What Happens During a Psych Evaluation?

Psychiatric diagnostic evaluations, more commonly known as “psych evals,” are used to determine a patient’s mental state and guide recommendations for the best treatment. You might wonder if you could benefit from a psychiatric evaluation, or a loved one may be in need of psychiatric treatment.

If you or a loved one are in need of a psych eval, it’s natural to have questions, and maybe even some anxiety, about what will happen during your exam appointment. The friendly, experienced, and accessible professionals at Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates, under the leadership of Ronald P. Winfield, MD, want you to have all the information you need about your diagnosis and treatment.

Here’s what we want our new and existing patients from in and around the North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, area to know about what to expect during a psych eval, and how psychiatric treatment can help you heal from a variety of mental health conditions.

During your appointment

Psych evaluations gather essential information that allows us to better understand your mental health and psychiatric care needs. You could benefit from a psych eval if you have:

• Depression or anxiety
• Concerns about your future
• Problems at work or school
• Behavioral or persistent interpersonal issues
• Psychotherapy needs

When you come in for a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation, we start by putting together a detailed picture of your medical and family history, compiling social and biological information to help us understand your mental health in context.

We also complete a full psychiatric assessment, examining your mental status and noting your psychological history, as well. We may use questionnaires or interview techniques to gather information about your mental health condition. There are no wrong answers — we’re just trying to get a better sense of your state of mind, psychological symptoms, and potential treatment needs.

Putting together your mental health treatment plan

During and after your psych eval appointment, your provider at Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates develops an individualized treatment plan. Your mental health treatment needs to be tailored to your unique circumstances and diagnosis. Your evaluation lets us learn how best to help you, as you move forward with your custom treatment plan, supported by our mental health and counseling experts.

When you know the nature of your mental health troubles and can understand each of the steps in your treatment plan, you can feel confident in your psychiatric care. At Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates, we take time to go over your treatment plan with you in detail, so that you can grasp the overall benefits and risks of each option. We also help you stay aware of, and address, any potential side effects.

Take charge of your mental health care starting now. Begin with a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation and customized treatment plan with Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates. You can schedule your appointment with a member of our expert care team with our simple online tool, or give us a call today.