A mental health evaluation can help in many ways. It gives a doctor, counselor, psychologist or any other licensed professional a clear picture depicting the way a person feels, reasons, thinks and remembers. A licensed mental health evaluator can diagnose a number of mental disorders through a series of questions and physical tests. Many mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress can be diagnosed by a mental health evaluation.

The evaluation can help determine whether a person has co-occurring substance use disorder in addition to determining if a person suffers from a mental condition. There is no need to be nervous about a mental health evaluation because evaluations can help professionals understand an individual’s mental health needs and determine a treatment plan or path to recovery. Professionals that specialize in mental health include counselors, psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists and many more. If you are able to catch a mental health disorder early you can prevent it from getting worse or stop it from being present in your life at all.

Mood changes, feeling disconnected from surroundings, and changes in sleep or eating patterns are just a few of the many symptoms that the American Psychiatric Association associates with signs and symptoms that indicate the need for a mental health evaluation. To prepare for the evaluation there is nothing special required but it is still a good idea to write down or think about the reasons that brought you to the point of needing a mental health evaluation. A good idea would be to write or jot down some notes in a journal about the thoughts and feelings in the days and weeks before the evaluation appointment. This can help you with making sure that you don’t miss any points when expressing your concerns or thoughts to your mental health evaluator.