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Mental Health Assessments A mental health assessment is a vital instrument for helping people evaluate their mental health. There are a variety of tools, ranging from standardized to self-reports employed by professionals to aid in this. A mental status exam is among the most frequently used. It permits counselors and doctors to look at a client’s appearance, attitude, and activities. They can also note their mood, emotions, and thoughts. Symptoms People who experience mental health issues typically experience changes in their emotions, thinking and behavior. These changes can affect their ability work and socialize. Mental illness is a serious health condition, and many of the same issues that can affect our physical health are related to our mental health, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Everyone experiences fluctuations in their mood. However, if these changes are dramatic and last for a long time, it may be an indication of a mental illness. Some common symptoms are changes in sleep, eating, or energy levels; an abrupt reduction or increase in emotions like sadness, happiness or anger; trouble recalling or concentrating on things; and feeling tired constantly. If you have concerns about your loved ones it is important not to ignore them. Contacting a helpline or visiting an expert in health can prevent mental health issues from getting worse. These changes are usually caused by life events like the loss of employment, family problems or a major accident. It is essential to seek treatment for mental illness in order to ensure that it doesn't interfere with your work or relationships. Some of these illnesses may be treated with counselling or medication. Some conditions require hospital treatment. There are over 200 mental disorders that could be classified as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and depression. Some of them are life-threatening. Some phobias are milder and don't impact daily life as significantly. The mental health of a person is affected by many factors, including genetics and biological variations and life events, lifestyle choices, stress and the way in which society treats its members. It is crucial to realize that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. It can be treated just like heart disease. Mental illness can be treated and a lot of sufferers recover with the appropriate treatment. This can include psychotherapy (talk therapy) or medication such as antidepressants or sedatives. Combining treatments is usually most effective. Self-help groups and support groups can be beneficial for some people. History A mental health history is an important part of any assessment. In addition to looking at symptoms and conducting psychological tests, a psychiatrist will need to be aware of your medical history as well as whether you have any relatives with mental illnesses. They will ask about your current medications as well as any substance or alcohol abuse you might have had in the past. In some instances doctors might require you to keep a log of your symptoms, or bring an individual or a relative along to obtain a full description from their perspective. For some an assessment of their mental health is a first step in seeking treatment for a condition. It is typically initiated by a doctor or other professional who refers the person to the doctor however, it can be initiated directly by the individual. The psychiatric examination will give professionals with the data they require to make a diagnosis. Throughout click through the following article of recorded history, Western civilization's view of mental illness was based on supernatural forces and demonic possession, leading to primitive treatment practices like drilling a hole in 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 both ways: to designate a state of well-being; and as an umbrella concept that covers both psychiatry as well as psychotherapy. Mental health is advancing to become a separate discipline. However, there has not been an absolute distinction between it and psychotherapy. The definition of mental health varies from culture to culture but the majority of systems contain elements like self-realization, an elation of achievement; happiness; and control over one's environment. However these criteria are influenced by cultural values that may exclude adolescents who have not fully developed their potential, people with low incomes, or who live in impoverished communities, and minorities who experience discrimination and rejection. Other assessment tools can be used to assess a person’s mental health. They include the DSM-5 Checklist which contains lists for specific disorders, and the Life Events Checklist which can screen for potentially distressing or traumatic events that occur in a patient’s life. Physical Examination The physical examination of the patient who is suspected of having a mental health issue is typically performed by a doctor or psychiatrist. The examination may be part of the overall physical examination, or it can be done by a health care professional when the doctor believes that a particular illness such as schizophrenia, dementia or addiction to drugs is involved. The exam provides an opportunity to assess the person's general appearance, and also the manner they respond to questions, their emotional state and whether they are hungry, thirsty or tired. The examining physician will ask the patient questions about the length of time they've had symptoms and any family history of mental health issues. The doctor will also want to know about any drugs the person uses or has previously taken such as over-the-counter medicines and supplements. A psychiatric assessment is important to determine what is happening within a person and what kind of treatment may be helpful. A diagnosis is vital, and sometimes a person needs inpatient care or medication depending on the diagnosis. his response is typically done in an inpatient hospital, but certain people undergo an assessment of their mental health in their own home by a licensed professional. The assessment of cognitive function is a major component of a mental test. This is the ability to concentrate, remember and organize information as well as solve problems and make decisions. It also includes basic social skills, such as the ability to interact with other people. To assess cognition, the person is asked to answer open-ended or standardized questions and complete short stories. The evaluation of thought contents can be a complex process like hallucinations that could be auditory or visual or tactile or olfactory, false perceptions of status, awe-inspiring powers or persecution by others, paranoid thoughts obsessive-compulsive behaviors, irrational fear or compulsions, as well as the looseness of associations (making irrelevant links between different topics) as well as suicidal or depressive thoughts. Often clinical tests are required as an additional part of an assessment of mental health like blood tests or magnetic resonance imaging to rule out other conditions and disorders that may cause similar symptoms as mental illnesses. Tests The mental state examination focuses on the various aspects of a patient's condition by direct questioning and objective observation. It involves a health care provider observing the patient's behavior, mood, level of activity and overall appearance. It may also include the use of written or verbal tests, including the standard rating systems used to evaluate symptoms. The MMPI-2 is a well-known depression test. There are other tests that can be used to assess anxiety as well as intelligence, and autism. The patient's medical history and physical examination can provide valuable information that can be used to determine whether the symptoms are related to an illness of the mind or a medical condition like hypothyroidism, diabetes, or drug abuse. In addition, some physical conditions, such as selective brain lesions, or certain types of tumors exhibit similar symptoms as psychological disorders and might require clinical or laboratory tests such as blood tests, CT scans or MRI as an additional part of the mental health assessment to determine a diagnosis. Psychological testing can be an important part of mental health assessments. It can reveal valuable information about how the patient thinks about others, interacts with them and remembers things. The results of these tests can assist the health care professional to detect various symptoms, like hallucinations (the perception of an object, a person or event that is not real) or looseness of association (the tendency to draw irrelevant connections between subjects). A psychiatric health evaluation may also include questions about the family history of the patient's psychiatric illnesses and other ailments. It will also inquire about how long symptoms have been present and their severity and how they impact daily activities. It will also ask about any prior psychiatric issues the patient has suffered from and what treatment they have received in the past. The patient should be honest in their answers, as this will allow the health professional to gain a better understanding of the state of the person. During the interview, the health care professional will be listening to the patient's speech and how they interact. They will also ask the patient about any prescription or non-prescription medicines and supplements they take and how these affect their mental health.