by a variety of things, such as genes, brain chemicals or stress. Traumatic events like an accident in a car, natural catastrophe, or war could also trigger it. Other causes are the family history, certain medications, or physical health issues. There is no single test to diagnose mental health problems. However, a diagnosis could be determined by a psychiatrist or other medical doctors or clinical psychologists. Mental health professionals employ an approach to classification known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, which divides disorders into categories such as depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder. Non-categorical models, such as the one developed by German psychiatrist Kraepelin in the 19th century, as well as more recent ones, such as the dimensions models, are alternative approaches to diagnosis. There is a constant debate in the scientific community on the relative merits of categorical and non-categorical systems. Some people with mental health issues are stigmatized, and it can contribute to worse outcomes. There are also many movements and organisations that work to educate people on mental health issues and dispel myths about them. The Royal College of Psychiatrists campaign Changing Minds and the Carter Centre located in the United States which provides fellowships to journalists who conduct research and writing stories about mental illness and illnesses, are two examples. Diagnosis The first step to manage your symptoms is to get an accurate diagnosis of mental illness. A diagnosis can help your doctor determine what's causing your mood or behavior issues, and decide on the most effective treatment. Depending on your illness you may require outpatient treatment, hospitalization or medication. A mental health evaluation will also allow your doctor to determine if a physical illness is the cause of your symptoms. In the mental health exam, your doctor will ask you questions about how you're feeling and thinking. They may also perform physical examinations to check for signs of muscle weakness and changes in your eyesight, or difficulty walking. They will ask you about any medications you are taking in addition to over-the-counter medications and supplements. There are many different kinds of mental health tests that range from simple self-report questionnaires to brain imaging techniques. Certain tests are designed to identify specific illnesses like anxiety or depression. Certain tests are utilized to evaluate a person's abilities such as memory or concentration. The cognitive test is among the most important aspects of the mental health checkup. It identifies any disorders that affect your thinking. Your doctor will test your alertness, concentration and memory, reading comprehension, and language use. You may be asked to read a short text and be asked questions about it later. This is to check for paraphasic errors (mistakes made in pronunciation) as well as semantic errors (mistakes that are interpreted as meaning) and neologisms. Some tests are designed to measure a patient's behavior or emotions like an inventory of personality. These tests can tell you if you are optimistic, pessimistic or empathetic or competitive or if your character is more inclined to trust others or be competitive. Other tests evaluate the abilities, skills, and motivations, like the work-related competencies or the values associated with jobs. Many mental health professionals have their own set of assessment tools they prefer to utilize. They can also combine these with other methods like interviewing the client or recording physiological functions. The MMPI-2 is among the most commonly used psychometric tests around the world. It evaluates your thoughts, feelings and behaviors. It has 10 scales for clinical assessment, as well as three subscales that can detect defenses, lies, and inconsistent responses. Treatment Many people have tough times and some may even suffer from a mental disorder. Mental illness can affect the whole family. It can result in unemployment or homelessness, substance abuse and in the case of suicide, a wrongly incarceration and a diminished quality of life. Treatment for mental disorders can be highly efficient and can improve the quality of life for a person. The treatment consists of some type of therapy and medication. Some patients require a stay in a psychiatric hospital. In a mental test an expert can assess the degree to which a person's brain functions remembers, processes information and recalls it (cognitive function). The doctor will ask the patient questions and examine him or her. The doctor will also question the patient about their relationships with others. The mental health assessment can include tests to measure short-term memory which is the capacity of recalling information immediately after completing another intellectual task. The test may involve learning four concepts unrelated to each other or objects, a sentence, or someone's name and address. After 3 to 5 minutes you are asked to recall the information. The Beck Anxiety Inventory is a popular self-report test to assess anxiety. In some cases doctors may recommend an examination to rule out neurological conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's that can cause symptoms that are similar to mental disorders. During the physical exam the doctor will examine the person's reflexes and sensory perception, gait, and posture. The doctor might also conduct a urine or blood test to rule out any infection or other conditions that can affect the patient's mental condition. Talking treatments and psychiatric medications are the most common treatments for mental disorders. Talking treatments include psychotherapy and group therapy. They are usually prescribed as antidepressants, benzodiazepines and mood stabilizers. The use of psychiatric medication can ease symptoms, but it is not always efficient. The effectiveness of a treatment depends on the severity and type of the disorder, as well as the person's response to it, and how long the patient is in treatment. Early treatment can stop symptoms from getting worse and can make recovery more likely.