A mental health assessment isn't like a quiz that you take online. Instead, these assessments are scored by licensed mental health care providers using their expertise. Your psychologist, psychiatrist, or clinical social worker will use your responses to determine which mental health problems, if any, that you are suffering from. From there, they will determine the right treatment for you. Here are some things that may happen after you complete a mental health assessment:
1. You may or may not receive a formal diagnosis
Your mental health care provider will use your mental health assessment to make a diagnosis. However, they may or may not share this diagnosis with you. Some patients find it helpful to be able to put a name to the symptoms they experience on a regular basis. Other patients may find knowing their diagnosis to be a stumbling block. Your mental health care provider will make an executive decision regarding whether or not to share their diagnosis with you. If you have a strong preference one way or another, you can make your preference known.
2. Your mental health care provider may suggest counseling
Psychological counseling is one of the most effective treatments for depression and other types of mental illness. After you have been evaluated, your mental health care provider will likely suggest that you start counseling immediately. You may not notice the effects of counseling right away, but over time, the things you learn in counseling can help you better cope with your depression and other mental health challenges.
3. You may be prescribed psychiatric medication
Psychiatric medication isn't an automatic cure for mental health troubles, but many patients find that it helps them. Based on your symptoms and feelings about medication, your doctor may decide to prescribe antidepressants or anxiolytic drugs to you. Psychiatric medication can help you cope with the emotions and thoughts that tend to arise in people with mental illnesses. Some people find it easier to work through their issues in therapy when they have the assistance of medication.
4. Your mental health care provider may periodically reevaluate you
Mental health assessments are useful tools at the beginning of psychiatric treatment, but they don't lose their effectiveness over time. Your mental health care provider may ask you to retake a mental health assessment periodically. This type of routine assessment can help your counselor figure out if counseling and medication are working for you. If you do not show improvement over time, your mental health care regimen can be altered until it works for you.
Share27 September 2021
When I initially started the therapy process about 10 years ago, I didn't take the time to scout out the right counselor. Instead, I just went to the first counselor that my doctor recommended, and the experience was less than enjoyable. I realized that I might need to do a little research to find the right counselor for me, so I took the time to carefully evaluate my needs and research different clinics in my area. I was able to find an amazing counselor who really seemed to have it under control, and it was incredibly beneficial to see the difference that it made. This blog is all about finding the right counselor.
