A Full Psychiatric Assessment
A psychiatric evaluation is the first step in getting proper mental health care. The psychiatrist will ask a number of questions about your family and work life stress triggers, trauma experiences you've had and also any alcohol or drug-related issues.
Background and History
A complete psychiatric evaluation, also known as psych eval, is typically a multi-disciplinary exercise in hospitals that involves psychiatric nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers. The psychiatrist is the one who creates the medical records in detail and conducts a mental exam. The information can be obtained by direct observation, the person being examined and their family members and through specific psychological tests.
The doctor will inquire about the patient's symptoms as well as what he or she has done in the past few months, weeks, and years. They will also ask questions about family and personal health. This information will aid the doctor in determining what is causing symptoms and if they are the result of another condition.
In this stage, the psychiatrist will take a medical history and find out whether there is an ancestry of anxiety, depression or other psychiatric conditions within the family. They will also ask if there are any physical concerns, such as diabetes or heart disease, and what medication the patient is taking or was prescribed.
Additionally the psychiatrist will take a note of the current symptoms and the length of time they've been experiencing them for. They will also inquire with the person about their lifestyle, such as their job and home life. They will also discuss prior treatments and the degree of adherence. Carers and families often share details that the patient hasn't disclosed to them. This is done to show respect for confidentiality and doesn't violate their privacy rights.
Based on the severity, additional tests and examinations may be required. These could include laboratory tests, blood pressure readings or electroencephalography (EEG), which measures brain activity. They can also take an IQ test, which measures the cognitive capacity. They can test spatial abilities as well as concentration, memory and communication abilities.
All psychiatric examinations must be conducted by professionals who are skilled and knowledgeable. This will ensure that the diagnosis and treatment plan is correct.
Mental Status Test
The mental status exam (MSE) can be a painful experience for the physician and patient. It is a "snapshot", which is a snapshot of the patient in a certain moment. It is used to describe the patient's thoughts and behavior at that specific moment. The MSE is also useful in demonstrating how a patient's state of mind changes over time. For example, from depression to manic episode.
The MSE starts when the doctor makes the first observations about the patient. This is usually done during the taking of the history. The way a patient interacts and behaves around the examiner can reveal an awful lot about the root cause of mental disorder. This includes the dishevelled appearance of a depressed patient or an aggressive style of a manic patient. It can also indicate a lack of motivation or energy, as in a depressed patient or an agitated person taking antipsychotic medication.
When a psychiatric examination is conducted, it is best done when the patient is relaxed and cooperative. It is a stressful and uncomfortable experience for the patient and the examiner, and it is essential to present a positive impression. The MSE is a small portion of the overall intake evaluation and the results should be carefully considered together with the results from other sources, such as laboratory tests or imaging studies.
Like the physical exam as well, the MSE lends itself less well to a structured approach and most of it is determined through the physician's observations during history-taking. A thorough MSE will include descriptions of appearance and behavior as in addition to alertness and attention to speech and motor activities as well as mood and affect perception and thinking and attitude as well as understanding. It should also contain a comprehensive evaluation of higher cognitive functions such as parietal lobe functions (pictorial construction, right-left discrimination, spatialization of objects) and frontal lobe executive or diffuse cerebral cortical functions (judgment abstract reasoning memory).
It is crucial that the MSE be viewed in the context of a complete intake assessment and that doctors interpret the results with sensitivity and care. A thorough MSE can reveal a range of abnormalities including those that are specific to mental disorders. However it should be considered as one data point within the patient's medical history and has more info no clinical value.
Assessment of Thought Content
The thought content section is the most extensive of the MSE sections and should contain information on delusional thinking (thoughts that are not true) - such as jealous, persecutory, or grandiose ideas and hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that others do not) Preoccupations (such as anxieties, fears or phobias); and suicidal thoughts. These questions should be directly asked. The extent and intensity of the psychopathic thoughts should be described, including whether they are mood-congruent or incongruent (e.g. a depressed patient hearing voices that are angry or urging them to kill themselves versus hallucinations that are peaceful and calm).
Thought process refers to the logic, relevance, coherence and flow of the client's thoughts when they respond to questions from the examiner during the MSE interview. Physicians will also note whether the thought process is disorganized or goal-directed, and the frequency with which it moves between one topic and the next without making a clear connection. Disorganized, tangential and circumstantial associations are thought processes that can indicate mental health conditions such as mania, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Psychologists and neuropsychologists also evaluate the client's attentional concentration and ability to hold information in short-term memory. This can be measured by self-reports, examiner observation or tests that are brief, such as counting backwards starting at 100 and then multiplying it by sevens. They also assess the client's strategies to cope and cognitive functioning in daily life, which can be measured through direct questioning and behavioral observations.
During the MSE psychologists observe the client's facial expressions and body language to determine if they appear aggressive or withdrawn. They also observe the client's agitation or fidgeting to determine if they're nervous or anxious. Psychologists typically use the MSE together with other testing and assessments to establish a diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan. Psychologists are trained to determine whether a person's behavior is caused by a mental illness, or if it is caused by a different cause such as substance abuse, an accident, or a medication adverse result. This is essential in determining the best treatment and follow-up.
Assessment of Anxiety and Mood
We all have tough times and when those issues become a problem for relationships, daily activities and even one's ability to sleep, it could be time to schedule a mental health assessment. This test for mental health is also referred to as a "psych eval" and is typically conducted by a psychiatrist or a doctor. It can be difficult, and you'll be required to provide lots of personal information. It's important to remember that your psychiatrist will want to collect all the information so they can make a correct diagnosis and recommend the right treatment for you.
A psychiatric examination will consist of an examination of your previous medical history and a physical examination. This is to ensure that there are no physical issues that could be causing your symptoms such as a thyroid problem or a neurologic disorder.
Your psychiatrist will also ask about any past psychiatric and medical problems and whether you are currently taking any medications. If a patient is not able to give a history because of their mental condition, it is essential that their family and caregivers can answer the questions. This is not a breach of confidentiality, and it permits the doctor to get more complete information than could be obtained in a face-to-face interview.
In the psychiatric consultation the doctor will evaluate the patient's emotional state by observing their voice tone and body language. They'll also evaluate their thoughts to determine if they are related and goal-directed. For instance the doctor will look at how well the patient can focus during the interview, and whether they are able to easily switch between ideas. This is an important part of the assessment, as patients who are psychotic or manic may not be able think clearly or quickly change their focus.
For many, a psychiatric evaluation is the first step in getting the appropriate treatment they require. Despite the stigma associated with mental illness, it's essential that anyone who suspects suffering from the symptoms of a mental disorder seek an evaluation. Don't let anxiety or fear stop you from seeking help. It could have dire consequences for you and others around.