
What is a Psychiatric Evaluation?
Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluations at J. Flowers Health Institute
Table of Contents
The information presented on this page is an overview of the average evaluation of this nature and is offered here as a resource. At J. Flowers Health Institute, our evaluations are customized and tailored to the individual’s needs. We specialize in providing truly comprehensive health and wellness evaluations and a workable plan for future health to those who want to improve their quality of life.
If you would like to learn more about J. Flowers Health Institute, please do not hesitate to reach out.
What is a Psychiatric Evaluation?
A psychiatric evaluation aims to:1
- Include the patient while making decisions about an initial treatment plan
- Rule out other physical conditions that might be causing the symptoms
- dentify long-term problems that might emerge in the future
- Make changes in the treatment if needed, for those who have had a psychiatric evaluation in the past
- Confirm the diagnosis of a mental disorder that requires treatment by a psychiatrist
How Long Does It Take to Do a Psychiatric Evaluation?
Where to Get a Psychiatric Evaluation?
- Inpatient units (following hospitalization)
- Emergency departments
- Outpatient facilities, such as office-based practices or intensive outpatient programs
- Residential treatment facilities
- Home care services
- Nursing homes
- Long-term care facilities
- Schools
- Prisons
What are the Types of Psychiatric Evaluation?
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the types of psychiatric evaluation are:1
General Psychiatric Evaluation
Moreover, the psychiatrist can review the person’s medical history and order lab tests. Notably, the evaluation may also involve meetings with the person’s family members.
Emergency Evaluation
- Is agitated and uncooperative
- Shows violent or self-injurious behaviors
- Poses a threat to self or other people
- Is markedly confused or hallucinating
Clinical Consultation
The Growing Need for Psychiatric Evaluation in the United States
Psychiatric evaluation is a valuable tool in identifying mental disorders. It can help with better diagnosis and also aid proper treatment.
Sadly, mental illnesses are more common than many people think. Below are some recent stats about the growing mental health problems in the United States.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

- 20% of children have a current or past diagnosis of a debilitating mental disorder.
- In any given year, mental illness affects 1 in 5 Americans.
- Over half of Americans will have some types of mental disorder during their lifetimes.
- Severe mental disorders affect about 4% of Americans (1 in 25). Examples of these disorders include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression.
The Top Three Mental Disorders in the U.S.
The top three mental disorders among adults in the United States are:
Anxiety disorders, which affect 48 million people
Major depression, which affects 17.7 million people
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which affects 9 million people1
Between 2013 and 2016, the number of people diagnosed with major depression increased by about 33%.4 Over 40% of people addicted to prescription painkillers have depression and anxiety.5
Untreated depression is one of the major causes of suicide. About 1 in 5 people with untreated depression attempt suicide during their lifetimes.6
Suicide ranks tenth in the list of leading causes of death in the United States. In 2017, suicide was responsible for 47,000 deaths. Most notably, among people aged 10 to 34 years, suicide was the second most common cause of death.7
Mental Health Diagnoses Do Not Receive Enough Treatment
- Over 15 million children and adolescents need specialized psychiatric treatment. The number of psychiatrists practicing child and adolescent psychiatry is only 8,300. This is about 1 for every 1,800 children and adolescents.8 Notably, the gap will likely widen in the future.
- In 2016, only 41% of the 3.2 million people aged 12 to 17 years who suffered from depression in the past 12 months received treatment.9
- In 2017, about 1 in 3 adults aged 18 or older who suffered from major depression did not receive treatment.10
What is a Psychiatrist?
What is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist?
- Child and adolescent psychiatry
- Geriatric psychiatry
- Forensic psychiatry
- Addiction psychiatry
- Pain medicine
- Psychosomatic (mind and body) medicine
- Sleep medicine
Psychiatrist vs. Psychologist: What are the Differences?
A psychologist is a health professional with an advanced degree. They may have one of the following degrees:
- A doctor of psychology (PsyD degree)
- A doctor of philosophy (Ph.D. degree) in clinical psychology, counseling, or school psychology
What Does a Psychiatrist Do?
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood disorders including depression and bipolar disorder
- Personality disorders
- Eating disorders
- Schizophrenia, which is a type of psychotic disorder
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
How Does a Psychiatrist Perform an Evaluation?
- The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, or
- The American Board of Osteopathic Neurology and Psychiatry.
Interview
- Have you experienced anxiety, unreasonable fear, or restlessness in the last six months?
- Do you have problems falling or staying asleep?
- Have you had a panic attack recently?
- Do you have problems falling or staying asleep?
- Have you been a victim or a witness of a traumatic event?
- Do you have nightmares or flashbacks of the event?
- Have you ever been treated for a mental illness? If so, what medications did you take? What other treatments did you receive?
- Do you deliberately avoid situations that might cause panic?
- Do you hear or see things that others do not?
- Is anyone trying to hurt you?
- When did you first start drinking or using drugs?
- Do you drink alcohol or use drugs?
- Has anyone in your family committed suicide, used drugs, or had a mental disorder?
- Are you married?
- Have you ever attempted suicide? If so, how many times? What were the reasons?
- What is your highest level of education?
- Have you ever been arrested?
- Do you believe in God or follow any particular religion?
- Are you sexually active?
- Do you use any method of contraception?
- Have you ever been hospitalized for a serious condition, such as a head injury or major surgery?
- Do you have a current or past history of seizures?
- Attitude (whether or not they are actively participating in the conversation)
- General appearance
- Hygiene and grooming
- Mood and emotional expression
- Speech (tone, volume, choice of words)
- Thinking and perception
- Awareness (if they are aware of their mental status)
- Memory
- Concentration
- Judgment
Interview Involving a Family Member
- What is the problem with my loved one?
- Are they normal?
- Is my behavior responsible for the current situation?
- Should they be hospitalized?
- Is the condition curable?
- What are the treatment options?
- What can I do to make them feel better?
- What is the cost of the treatment?
Physical Examination
Medical Tests
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
Psychiatric Evaluation vs. Psychological Evaluation
Preparing for a Psychiatric Evaluation
- Is it normal to feel the way I do?
- Do I have a mental health disorder?
- How much does the treatment cost?
- How long will the treatment last?
- What are my treatment options?
- What are my treatment options?
- What factors can trigger my illness?
- Will my children have a similar illness in the future?
- What are my symptoms? How long do they last?
- What do I do to control the symptoms?
- How do I feel, think, and behave?
- Did the symptoms appear after a major life event, such as the death of a loved one?
What Can a Psychiatric Evaluation Tell a Patient?
Resources
- https://psychiatryonline.org/pb/assets/raw/sitewide/practice_guidelines/guidelines/psychevaladults.pdf
- https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm
- https://www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-by-the-numbers
- https://www.bcbs.com/the-health-of-america/reports/major-depression-the-impact-overall-health
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/common-comorbidities-substance-use-disorders/part-1-connection-between-substance-use-disorders-mental-illness
- https://www.medscape.com/answers/286759-14675/what-is-the-suicide-rate-among-persons-with-depressive-disorder-clinical-depression
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml
- https://www2.ed.gov/documents/school-safety/school-safety-report.pdf
- https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/NSDUHFFR2017/NSDUHFFR2017.htm
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.shtml
- https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-psychiatry
- https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/approach-to-the-patient-with-mental-symptoms/routine-psychiatric-assessment
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/thyroid-deficiency-and-mental-health