Mental Health Assessment & Treatment

Mental illness are common in the United States. The National Institute for Mental Health estimates that more than 26 percent of Americans struggle with mental health issues. The assessment procedures for determining mental health vary depending on the condition and severity of the problem but usually involve an interview with a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. Mental health treatment also varies between different disorders, but typically consists of psychotherapy and/or medication.

Depression

• Depression is the most common mental health issue. Depression is characterized by a persistent feeling of sadness that lasts for two weeks or longer. It can also cause fatigue, changes in appetite and sleeping problems. Often people with depression will feel excessive guilt, worthlessness and hopelessness. Although depression is common, it can be very severe, to the point of interfering with a person's daily life.

  Depression, like most mental illnesses, is diagnosed after an interview with a psychiatrist. It is most effectively treated with a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medications.

Bipolar Disorder

• Bipolar disorder is less common than depression, and often is more severe. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness where a person's mood shifts dramatically between periods of depression and periods of mania, where a person feels overly enthusiastic and energetic to the point where they need little sleep and engage in reckless behaviors.

  Bipolar disorder cannot be diagnosed unless a person has had a manic episode, and an interview with a psychiatrist is necessary to make the diagnosis. Bipolar disorder is often treated with a combination of psychotherapy and mood stabilizing medications.

Schizophrenia

• Schizophrenia is a disorder of the brain that can be severely disabling. It usually appears in late teens or early adulthood. Schizophrenia causes disturbances in brain functioning, which can manifest as hallucinations, where a person sees or hears something that is not really there, or delusions, where a person believes in a bizarre or impossible idea. Schizophrenia can also cause social problems, such as emotional blunting, and can lead to social withdrawal. People with schizophrenia may also experience problems with thinking such as difficulty speaking, solving problems or learning.

  Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed by a psychiatrist or a clinical test such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. It is treated with antipsychotic medications and/or psychotherapy that can target behaviors and thinking.

Anxiety Disorders

• There are several types of anxiety disorders. Generalized anxiety disorder is a disorder where a person is constantly plagued by anxiety that has no obvious cause. Panic disorder is a severe mental illness characterized by panic attacks, which are brief episodes of intense fear and anxiety that may be accompanied by physical symptoms such as sweating, heart palpitations and shortness of breath. Post-traumatic stress disorder is another anxiety disorder that is caused by exposure to a traumatic event. Often people with post-traumatic stress disorder will relive the disorder through flashbacks or dreams, and respond with excessive anxiety and fear to everyday events and stimuli.

  Anxiety disorders are diagnosed by a psychiatrist after an interview, and can be treated with anti-anxiety medications or anti-depressant medications. A special type of psychotherapy that helps a person acclimate to and gently face their anxiety can also be helpful, as can simple interpersonal psychotherapy that focuses on a person's relationships and behavior.

Eating Disorders

• Eating disorders are psychiatric disorders where a person's eating habits and self image are severely affected to the point of threatening their health and well-being. Anorexia is an eating disorder where a person starves herself to the point of malnutrition and even death. Bulimia, another eating disorder, is characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by purging the body through induced vomiting or excessive use of laxatives. Binge eating disorder is similar to bulimia because a person with this disorder will binge eat but will not follow it up with any kind of purging.

  Eating disorders are usually diagnosed by a psychiatrist or psychotherapist after an interview and thorough review of a person's eating habits. There are no medications designed specifically for eating disorders, but sometimes anti-depressant medications can help with the depression that often goes along with these disorders. Psychotherapy, especially group therapy, that helps a person focus on his diet and signals from the body that indicate hunger or fullness can be effective in treating eating disorders.

Developmental Disorders

• Developmental disorders include autism spectrum disorders, disorders that typically appear in early childhood and include severe impairments in learning, social functioning and thinking. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is another developmental disorder that is characterized by problems with attention, thinking, impulsive behavior and hyperactivity. Learning disorders, which also often appear in childhood, include a range of disorders such as dyslexia that affect a child's ability to learn skills such as math or reading.

  Developmental disorders can be diagnosed by a psychiatrist or pediatrician, and usually parents and teachers observe symptoms and help the doctor find the root cause. Autism and learning disorders are usually treated with behavioral interventions such as one-on-one time with a teacher to help a student learn in different ways. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can be treated with medications that help activate parts of the brain involved in attention, thinking and modulating behavior, as well as behavioral changes and extra parental and teacher involvement.

Considerations

• Symptoms of mental health disorders can vary from person to person. If someone is exhibiting symptoms of a mental health issue, it is important that she see a psychiatrist or psychotherapist to receive an accurate diagnosis and the necessary treatment. Psychiatrists and psychotherapists have many diagnostic tools at their disposal such as personality tests and symptom checklists and they are able to refer clients to a combination of treatment options that are best for each particular person.