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Mental Health Assessment – What to Expect Mental health issues can have a major impact on a person's mental and physical health. If you're concerned about your mental wellbeing it's essential to take action and seek help as quickly as possible. A new law is now in force that grants the users of services the right to have independent advocacy. It also imposes obligations on local authorities and Health Boards to provide advocacy services. What is an assessment of mental health? Mental health assessments are designed to assist healthcare professionals to understand the issues you're facing. They can be used to assist in finding the most effective treatment for you, whether that is medication or therapy. They can also be used to keep track of your treatment over time and assess its effectiveness. A mental health evaluation begins by discussing your symptoms and the impact they have on your life. It's crucial to be honest during this stage of the process. This could be a major influence on the treatment you receive. The assessment process can include various methods, such as interviews and psychometric tests. These questionnaires may be verbal or written, and may ask questions about your feelings, thoughts, and memory. They may also ask questions about things like your family history and prior mental health issues. In addition to these questionnaires, the healthcare professional may decide to conduct a physical exam as part of the examination. This can help them rule out any medical conditions that may be causing your symptoms, such as diabetes or thyroid problems. When you undergo a mental health evaluation an expert in healthcare will be watching you and asking about any issues that you might face at home or work. They may also ask about your previous experiences with drugs or alcohol and any risk factors for mental illness, like a family history of depression or genetic traits. They could also inquire about any medication you're taking and determine whether your symptoms are connected to a specific medication. In some cases, a healthcare professional will opt to conduct more thorough psychological tests. This is usually done to find out more about the underlying cause of the symptoms and also to examine your personality, past experiences, and hobbies. They may also perform tests to assess the way your brain works including taking note of your reaction times and looking at your eye movements. These tests are referred to as neuropsychological tests. A psychiatric assessment is performed by a psychologist or psychiatrist. These are doctors with specialization in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. They will assess you using a combination of psychological and physical methods and will explain your diagnosis in depth. What happens during an assessment of mental health? The doctor will inquire about your thoughts, feelings, and behavior. They will also take into consideration any previous diagnoses or treatments that you might have received. They will also look at your family history and social history as well as any other information that could help them work out what is causing your symptoms. Answer all questions honestly. This will give the doctor the best chance of receiving an accurate diagnosis. It is essential to be honest and forthcoming when answering the questions. This is because the assessment will help your doctor figure out what might be causing your symptoms and which type of treatment would be the most suitable for you. During the interview your doctor will also be looking at how you are behaving, your appearance and the way you interact with other people. They will be looking for any signs of anxiety, depression or psychosis. They will try to understand why you might be feeling the way that you do. They should also know if you are taking any medication and what kind of work you are doing. They will also need to be aware of if you've experienced any trauma in the past and whether you know someone who has had similar problems. They should also know if you have a medical condition that could be the cause of the symptoms, such as heart disease or diabetes. The assessment could last between 30 and 90 minutes depending on why you are being assessed. The doctor will require written or verbal tests to take during the exam and may perform a physical exam as well. You are entitled to request an additional opinion if you are unhappy with the results of your mental health assessment. Your local NHS trust will have a system to handle this and can arrange it for you. You can also ask your psychiatrist or care coordinator for assistance and advice on this. What do I get from a mental health test? The assessing professional will ask about your medical background, family history, and any symptoms you've experienced. They might also review your past treatments for psychiatric disorders and the current medication. This is important as it will allow professionals to identify any physical cause for your symptoms. Your examination will also involve an examination of your body. It could involve urine and blood tests and also a review of your reflexes. If you think you're suffering from a neurological issue it is possible to request an EEG or CT scan. It is crucial to be truthful and answer all questions asked by the doctor assessing you. This will help them identify the problem and determine which treatment is the best for you. Remember that getting an accurate diagnosis may take time. It's common for patients to feel anxious and frustrated while waiting for a diagnosis. In some cases, a full mental health assessment will involve examining an individual for any indications of suicidal behavior or violence toward them or others. This is often a very serious aspect of the evaluation and will require the help of a qualified psychotherapist. If mental health assessors decide that someone poses a risk to themselves or others, they could decide that this person needs to be admitted into a hospital. Based on the circumstances, they might be admitted right after the evaluation or at a later date. The professionals will also be able see how a person interacts with family members and with other people. find more information 'll ask questions about the most significant sources of stress as well as any traumatic events that have occurred in the person's life. The medical professionals who conduct the evaluation will need to have completed consent and authorization forms from the individual before the evaluation can begin. You can always seek an additional opinion if family members of the person are concerned that the professionals assessing them might not give the best diagnosis. This can be done through your GP or private therapists, or through community mental health services. What should I do if I'm not satisfied with my mental health assessment? It is important to let your voice be heard if you are not satisfied with the results of an assessment. Health and social care professionals should always explain the appointment, indicating what will take place and how long it's anticipated to last. They should also inform you who they will be sharing information with and why and get your permission before doing so. You may bring an advocate or a friend to your assessment. They can represent your interests and opinions. They could be professionals such as lawyers or even volunteers such as mental health charity workers. Some people may feel the process of having a mental health assessment difficult or even painful, but it's important to remember that the aim is to help you improve. If you're not able to be honest with the professional carrying out the assessment, it's not likely that they'll be able to evaluate and treat you properly. NHS offers free mental health care however, you must be aware that there might be waiting lists and the wait could cause your symptoms to worsen. If you're unable to wait, you can pay for an evaluation and treatment in private. This isn't a viable option for everyone but when you can afford it, it's worth taking into consideration. It's important to be aware that the NHS has changed. In certain parts of England there are new Integrated Care Systems were introduced that bring together different health care and health organizations. You could be referred by an entirely different Mental Health Team than before. It's crucial to voice your concerns in the event that you don't agree with the way of treatment or assessment. It's not easy, but it's essential to speak up. Your mental health professional should be able to arrange an additional opinion or refer you to another service. If they don't, it might be worth seeking a complaint be filed on your behalf by an independent advocacy group like Rethink or Mind. The MHT will transfer your services to the new one as soon as is possible in the event of a move, but this isn't a guarantee. You should also let your MHT know you are moving, as this could impact the support you receive from them.