What Is a Mental Health Assessment?

Key takeaways

• What's a Mental Health Assessment & Can It Benefit You?

What is a Mental Health Assessment & Can It Benefit You?

In a previous blog post, we discussed some misconceptions people have about mental health conditions . Feeling anxious or stressed after a therapist recommends you undergo a mental health assessment, is another socially ingrained stigma we hope to dispel in this post.

What is a Mental Health Assessment? A mental health assessment is similar to that of a physical evaluation ( APA ). Let’s say you’re experiencing symptoms, such as unusual back pain, and it’s affecting how you perform your job or is preventing you from spending time with loved ones. Your doctor may recommend an x-ray to help diagnose what’s causing your symptoms, which in turn, will inform your clinician’s recommendations for an effective treatment method.

Having a mental health assessment performed by a licensed psychologist is no different. For example, if you are having difficulty concentrating at work, experiencing weight gain or weight loss due to stress or anxiety, or perhaps depression is causing issues in your relationships, a therapist may recommend a psychological assessment to help you understand the source of these issues and identify a course of treatment to help manage your symptoms.

How Are Mental Health Assessments Performed? According to the American Psychological Association , psychologists may decide to perform a series of tests and assessments to help diagnosis your condition, as well as test your cognitive skills.

Your doctor may begin the assessment process with questionnaires or checklists called “norm-referenced” tests , then move on to perform more formal tests, surveys, and interviews ( APA ) to help evaluate and measure your personality and aptitudes, as well as general mental or cognitive functioning behavior. The assessment process can help to identify specific symptoms you may be experiencing but are unable to explain or process.

Practical next steps

For many people, mental health assessment is easier to address when the next step is small and specific. Start by naming what has changed, noticing what helps even a little, and choosing one supportive action you can repeat this week.

Helpful steps may include writing down symptoms or patterns, talking with a trusted person, adjusting sleep or daily routines, reducing avoidable stressors, and scheduling therapy when concerns keep returning or start interfering with daily life.

When to reach out

If symptoms are affecting relationships, work, school, sleep, or daily routines, professional support can help you sort through what is happening and choose a realistic next step.

MHCS provides therapy and mental health support for individuals, couples, families, teens, and adults.