Mental Health Screening

A mental health screening is a standard set of questions that a person answers to help a health care provider check for signs of a mental disorder. The questions help the provider learn about a person's mood, thinking, behavior, and memory. A mental health screening is a way to catch mental health conditions early.

If the screening shows signs of a disorder, more testing is usually needed to diagnose a specific mental disorder. Mental disorders are also called mental illnesses, and a mental health screening may be called a 'mental illness test' or a 'psychology test.' More than half of all Americans will have a mental disorder at some point in their lives. Their symptoms may range from mild to severe.

Common mental disorders include: Mood disorders, which include depression, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and self-harm.; Anxiety disorders, which include panic disorder, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Anxiety is a common disorder in children.; Eating disorders, which include anorexia and bulimia.; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is one of the most common mental health disorders in children.

It can also continue into adulthood.; Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).; Personality disorders.; Substance use disorders, which include alcohol use disorder and drug use and addiction.; Psychotic disorders, which include schizophrenia.; These and other mental disorders affect people of all ages, including children. So, there are special mental health screening tests designed for children, teenagers, and older adults. Some screening tests look for general signs of the most common mental disorders.

Other screening tests look for signs related to specific types of disorders. Mental health screening can be an important part of your total health at every stage of life. Mental health symptoms can be a sign of certain physical conditions.

And certain mental disorders can increase the risk of developing physical health problems. With proper mental health screening, diagnosis, and treatment, people with mental health disorders can get better and many recover completely.

Why this test is done

You or your child may need a mental health screening if you have symptoms of a mental disorder. Different disorders have specific symptoms.

General symptoms of mental disorders may include:

• Eating or sleeping too much or too little
• Pulling away from people and usual activities
• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Feeling helpless, hopeless, or numb like nothing matters
• Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
• Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, nervous, angry, worried, or scared
• Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
• Thoughts and memories that you can't get out of your head
• Hearing voices or believing things that aren't true
• Thinking about death, suicide or harming yourself or others

Signs of mental disorders in children may also include:

• Frequent tantrums and other behavior problems
• Frequent stomachaches or headaches without a known medical cause
• Difficulty in school
• Repeating actions or constantly checking things out of fear that something bad will happen
• Talking a lot about fears, worries, death, or suicide

If you or someone you know needs immediate help for a mental health disorder:

• Call 911 or go to your local emergency room
• Contact a crisis hotline. In the United States, you can reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at any time:
• Call or text 988
• Chat online with Lifeline Chat
• TTY users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988
• Veterans can contact the Veterans Crisis Line:
• Call 988 then press 1
• Text 838255
• Chat online
• Call your mental health provider or other provider
• Reach out to a loved one or close friend

How to prepare

You usually don't need any special preparations for a mental health screening. If your child is having a screening, you may be asked to keep notes on your child's behavior for a few days before the test.

Sample type

Blood

Other names for this test

mental health assessment, mental illness test, psychological evaluation, psychology test, psychiatric evaluation