A Full Psychiatric Assessment
A psychiatric assessment is the first step in getting proper mental care. The psychiatrist will ask you a number of questions about your work and home life, sources of stress, any significant traumas you've had, as well as whether you've had substance or alcohol-related issues.
Background and History
A full psychiatric evaluation or psycheval is a multidisciplinary process that takes place in hospital settings. It involves psychiatric nurses and psychologists, occupational therapy and social workers. However, the psychiatrist plays a lead role in taking a detailed medical history and performing a mental state examination. This information may be obtained directly from observation or the person being examined their caregivers and also through specific psychological tests.
The doctor will inquire about the patient's symptoms as well as what he or she has done in the last few months, weeks, or years. They will also want to know about their personal and family health. This information can help the doctor determine what is causing the symptoms and if they are caused by a different health issue.
In this phase the psychiatrist will inquire about your medical history to determine if you have an ancestral history of depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders. They will also ask if there are any physical issues such as heart disease or diabetes and what medications the patient is taking or was prescribed.
Additionally the psychiatrist will take note of the present symptoms and how long they've been suffering for. They will also ask about the person's lifestyle, including their job and home environment. They will also discuss previous treatment and the level of compliance. Carers and family members often share information that the patient hasn't shared with them. This is done in a way of respect for confidentiality and does not violate their privacy rights.
Depending on the severity of the issue, additional tests and examinations may be required. These could include laboratory tests, blood pressure readings or electroencephalography (EEG), which measures brain activity. They may also use IQ test, which tests the cognitive capacity. These tests test concentration, spatial abilities, memory, and communication skills.
All psychiatric examinations should be performed by professionals who are skilled and knowledgeable. This will help ensure that the diagnosis is correct and that the patient receives a treatment plan that best suits their needs.
Mental Status Test
Mental status examinations (MSEs) can be frightening for both the doctor and patient. It is a "snapshot" of the patient in a specific moment, and can be useful to describe the patient's behavior and thoughts at that time. The MSE can also be useful in describing how a patient's state mind changes over time. For instance, it can show the transition from depression to manic episodes.
The MSE starts when the doctor makes the first observations about the patient. This is typically done during the taking of the history. The way a patient interacts and behaves around the examiner can reveal something about the root of the mental disorder. This can be the case with the sloppy appearance of a depressed patient or an aggressive style of manic patients. It could also be a sign of lack of motivation or effort in someone who is depressed or taking antipsychotic medication.
If a psychiatric test is performed it is best to do it when the patient is at ease and cooperative. It can be a difficult and uncomfortable experience for both the patient and the examiner and it is important to make a good impression. The MSE should be a small portion of the overall intake assessment, and the results should be considered in conjunction with findings from other sources such as imaging studies or laboratory tests.
The MSE is not as structured as physical examinations and most of the information gathered is taken by the doctor during the history-taking procedure. Nevertheless, a detailed MSE should include descriptions of the general appearance and behavior, alertness and attentiveness, motor and speech activity as well as mood and affect, thoughts and perception as well as attitude and understanding. It should also include a thorough assessment of higher cognitive functions like parietal lobe function (pictorial construction and right-left discrimination, as well as the localization of objects in space) and frontal lobe executive or diffuse cortical functions (judgment abstract reasoning memory).
It is important that the MSE be viewed as part of a thorough intake evaluation, and that physicians interpret results with sensitivity and care. A thorough MSE can reveal a range of abnormalities, some of which are specific to mental disorders. However it should be considered as a single data point in the patient's history and is of no clinical value.
Evaluation of Thought Content
The thought content section is the most extensive of the MSE sections and should include information on delusional thinking (thoughts that aren't true) - such as persecutory, grandiose or jealous thoughts; hallucinations (hearing or seeing things others don't); preoccupations (such as anxieties, fears or fears) and suicidal ideas. These questions should be addressed directly. The extent and intensity of the psychopathic thoughts should be described, including whether they are mood congruent or not (e.g. A depressed patient might hear voices that are angry, and may urge them to commit suicide, versus calm and peaceful hallucinations.
The thought process is the logic, relevance and coherence of the client's responses to MSE interviewer's questions. Physicians also note if the thought process is goal-directed or disorganized and if it is a rapid flow between topics without a clear connection between them. Mental health conditions like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and mania may be characterized by tangential, disorganized, and circumstantial thought processes.
Additionally, psychologists and neuropsychologists examine the client's ability to focus attention and hold information in their memory. This can be assessed through observer observations, self-report, or short tests such as counting backwards from 100 by 7s. They also evaluate the client's strategies for coping and cognitive functioning in daily life, which can be evaluated through direct questions and behavioral observations.
During the MSE psychologists observe the client's body language and facial expressions to determine if they appear aggressive or withdrawn. They also look at the client's agitation and fidgeting in order to determine whether they are anxious or scared. Psychologists employ the MSE together with other tests and assessments to determine the cause and design a treatment program. Psychologists are trained to determine the severity of a client's behavior caused by a mental illness, or if it is caused by a different cause such as alcohol abuse, an accident or medication adverse result. This is essential in determining the best treatment and follow-up.
Assessment of Anxiety and Mood
It's normal to experience difficult times. However, when these issues begin to affect relationships, daily activities or even sleep, it may be time to schedule an appointment for a psychiatric assessment. Also called a psych eval or mental health examination, this type of test is usually performed by a psychiatrist or doctor. The procedure isn't easy and there's usually lots of information you'll need to disclose. It's important to remember that your therapist wants to gather all the relevant information so that they can come up with a valid diagnosis and suggest the appropriate treatment for you.
A psychiatric assessment will include physical and mental examinations of your medical history. This is to confirm that there aren't any physical issues that could be causing your symptoms like thyroid problems or a neurologic condition.
In addition, your psychiatrist will inquire about any other psychiatric or medical problems you've had in the past, and whether you're taking any medication currently. In cases where patients are unable to provide a history due to their mental condition it is crucial that their caregivers and family members are able to answer the questions of the doctor. This is not a breach of confidentiality, and allows the doctor to obtain more information than he would in a face-to-face interview.
In the psychiatric consultation the doctor will examine the emotional state of the patient through observation more info of their body language and tone of voice. They will also look at their thoughts to determine whether they are focused and related. The doctor will assess for instance, how well the patient can focus and switch between ideas during the interview. This is an important aspect to the assessment as the manic or psychotic patient might not be able think clearly and swiftly shift their focus of thought.
A psychiatric examination is often the first step towards getting the treatment you require. It is important that anyone who suspects that they are suffering from symptoms of mental illness should seek an evaluation. Don't let anxiety or fear stop you from seeking help. It could have a serious impact on you and those around.