A Full Psychiatric Assessment
A psychiatric assessment is the first step in getting proper mental care. The psychiatrist will ask a many questions about your home and work environment stress triggers, trauma events you've experienced and any drug or alcohol issues.
Background and History
A full psychiatric evaluation, also known as psycheval, is a multidisciplinary process that occurs in hospitals. It involves psychiatric nurses, psychologists, occupational therapy, and social workers. However, the psychiatrist plays the lead in taking a complete medical history and performing an examination of mental health. The information can be obtained by direct observation, the person being assessed and their carers as well as specific psychological tests.
The doctor will ask about the patient's symptoms as well as what he or she has done in the past few months, weeks, or years. They will also ask about your family and health. This information will help the doctor determine the cause of symptoms and if they are the result of another health issue.
During this time, the psychiatrist will take a medical history and determine whether there is a history of depression, anxiety or other psychiatric issues within the family. They will also ask whether there are any physical concerns, such as heart disease or diabetes, and what medications the person is taking or has been prescribed.
In addition the psychiatrist will take note of the current symptoms and how long they have been present. They will also ask about the lifestyle of the patient which includes their work and their home. They will also talk about previous treatments and the degree of compliance. Carers and family members often share information that the patient hasn't shared with them. This is done out of respect for confidentiality and does not infringe on their privacy rights.
Depending on the severity of symptoms, a number of other tests and evaluations could be required. These could include laboratory tests, blood pressure readings or electroencephalography (EEG), which measures brain activity. They might also use IQ tests, which measure the ability to think. These tests can test spatial skills memory, concentration, memory, and communication abilities.
All psychiatric assessments should be performed by professionals who are skilled and knowledgeable. This will ensure that the diagnosis and treatment plan are correct.
Mental Status Test
The mental status examination (MSE) can be a harrowing experience for the physician as well as the patient. It is an "snapshot" which is an image of the patient in a certain moment. It is used to record the patient's thoughts and behavior at that particular time. The MSE can also prove useful in showing how a patient's mental state changes over time, such as from depression to mania.
The MSE begins with the physician's initial observations of the patient, usually during the taking of a medical history. How a patient interacts with the examiner and with their surroundings can reveal important information about the underlying mental illness. This includes the discolored appearance of a depressed patient or provocative style of manic patients. It could also signal an absence of motivation or effort as in a depressed patient or agitated person on antipsychotic medication.
It is recommended to conduct a psychiatric exam when the patient is at ease, cooperative and willing. It is a stressful and uncomfortable experience for both the patient and the examiner, and it is essential to leave a good impression. The MSE should only be a small part of the overall intake evaluation. Its results should also be carefully compared to those from other sources like imaging studies or tests in the laboratory.
Similar to the physical exam it is the MSE is not as well suited to a structured approach and most of it is determined from the physician's unstructured observations during history-taking. A detailed MSE will include descriptions of the appearance and behavior as in addition to alertness and attention, motor and speech activities as well as mood and affect perception and thinking, attitude and awareness. It should also contain a comprehensive evaluation of higher cognitive abilities such as parietal lobe functions (pictorial construction, right-left discrimination, localization of objects in space) and frontal lobe executive or diffuse cortical functions (judgment, abstract reasoning memory).
It is important that the MSE be considered as part of a full intake evaluation and that doctors interpret results with care and sensitivity. A thorough MSE can reveal a broad range of abnormalities, including those that are specific to psychiatric disorders but it must be viewed as a single point of data within the overall patient's history and is of limited clinical value by itself.
Examining the Content of Thoughts
The thought content section is the largest of the MSE sections and should contain information on delusional thinking (thoughts that are untrue) for example, jealous, persecutory, or grandiose ideas as well as hallucinations (hearing or seeing things others do not) Preoccupations (such as obsessions, worries or fears); and suicidal thoughts. These questions should be asked directly. The intensity and extent of the psychotic thinking should be described. Also the extent to which they correspond to the mood (e.g. A person suffering from depression may hear voices that are angry and urge to commit suicide, versus calm and soothing hallucinations.
Thought process is the coherence, logic, relevance and flow of the client's thoughts when they respond to the examiner's questions during the MSE interview. The doctor will also determine if the thought process is goal-directed or disorganized and if it is a rapid flow between topics without any obvious connection between them. Mental health disorders like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and mania are often characterized by disorganized, tangential and tangential thought processes.
In addition, psychologists and neuropsychologists evaluate the capacity of the client to pay attention and hold information in their memory. This can be measured through observer observations, self-report or brief tests such as counting backwards from 100 by 7s. They also evaluate the client's coping strategies and cognitive performance in everyday life, which can be evaluated through direct questions and observation of behavior.
During the MSE psychologists will be observing the client's body language and facial expressions to determine if they appear anxious or withdrawn. They also look at the client's agitation or fidgeting to determine if they are scared or anxious. Psychologists use the MSE together with other tests and assessments to determine the cause and design a treatment program. Psychologists are also trained to detect if the client's behavior is consistent with a particular mental illness or is due to a different cause such as addiction to drugs, an injury or medication side effects. This is essential in determining the best treatment option and follow-up.
Assessment of Mood, Anxiety and Stress
Everyone experiences tough times and when those issues become a problem for relationships, daily activities and even one's ability to sleep, it might be time to schedule a mental health assessment. Also known as a psych eval and a mental health check, this exam is typically performed by a psychiatrist or physician. It can be a bit daunting, and you'll need to provide a wealth of personal details. It's crucial to realize that your doctor is trying to get all the facts they need so they can provide a correct diagnosis and recommend the most effective treatment for you.
A psychiatric assessment will include an examination of your previous medical history and physical examination. This is to ensure that there aren't any physical problems that could be causing your symptoms such as 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 medications currently. When patients are unable to provide a account due to their mental state, it's crucial that the caregivers and family members of the patient more info are able to answer the questions of the doctor. 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 conversation.
During the psychiatric consult, the doctor will evaluate the emotional state of the patient by observing their body expression and voice. They'll also look at their thoughts to determine if they are related and goal-directed. For example the doctor will assess how well the patient can concentrate during the interview and whether they are able to easily switch between different thoughts. This is an important part of the evaluation, since those who are manic or psychotic may not be able to concentrate or rapidly shift their focus.
For many an evaluation for psychiatric issues is the first step to get the right treatment they require. Despite the stigma associated with mental illness, it's essential that anyone who suspects suffering from the symptoms of mental illness seek an evaluation. Don't let fear or anxiety prevent you from seeking assistance because it could have life-threatening consequences for you and the people who are around you.