Mental Health Assessment - What to Expect
Mental health issues can have a an enormous impact on people's lives as well as their physical wellbeing. If you're concerned about your mental health it's essential to take action and seek help as soon as you can.
A new law has entered force, granting service users a right to access independent advocacy. It also imposes obligations on local authorities and Health Boards to offer advocacy services.
What is a Mental Health Assessment?
Mental health assessments are designed to help medical professionals understand the challenges you're facing. They can help determine the most effective treatment options for you, whether that is therapy or medication. They can also be used to keep track of your treatment over time and determine its effectiveness.
A mental health assessment begins with a discussion of your symptoms and the impact they have on your life. It's crucial to be honest during this phase. This could affect the treatment you receive.
The assessment process can include interviews and psychometric testing. These questionnaires can be either written or verbal and could be focused on how you feel, your thoughts, and your memory. They could also ask questions about your family history and prior mental health issues. As part of the evaluation the healthcare professional will also perform a physical examination. This can help them rule out any medical issues that could be contributing to your symptoms, like thyroid issues or diabetes.
During the mental health evaluation, the healthcare professional will observe your behavior and ask you about any problems at home or at work. They might inquire about your past experiences with drugs or alcohol and about any risk factors that could contribute to mental illness like a family background of depression or genetic traits. They may also ask you about any medications you're taking and check whether your symptoms are linked to a specific medication.
In some cases, a healthcare professional will choose to conduct an additional psychological exam. This is usually conducted to find out more about the cause of the symptoms and also to look at your personality, your past experiences, and interests. They may also perform tests to determine how your brain is functioning, such as testing your reaction times and looking at your eye movements. These tests are referred to as neuropsychological tests.
A psychologist or psychiatrist may complete a psychiatric assessment. These are doctors with specialist training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. They will assess you using an amalgamation of physical and psychological techniques and will discuss your condition in detail.
What happens during an assessment of mental health?
The doctor will ask you about your thoughts, feelings, and behavior. They will also look at any previous diagnoses or treatments that you might have had. They will also consider your family history, social history and any other information they believe could be useful in determining the source of your symptoms. It is important that you answer all the questions with honesty. This will give the doctor the best chance to get an accurate diagnosis.
It is essential to be honest and transparent when answering the questions. The evaluation will assist your doctor to determine what could be causing your symptoms, and the best treatment for you.
During the appointment the doctor will observe your appearance, behavior and your interactions with other people. They will look for signs of anxiety, psychosis or depression. They will also try to understand the emotions you are experiencing.
They should also know if you are taking any medication and what sort of work you perform. They will also need to know whether you have had any kind of trauma in the past and whether you know of people who have experienced similar problems. They should know whether you have heart disease or diabetes which could be responsible for the symptoms.
assessing mental health could last between 30 and 90 minutes depending on why you are being examined. The doctor will ask you to complete written or verbal tests to take during the examination and may perform a physical exam as well.
You have the right to ask for an additional opinion if you are not satisfied with the results of your mental health assessment. You can request this through your local NHS trust. Alternatively, you can ask your psychiatrist or care co-ordinator for assistance and advice on this.
What can I expect during a mental health assessment?
The assessing professional will inquire about your medical history, family history, and any other symptoms you've experienced. They may also review your current medications and past treatments for psychiatric issues. This review is crucial because it allows professionals to rule out physical causes of your symptoms.
Your examination will also involve a physical exam. This could include urine and blood tests as along with an assessment of your balance and reflexes. If you think you're suffering from a neurological issue, they may also order an EEG or CT scan.
It is important to be honest and answer all questions asked by the doctor assessing you. This will allow them to form an accurate diagnosis and identify the most effective treatment option for you. However, remember that it could take time to receive an accurate diagnosis. It's common for people to feel anxious and frustrated while they wait for a diagnosis.
In certain situations, a full mental health evaluation will include the person being examined for signs of suicidal behaviour or violence towards themselves or others. This is often a serious part of the assessment and will require the assistance of a qualified therapist.
If the mental health assessors discover that a person poses a threat to themselves or others, they may determine that the person has to be admitted to hospital. Based on the circumstances, they may be admitted immediately after their evaluation or after.
The professionals will also be able observe how a person interacts with relatives and other individuals. They will inquire about the most important causes of stress and any traumatizing experiences the person has experienced. Before the assessment can start, the doctor who will be conducting it must have the authorization and consent forms signed by the individual.
You can always get an additional opinion if family members of the individual are concerned that the experts assessing them might not be giving the best diagnosis. This can be done by their GP, private therapists, or community mental health services.
What can I do if I'm not satisfied with my mental health assessment report?
If you aren't satisfied with the results of your assessment, it's important that you make a statement. Health and social care professionals should always provide a clear explanation of what will happen during an appointment and the length of time it will take. They should also tell you who they'll be sharing information with, and why and get your permission before doing so. You may bring a friend, or advocate to your assessment. They could represent your interests and your opinions. They can be volunteers, like mental health professionals, or they could be professionals, like lawyers.
Some people might feel the process of having a mental health assessment difficult or even painful, but it's important to remember that the purpose is to help you improve. If you can't be honest with the person conducting the assessment they won't be able to evaluate your needs and properly treat you.
NHS offers free mental health services, but you should be aware that there may be waiting lists and that the wait could cause your symptoms to get worse. If you're not able to wait for treatment, you can pay privately to receive an assessment and treatment. This isn't a viable option for everyone, but if you are able to pay for it, it's worth looking into.
It is important to keep in mind that the NHS has changed. New Integrated Care Systems have been implemented in a few areas of England and these combine different health and care organisations. This means that you could be referred to a different Mental Health Team (MHT) than you were before.
If you think the treatment or assessment you're receiving isn't working for you, it's important to voice your concerns. This can be challenging but it's crucial to speak up. Your mental health professional will be able to provide an additional opinion or refer you to another service. If they don't then you may want to ask an advocacy group that is independent like Rethink or Mind to file an appeal on your behalf.
If you are moving your home, the MHT will transfer your entire support to a new provider as quickly as they can. However this isn't always the case. It's also worth letting your MHT know that you are moving home in order to determine the amount of support you receive from them.