Psych Evaluation

I wasn't sure where to put this and went around in circles trying to find the right forum to post it. So I chose here. If it needs to be moved mods, then please do so.

A little bit of background. I have MDD. Have had depression since I was a child, but I never got help until over a year ago. I was put on three different kinds of meds and went through therapy up until this March when my therapist quit and went to another facility in another town. Because she quit so did I. I also quit my meds and seeing the psychiatrist. I actually felt the meds stopped working anyway and wasn't listened to by my psychiatrist. So all these things and me hitting a wall on an impulse I just gave up. I shouldn't have and it was a mistake to do so, but I wasn't thinking rationally and seemed like I couldn't trust anyone once my therapist left. And things were just falling apart again in my life. Just a mixed bag of things going on at once.

I became very suicidal again and constantly wanting to harm myself. I still do. I have plotted and planned it too. Doesn't mean I want to but the thoughts are there all the time.

So after five months I found help again through a different mental health clinic. On the second visit my therapist asked me if I would be willing to go to the hospital to have a psych evaluation. I said I'd think about it. Because I was in a severe mood I really didn't ask her why. I did confess to her about my suicidal thoughts and what I said above.. Not sure it's the total reason she wants me to do it. But she told me even if I don't want to do it now, something could lead me over the edge. She's very concerned about it.

After a few days of thinking about it. I decided I would have it done, so I called, but she was out office for the day and I left a message. I waited all day today to see if she would call back, but still haven't heard from her. So don't know if she went on vacation after our last session or not, but it bugs me.

My other therapist and psychiatrist never asked me to do this, so it kind of hit me out of the blue. And this was only after my second visit.

But anyway, has anyone here ever had a psych evaluation and what is it used for? What do they do? She said it could take a day or two for this.

My psychiatrist sent me for a psych eval. a few years ago because he was having trouble getting me stabilized and was concerned that maybe he was missing something. The testing was done a few hours at a time over several sessions. It was pretty painless.

What the psych eval. did was come up with a diagnosis (actual several in my case). There were no real surprises in the results, but at least there was confirmation of the diagnoses that my psychiatrist had been working under.

I know we all probably have had some sort of psych eval as that would be the only way to astertain what meds were appropriate..... No problem........it just pinpoints where you need help and what thinking you are doing that may indicated a psych disorder. Most of us could probably all use another one anyway.....may actually be fun, who knows

Definately do not stress about this. There are far bigger things then that to stress about. When they happen then you can stress. This is painless and may only cost you some gas money or bus fare and your insurance will pick up the rest hopefully

As they say "Don't sweat the small stuff"

Hi JBounds,

I've gone through psychological testing a few times.

I can understand that you may be feeling a little nervous, afraid that the tests are physical or intense. No. They're just a little time-consuming. And seem to be asking the same Q's over and over again. The tests do cover a broad range of possibilities, so some Q's can become a little annoying. That's about it though.

Try not to worry ~ it is best that doctors have a clear understanding of what types of thoughts you may be struggling with and whether or not hallucination or visions of grandeur are a problem for you. They then use their knowledge of various medications and therapy styles to come up with the most effective treatment to help you live a healthy and happier life.

That's my personal experience.

I have had two... First one I uh... well... messed with the results and wasn't honest. The second one was with someone I really liked, trusted and respected. OK, I am a bit nuts...I really enjoyed it! Although we had to do it all in one day and I was exhausted when we were done. Dunno, I enjoy them and really enjoyed talking to the T about the results.

I've had several different psych assessments over the years for various purposes. Some of them I found interesting, most of them I just found time consuming. Sometimes they just give you a bunch of questionnaires to fill out other times, the assessment is done by a person asking you a whole lot of questions. It's best to be honest in your responses because it will only help you in the long run.

But they're no big deal.

splitimage

This is a chance to get your situation documented. That can be important down the line, if you should need some benefits that require a well-established diagnosis. Your problems are not minor. The more of a paper trail you can get laid down, the better the treatment you will be eligible for.

When I was feeling very unstable, I made several visits to the psych crisis dept. I told them that I did not want to be hospitalized and was not an imminent danger to myself. I said I felt very distressed and I wanted that conveyed to my doctor (a resident) and his instructors. It seemed I was getting much worse, and seeing my pdoc once a month did not make me feel that anyone appreciated how much mental distress I was in. Anyway, the upshot was I have been kept in a clinic for patients who are not well-stabilized (and that is where I feel I belong.) Otherwise, they possibly would have decided for me to just get my meds ordered by the regular doctor I see, who is not a psychiatrist.

Getting evaluated works in your favor. Also, even if you don't feel you want to divulge very personal things to someone you don't know well, you don't have to. Just be sure to emphasize the level of distress you experience. It's okay to say "Some things I am unable to go into detail about, at this time."

Thanks for everyone's responses. It makes me feel a little bit more relaxed about doing this. And just to know others have done it and been through it helps me too.