A Full Psychiatric Assessment

A psychiatric assessment is the first step in receiving the proper treatment for your mental health. The psychiatrist will ask you a many questions about your home and work life stress triggers, trauma events that you've been through and any drug or alcohol issues.

Background and Histories

A full psychiatric assessment, or Full Psychiatric Assessment psych eval, is usually a multi-disciplinary procedure in hospitals that involves psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists and social workers. However, the psychiatrist takes the lead role in taking a complete medical history and carrying out an examination of mental health. This information can be gathered by direct observation, the person being examined and their caregivers as well as specific psychological tests.

The doctor will ask the patient about their symptoms and what they have been doing in the past few months, weeks and years. They will also ask questions about personal and family health. This information can aid the doctor in determining what is causing the symptoms and if they're the result of another illness.

In this phase, a psychiatrist will ask about your medical history to determine if you have any family history of anxiety, depression or other psychiatric disorders. They will also want to know if the person is suffering from any physical ailments, such as heart disease or diabetes, and what medications they are currently taking or have been prescribed in the past.

Additionally the psychiatrist will make note of the current symptoms and the length of time they've been suffering for. They will also ask the patient about their life like their work and home life. They will also discuss the patient's prior treatment and the degree of compliance to it. Carers and families 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 right to privacy.

Based on the severity of symptoms, a range of other tests and observations may be required. These could include laboratory tests, blood pressure readings or electroencephalography (EEG), which measures brain activity. They could also take IQ tests, which measure the ability to think. These can test spatial skills as well as concentration, memory and communication skills.

All psychiatric assessments must be conducted by professionals who are skilled and knowledgeable. This will ensure that the diagnosis and treatment plan are accurate.

Mental Status Examining

The mental status examination (MSE) can be a terrifying experience for both the physician as well as the patient. It's an "snapshot" of the patient at a specific moment, and can be useful to describe the patient's behavior and thoughts at that time. The MSE is also helpful in illustrating how a patient's state of mind changes over time. For instance, it can show the transition from depression to manic episode.

The MSE begins when the physician makes the first observations about the patient. It is usually performed during the process of taking the history. How a patient interacts the examiner and with their surroundings can reveal important information about the underlying disorder in the psyche. This includes the dishevelled look of a depressed person or the flamboyant style of manic patients. It can also indicate an absence of motivation or effort as in a depressed patient or agitated person on antipsychotic medication.

If a psychiatric exam is performed it is best when the patient is calm and cooperative. Both the examiner and patient might feel uncomfortable during the interview. It is important to convey the right impression. The MSE should be a small portion of the overall intake evaluation, 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 physician during the process of taking a history. Nevertheless, a detailed MSE should include descriptions of the general appearance and behavior, alertness and attentiveness as well as speech and motor activity mood and affect, thoughts and perception, attitude and insight. It should also include a thorough evaluation of higher cognitive functions like parietal lobe function (pictorial construction and discrimination between right-left and left, the localization of objects in space) and frontal lobe executive or diffuse cerebral cortical functions (judgment, abstract reasoning, memory).

It is essential that the MSE be considered in the context of a thorough intake evaluation, and that physicians interpret the results with sensitivity and care. A thorough MSE can reveal a broad variety of abnormalities, including some that are specific to psychiatric disorders but it must be viewed as a single data point in the overall history of the patient and has little clinical value by itself.

Examining Thought Content

The largest section of the MSE is the thought content. It should contain details on delusional thoughts (thoughts which are not true) - such a persecutory or grandiose ideas hallucinations (hearing things or seeing things that other people cannot); preoccupations, (such as worries or obsessions) and suicidal thoughts. These questions should be addressed directly. The intensity and extent of the psychopathic thinking needs to be described. Also, whether or not they correspond to the mood (e.g. A person suffering from depression may hear voices that are angry and prompt them to commit suicide, versus calm and soothing hallucinations.

Thought process is the logic, relevance, coherence and flow of the client's thinking as they respond to the questions of the examiner during the MSE interview. Physicians will also note whether the thought process is not organized or goal-directed, and if it jumps between one topic and the next without a clear connection. Mental health conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and mania may be characterized by tangential, disorganized and circumstantial thinking processes.

Psychologists and neuropsychologists also assess the client's focus on task and capacity to store information in short-term memory. This can be measured through self-reports, examiner observations or brief tests, such as counting backwards starting at 100 and multiplying it by sevens. They also can assess the client's coping mechanisms and cognitive performance that is measured by direct questions and behavioral observations.

During the MSE psychologists observe the client's body language and facial expressions to determine if they seem aggressive or withdrawn. They also look at the client's restlessness and fidgeting to determine if they are fearful or anxious. Psychologists employ the MSE together with other tests and assessments to determine the cause and develop a treatment plan. Psychologists are also trained to detect whether the client's behavior is similar to a particular mental illness or full psychiatric assessment is caused by a different reason like alcohol abuse, injury or medication side effect. This information is crucial to determining the best treatment and follow-up.

Assessment of Mood, Anxiety and Stress

It's normal to experience difficult times. But when these problems start to affect relationships, daily activities and even sleep, it might be time to schedule an appointment for a psychiatric examination. Also known as a psych eval, this mental health exam is typically performed by a psychiatrist or doctor. The procedure isn't easy and you'll usually have plenty of information you'll have to share. It's important to remember that your psychiatrist will want to collect all the information so they can come up with a valid diagnosis and suggest the appropriate treatment for you.

A psychiatric examination will consist of physical and mental examinations of your medical history. This is to make sure that your symptoms aren't caused by a physical condition like thyroid disorders or an illness of the nervous system.

Additionally the doctor will inquire about any other psychiatric or medical issues you've faced in the past, and whether you're currently taking any medications currently. If a patient is not able to give a history because of their mental health, it's essential that their family members and caregivers are able to answer the questions. This is not a breach of confidentiality, and it permits the doctor to gather more details than he would in a face-toface interview.

During the psychiatric consultation, the doctor will evaluate the emotional state of the patient through observation of their body expression and voice. They'll also evaluate their thoughts to determine if they're connected and goal-oriented. The doctor will examine, for example, how well the patient is able to focus and switch between thoughts during the interview. This is an important part of the assessment, as patients who are psychotic or manic may not be able to concentrate or quickly change their focus.

A psychiatric evaluation is usually the first step in getting the care you need. It is important that anyone who suspects that they are suffering from symptoms of mental illness get an evaluation. Do not let your anxiety or fear prevent you from seeking help. It could have dire consequences for you and others around.