Psychiatric Evaluation
During a psychiatric evaluation, a member of the psychiatry department meets with the patient to determine if there are any dual diagnoses, or co-occurring disorders, to be treated in conjunction with addiction, such as
- Anxiety
- Panic disorders
- Depression
- Mood disorders
- ADHD
- Trauma
- Phobias
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive compulsive disorders
Patient History
Comprehensive evaluations are conducted through a one hour, one-on-one interview in which the psychiatrist will probe for a complete history, including
- Personal, family, and social history
- Mental health and psychiatric treatment history
- Medications taken currently or in the past
- Life stressors
- Traumatic experiences
- Violent or suicidal tendencies
- Substance abuse history, including alcohol, illicit and prescription drugs
- Medical history
Mental Status
The psychiatrist will also evaluate the patient’s mental status, including
- Appearance (hygiene, general appearance, grooming, attire)
- Behavior (abnormal movements, hyperactivity, eye contact)
- Speech (fluency, rate, clarity, tone)
- Mood
- Thought process (how connected, coherent, and logical the patient's thoughts are)
- Cognition (patient's attention, awareness, memory, general knowledge, abstract thinking ability, insight, and judgment)
Following the assessment, the psychiatrist establishes a diagnosis*, provides recommendations for medication management, and develops a treatment plan that addresses the patient’s biological, psychological, and social needs.
*All diagnoses of mood disorders are preliminary. Because it takes up to 90 days for substances to completely clear the brain, diagnoses of co-occurring mood disorders cannot be confirmed until after this time.
