Mental Health Diagnosis
If your mental health concerns are persistent or severe, it's best to get an official diagnosis. This can help your health care provider and help you understand what is the reason for your symptoms, so you can treat it.
It is crucial to determine the insurance coverage and eligibility for support services.
Diagnosis
Mental health is a mix of thoughts, emotions and behaviors. It affects how someone reacts to stress, as well as how they perform at work as well as in relationships with their family. It can also impact learning and resilience. Early intervention is crucial to addressing a mental illness. If you wait to seek treatment, it could make symptoms worse. It is also much easier to treat earlier a condition is recognized and treated.
A physical exam may be performed to rule out any other causes, such as a medical issue or drug-related side effects. There is no test in the lab to determine if someone is suffering from mental illness, similar to the tests for thyroid issue or diabetes. The doctor will rather listen to the patient, observe them and ask questions. They will use training manuals, like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), to determine the diagnosis. It is possible for someone's diagnosis to change over time as the mental health professional becomes more familiar with symptoms and the impact they have on their life.
After a diagnosis has been made, the next step is to choose the best treatment plan. This may include talk therapy (psychotherapy) and possibly medications. It is also important to consider lifestyle factors that can aid in the treatment of a mental disorder like getting enough rest, eating healthy and staying physically active.
Encourage someone you love to seek help from an expert in mental health when they are struggling. It is helpful to have a person who is supportive like a friend or family member take them to an appointment. Everyone will benefit from an open and honest discussion. Make sure you call 911 immediately if a person is showing suicidal behaviors. Other options to help them include recommending self-help publications or wellness activities and joining an online support group. Encouragement is important, as is reminding the person asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.
Signs and symptoms
Although everyone experiences changes in their emotions and behavior from time to time, if those symptoms begin to affect your daily routine or worsen over time, they may be a sign of mental illness. It's important to begin by taking the first step of recognizing these symptoms, and then reaching out to a physician or mental health specialist for assistance.
A medical doctor or psychologist will inquire about your symptoms, their duration and if there are any events in your life that may explain the symptoms. They will also consult the book Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5) to help them determine the correct diagnosis. This book describes the defining characteristics and symptoms of every disorder, as well as lists specific criteria like what is required in order to be considered a disorder, and it is crucial that doctors or psychologists follow this guidance exactly.
Once a mental disorder is diagnosed, it may be treated by therapy or medication (also called therapy with a talk). Other self-care methods, such as exercising, eating a balanced diet and taking enough rest may be beneficial to some people. Some people may need to alter their lifestyle to help manage their symptoms. For example they may not be able to handle too many responsibilities, or reduce their workload when they're suffering from severe symptoms.
The primary goal of treatment is to ease symptoms and their impact on a person's quality of living. The longer a patient waits to seek treatment the more difficult it will be to overcome the symptoms and live a normal life. People who are experiencing mental health symptoms should talk to a medical professional or contact a hotline to seek assistance as soon as they can. People in emergency situations or those who might risk harming themselves or others are advised to contact 911. The health care provider will likely do an examination to rule out any physical ailments that may be causing the symptoms prior to referring them to a mental health professional or psychiatrist.
Treatment
It's important to consult an expert in the event that you or someone you care about is experiencing signs of mental illness, such as being depressed, anxious or experiencing mood swings. First, you should consult your doctor of your family, who may refer you to a mental healthcare professional such as a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker counselor.
Your mental health professional might start with a physical exam to rule out other medical causes for symptoms, for example thyroid problems. They'll then use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (DSM-5) from the American Psychiatric Association to make a diagnosis.
The process could take weeks or even months. It's possible that your diagnosis will alter if your symptoms are worse or improve. Your healthcare provider could design a treatment program specifically for you, which may include counseling, medication, or lifestyle changes. Your treatment team will closely follow you. You might be required to attend individual or group therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy or reprocessing traumatic events with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR). You can also try natural therapies such as acupuncture or meditation.
After receiving an diagnosis, you may be relieved. It gives a name to the problem that you've been facing. But it's also possible you'll feel uncomfortable about the diagnosis, or be concerned that people will treat you differently.
A diagnosis of mental illness is an effective tool that can help you recover and feel better. It could also help you qualify for disability support or protection from work under the Americans with Disabilities Act or safeguard your health insurance coverage.
Mental illness can trigger a variety of problems, but most of them can be treated. Some of them are medications such as antidepressants and sedatives. Other therapies are talk therapy, such as psychotherapy, which is sometimes referred to as "talking cure." These techniques include relaxation training, reworking negative thoughts and behaviors as well as other strategies. Some individuals require the services of a hospital or a residential program to manage their symptoms when they're extremely severe.
Recovery
After you've been diagnosed the next step is to continue with treatment. This could include psychotherapy or group therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy or cognitive behavior therapy, family therapy, or natural healing therapies such as meditation, breathing and art therapy. These methods are often utilized in conjunction with medication to treat symptoms. Your mental health professionals will work with to develop an approach to treatment that meets your needs.
Recovery is not linear, and you may experience some setbacks. But over time you'll probably notice improvements - your symptoms becoming less threatening and a decrease in their severity. In fact, it's important to celebrate these accomplishments even the smallest of them. These are steps in the right direction and put you on a path towards recovery and the life you've always wanted.
how to get a mental health assessment to have a solid support system as you work through the recovery process. This could be a group of close family members, friends as well as professionals in mental health, or a person in your support group who is knowledgeable about your illness. Ask your therapist or doctor what services are available for you and what resources they would recommend.
You can also find out what your insurance covers, and the mental health professionals you can connect to through the network. You may also want to look into Employee Assistance Programs at your workplace, or contact your local mental health organization to learn about programs and activities that might be available to you.
Mental illnesses are not treatable, but they are able to be managed. With a proper diagnosis and treatment, you'll be able to live the life you want and not be defined by your illness. So keep learning about your condition, talk to your doctors about what you're experiencing and go day by day. You'll eventually realize that the diagnosis doesn't mean you're bound to die, but it does make your life more difficult. It's worth it to go through the process.