Is There a Mental Illness Test?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsReasons to Be ScreenedDiagnosisPsychological TestsScreening TestsTaking a TestGetting Help

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Reasons to Be Screened

Diagnosis

Psychological Tests

Screening Tests

Taking a Test

Getting Help

Close

There are a number of reasons why you might need to be screened for a mental health condition. Some of these reasons include:

Thoughts of self-harm or suicide are one of the most serious signs of a mental health condition.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are concerned about the mental health symptoms you are experiencing, the first step is to talk to your doctor for a mental health assessment. This assessment often involves a number of things including a physical exam, lab tests, questionnaires, and interviews.

Physical Exam and Lab Tests

In most cases, a primary care physician (PCP) or family doctor willrule out physical health issuesfirst. Some medical conditions can contribute to or mimic mental health problems, so lab tests or a complete physical exam may be necessary. Hypothyroidism, for example, may mimic symptoms of depression. When this is the case, treating the thyroid condition may help someone feel better emotionally.

Personal History

Your doctor may also ask you questions about your personal history. This will include different aspects of your life, including your marital status, family and social relationships, occupation, and sources of stress.

This information can give your doctor a better idea of the supports and stressors you have in your life that might be contributing to how you are feeling.

Mental Health Screening

Your doctor may also conduct a mental health evaluation. This will involve asking questions about your feelings, behaviors, and thoughts. You will be asked to describe the symptoms you have been experiencing, including when these symptoms occur, how often you have been having them, and to what degree they impact your life. As part of this screening, you may also be asked to fill out different questionnaires that are meant to measure symptoms of conditions like depression and anxiety.

Next Steps

Once physical health issues are ruled out, a PCP may make adiagnosis of mental illness. PCPs are qualified to diagnose mental illnesses, likemajor depressionandgeneralized anxiety disorder. Sometimes, they prescribe medication to treat mental illness.

Quite often, however, primary care physicians refer patients with a suspected mental illness to a mental health professional. Just like seeing a cardiologist if you are having heart problems, seeing a mental health professional if you are having mental health problems is always better than working with a general practitioner.

A PCP may recommend that you see apsychiatristfor medication management or give you a referral to a psychotherapist fortalk therapy. Before starting treatment, the mental health professional who is making a diagnosis will interview you. Questions often focus on your current symptoms, your history of symptoms, and difficulties with day-to-day functioning.

Family members may be interviewed as well. This is especially true when a child is being diagnosed with a mental illness or when an individual has poor insight or is an unreliable reporter (if they have trouble describing what is happening to them or cannot provide an accurate description of how serious their symptoms are).

Your mental health professional will also observe you in the office. Some symptoms may be obvious in the interview, such as low energy or hyperactivity. A mental health professional will use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to make a diagnosis. The DSM-5 outlines the criteria for each mental illness (as in, what you have to be experiencing in order to be diagnosed with a condition).

There are a variety of reasons that a patient may undergo psychological testing. Sometimes, testing is needed to help gain clarity about a possible diagnosis. Other tests may help identify a person’sIQor any learning disabilities. Psychological tests can also diagnose brain injuries and dementia.

Psychological tests may be administered via a computer, or they may be written or given orally. They may involve a series of questions where an individual is asked to provide information about how often they experience certain symptoms or they may be asked to choose statements that best describe how they think, feel, and behave.

Mental health screening tests can be used to help look for signs of some of the most common mental disorders including:

Screening tests don’t diagnose mental illness, but they can signal when further evaluation is needed. Some physicians administer screening tests during annual physicals to look for signs that someone may be experiencing common mental illnesses, like anxiety or depression. Examples of questions that you might see on a screening instrument include:

A screening test may be administered in the form of a simple questionnaire or a physician or nurse may run through a simple list of questions.

How to Take a Screening Test at Home

There are also free screening tests online that you can access. Mental Health America’s website offers screening tools that can help determine if you should speak to your doctor about depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder,psychosis, eating disorders, PTSD, and addiction. There is also a screening tool for children. As the parent, you can fill out one questionnaire and also ask your child to fill out another.

The Mental Health America screening tools take only a couple of minutes to complete and you’ll get instant results. You’ll be given a score and advice on how you might want to proceed.

For example, you might be advised to take another screening test since conditions like anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand. The screening tool may suggest you should show the results to your physician to start a conversation about whether you might have a mental illness.

If you suspect that you or a loved one may have a mental illness, talk to a physician. Or take an online screening tool test to learn more about your symptoms. Mental illnesses are treatable and early intervention can be key to helping you or a loved one best manage any symptoms.

If you or a loved one are struggling with your mental health, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are struggling with your mental health, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

Mental Health Diagnosis: Symptoms, Types, and Treatments

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid).National Alliance on Mental Illness.Understanding Your Diagnosis.American Psychiatric Association:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Association, 2013.

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid).National Alliance on Mental Illness.Understanding Your Diagnosis.American Psychiatric Association:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Association, 2013.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid).National Alliance on Mental Illness.Understanding Your Diagnosis.American Psychiatric Association:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Association, 2013.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid).

National Alliance on Mental Illness.Understanding Your Diagnosis.

American Psychiatric Association:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Association, 2013.

Hannah Owens, LMSW

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