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Mental Health Assessment – What to Expect Mental health issues can have an impact on the lives of people and their physical wellbeing. If you're concerned about your mental health, it is imperative to act and seek help as soon as possible. A new law has come into force, granting customers of services the right to have independent advocacy. It also imposes obligations on local authorities and Health Boards to provide advocacy services. What is a Mental Health Assessment? Mental health assessments are made by healthcare professionals to help them understand your problems. They can be used to assist in finding the most effective treatment for you, regardless of whether it is medication or therapy. They can also be used to determine the effectiveness of your current treatment as well as monitor changes over time. A mental health evaluation begins with a discussion of your symptoms and their impact on your life. It's important to be honest with your health professional during this phase of the process, since it could have a huge impact on what kind of treatment you end up receiving. The process of assessment can involve various methods, including interviews as well as psychometric tests. These questionnaires can be either written or verbal, and can concentrate on questions regarding how you feel as well as your thoughts and your memory. These questionnaires may also ask about your family history or any previous mental health issues. As part of the evaluation, the healthcare professional will perform a physical examination. This can help them rule any medical issues that could be contributing to the symptoms you're suffering from, for example, thyroid or diabetes. In a mental health assessment A healthcare professional will examine you and ask about any issues that you may have at home or at work. They may also inquire about your past experience with alcohol or drugs and any risk factors for mental illness, like an ancestor's history of depression or genetic traits. They might also inquire about any medication you're taking, and will determine whether any of your symptoms are related to specific medications. In some cases, the medical professional might opt to conduct an deep psychological examination. This is usually done to find out more about the cause of symptoms and to examine your personality, past experiences, and hobbies. They may also conduct tests to determine how your brain is working, such as measuring your reaction times and observing your eye movements. These tests are also known as neuropsychological testing. A psychiatric assessment is performed by a psychiatrist or psychologist. They are doctors who have specialist training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. They will evaluate you using a combination of psychological and physical methods, and will discuss your condition with you in detail. What happens during a psychological assessment? 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 received. They will also look at your family history, social history and any other information they believe might be helpful in determining the cause of your symptoms. Answer all questions truthfully. This will give your doctor the best chance to make an accurate diagnosis. It is crucial 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 examination, your doctor will also pay attention to how you conduct yourself in your appearance, how you dress and the manner in which you interact with others. They will be looking for signs of psychosis, anxiety, or depression, and will attempt to determine what you feel. They will also need to be aware of if you're taking any medication and what kind of work you perform. They should also know about any past trauma that you've been through and will be interested in knowing if you have any friends or family who have experienced similar problems. They will want to know whether you have heart disease or diabetes which could be the cause of the symptoms. The test can last between 30 minutes and 90 minutes depending the reason why you're being seen. The doctor will require written or verbal tests to complete during the assessment and might conduct a physical exam as well. You are entitled to ask for an alternative opinion if you're not satisfied with the results of your mental health assessment. Your local NHS trust has a procedure for this and will be able to arrange it for you. Alternately, you can contact your psychiatrist or care coordinator for help and advice on this. What can I expect from a mental health evaluation? The doctor who examines you will ask you questions about your medical history, family history and any symptoms that you have experienced. They will also review previous treatment for psychiatric issues and current medications. This is important since it will allow professionals to rule out any physical reasons for your symptoms. The test will include physical examination. It could involve urine and blood tests as along with an assessment of your reflexes and balance. If you think you're suffering from a neurological problem it is possible to request an EEG or CT scan. It is important to be truthful and answer all questions posed by the professional conducting an assessment of you. This will enable them to identify the problem and determine which treatment is best for you. Be aware that getting a precise diagnosis may take time. It's common for patients to feel anxious and frustrated as they wait for a diagnose. In some cases, an assessment of mental health may include an in-depth exam of the patient to find indicators such as suicidal thoughts or aggression toward themselves or others. mental assessment is often a serious aspect of the evaluation and will require the help of a qualified therapist. If mental health assessors determine that someone is a risk to themselves or others, they might decide that this person needs to be admitted to hospital. Based on the circumstances the person could be admitted right away following their evaluation or after. The assessing professionals will also be able observe how the person interacts with their family and with other people in their life. They'll ask questions about the most significant sources of stress, as well as any traumatic events that have occurred in the life of the person. The doctors who carry out the examination will need have completed authorization and consent forms from the person before the evaluation can begin. You can always seek a second opinion if the family members of the individual are concerned that the experts conducting the assessment might not give the best diagnosis. This can be done via their physician or private therapists, or community mental health services. What should I do if I am not happy with my mental health assessment report? It is crucial to tell someone if you are not satisfied with the results of an assessment. Health and social care professionals must always be able to explain what happens during an appointment and how long it will last. They should also tell you the reasons and the reason they will share your information and ask permission before sharing. You may bring a person who is a friend or advocate with you to your appointment and they could represent your opinions and interests. They could be volunteers like mental health charity workers or they could be professionals, like lawyers. Some people might be able to find the experience of undergoing an assessment of their mental health challenging or stressful however, it's important to remember that the goal is to help you recover. If you're not able to be open with the professional who's conducting the assessment, it's unlikely that they'll be able to assess and treat you effectively. The NHS offers free mental health services but it's important to consider that there might be waiting lists for treatment and this can make your condition worse. If you are unable to wait for treatment, you may pay privately to receive an assessment and treatment. This isn't a viable option for everyone but if you are able to afford it, it's definitely worth looking into. It's important to be aware that the NHS has changed. In parts of England there are new Integrated Care Systems were introduced that bring together different health care and health organizations. This means that you could be being referred to an entirely different Mental Health Team (MHT) than before. It's important that you be vocal in the event that you don't agree with the treatment or the assessment. It's not easy, but it's essential to make a statement. Your mental health professional will be able to arrange for an additional opinion or refer you to a different service. If they do not suggest it, you could ask an independent advocacy group like Rethink or Mind, to make a complaint on your behalf. If you are moving your home, the MHT will transfer all your care to a new service as quickly as they can. However it's not guaranteed. It's also a good idea to let your MHT know that you're moving to a new home, as this can affect the level of support you receive from them.