Psychiatric Evaluation: How It Works and How to Prepare for It

If you injure your foot and walking hurts, you’ll go to the doctor. They’ll examine it closely and take x-rays. If there’s a fracture, they’ll inform you, and you’ll discuss treatment options so the injury can heal.

What about psychological complications? 14% of non-elderly adults in Los Angeles County experienced serious psychological distress in 2020, and many didn’t seek help for it. That makes receiving the proper care difficult and causes additional pain for the individual.

Psychiatric evaluation is to mental health conditions what an x-ray is to a foot injury. The physician will examine your psychological symptoms closely, and perform any appropriate tests. In the end, you’ll emerge with answers, and a treatment plan to improve your mental health.

Psychiatric evaluation is the first step on your path to healing. What is it, and what can you expect when attending your appointment? We regularly perform psychiatric evaluations for all age groups at BNI Clinics, and we’ll answer your questions in this blog.

Understanding the Basics: What Is a Psychiatric Evaluation?

A psychiatric evaluation is used to diagnose mental and behavioral health conditions. It typically consists of interviews and questionnaires, as well as an analysis of your family history and symptoms. Once the evaluation is complete, the mental health professional conducting it will present treatment options.

The Three Types of Psychiatric Evaluations

There are three major types of psychiatric evaluations.

General Psychiatric Evaluations

General psychiatric evaluations include comprehensive assessments performed by a mental health professional. They will carefully consider your history and what you and your loved ones tell them as they come to a conclusion. This is the traditional psychiatric evaluation, and what most individuals have in mind when they imagine one.

Emergency Evaluations

Emergency evaluations take place during instances of mental health crises. This includes when someone is a danger to themselves or others, or they are experiencing psychosis. The goal of an emergency evaluation is to determine what will help the evaluated individual as soon as possible. They will also determine what course of treatment will best support the immediate situation, such as an inpatient or partial hospitalization program.

Clinical Consultations

Clinical consultations are less detailed evaluations that can be performed by most healthcare professionals. Their primary goal is to determine if someone is experiencing psychological distress that warrants further evaluation, potential diagnosis, and/or intensive treatment.

How Mental Health Professionals Conduct Psychiatric Evaluations

Psychiatric evaluations can vary greatly in how they’re conducted based on the practitioner, the individual’s symptoms, and any suspected conditions.

No matter the evaluation, the mental health professional asks several questions related to the client’s mental health and well-being. They ask for an explanation of symptoms and how they’ve interfered with different areas of the individual’s life. They also carefully consider the client’s family mental health history, and health history as a whole to account for genetic factors or other complications. Blood tests or radiology might be involved to rule out any additional health conditions. Other psychological assessments, such as questionnaires or further tests, may also be part of the evaluation.

Questions You Can Expect During a Psychiatric Evaluation

Regardless of the type of psychiatric evaluation you receive, you can expect the mental health professional to ask you several questions. There is no exact formula for the questions they’ll ask, but here are some examples:

Do you have a family history of mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or suicide?
Did you experience any trauma during childhood?
Are you having trouble sleeping?
Have you been diagnosed with any mental health conditions before?
Do you have any other medical conditions?
Have you ever seen, heard, or smelled things that others couldn’t perceive?
How do you feel right now?
Do you have any intense fears?
How is your work/school performance?
What is your relationship with your family like?

Easing Discomfort: How to Prepare for a Psychiatric Evaluation

Prior preparation isn’t required, but it might help ease any nerves.

It’s a good idea to come up with a list of questions to ask the mental health professional ahead of time. Additionally, write down any concerns you’d like to discuss with them or that you feel are important for them to know. Individuals with intense anxiety may find it helpful to write a flexible script to read aloud instead of trying to determine what to say on the spot. You can also write down answers to the questions listed in the previous section to prepare. Make sure you are ready to answer every question as honestly as possible.

Remember that the professional you are seeing is very experienced. If you are concerned about making mistakes during your evaluation or embarrassing yourself, keep in mind that they’ve seen a variety of cases and have likely had many other mishaps in their office. They are there to assist you and other individuals with mental health conditions. They understand the effects they have on people and their behavior entirely.

Psychiatric Services and Evaluation in Los Angeles

While undergoing a psychiatric evaluation can be intimidating, it is a life-changing step toward relief from your symptoms and long-term well-being. Psychiatric services are available near you, and they offer direction and the opportunity to heal.

BNI Clinics is dedicated to bringing happiness and stability back to families in the Los Angeles area. We offer psychiatric evaluations and treatment for all age groups, keeping the entire family involved in every step of the healing process. Call us at (310) 691-5005 to get started today.

BNI Clinics: Science-based, evidence-backed, compassion-led.

FAQs

What does a psychiatric evaluation diagnose?

Psychiatric evaluations are necessary to diagnose mental and behavioral health conditions.