Before your first appointment
What to Expect from a Mental Health Assessment
Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions can be debilitating — and a proper diagnosis makes overcoming them smoother and more successful. Understanding what an assessment involves can help you walk in comfortable and prepared.
About this guide
Mental health assessments
A mental health assessment is a process in which a professional works to understand and diagnose any underlying conditions affecting your mental health — from depression and anxiety to eating disorders and behavioral conditions. Assessments are always confidential, and they are only used to help diagnose and treat.
A primary care physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker can perform the assessment. Often, people brush off their symptoms as “normal” or situational when that may not be the case — an assessment can reveal that what you are feeling has a name, and a treatment.
Mental health assessments at Ambrosia are conducted at the Neuroscience Institute in West Palm Beach, where the results feed directly into an individualized treatment plan.
Signs an assessment can help explain
There may be signs and symptoms you are experiencing that could be explained by something treatable — if properly diagnosed:
- Changes in sleep or appetite
- Feelings of disconnect
- Difficulty with memory or concentration
- Declining functionality in everyday affairs
- Mood changes or apathy
- Isolation
- Loss of interest in enjoyable activities
- Paranoia or unusual behaviors
How to prepare
There is no concrete checklist to complete beforehand — but reflection helps. Pull out a journal and think about the symptoms that led you here: How long do they last? How intense are they? How often do they occur? Having a full picture of how these feelings affect your life will help when it is time to talk them through.
The other preparation is a commitment to transparency. Being as open as you can be may be the deciding factor between a diagnosis and continuing to wonder why you feel the way you do.
What happens during the assessment
Sitting with the professional conducting the assessment is a lot like an interview — verbal questions about what you are experiencing, usually combined with a written questionnaire. The process has a few distinct parts:
Risk assessment
A suicide and violence risk check, so the professional knows whether immediate care or a psychiatric evaluation is needed.
Consent
Before the assessment begins, you consent to be evaluated — which may include authorization to release medical records.
Interview and questionnaire
Current symptoms, mental and physical health history, family mental health history, and any current or former substance use.
Physical examination
There could be a physical cause behind what you are experiencing mentally; ruling that out supports a proper diagnosis.
After the assessment
It can seem like a lot — but understanding the process makes it less overwhelming, and easier to commit to. The result is worth it: a clear picture of what is going on, coping skills for managing symptoms when they arise, and a treatment plan built around you rather than a guess.
Ready to talk with admissions?
Admissions is available 24/7 to answer questions about mental health and substance use treatment options.