What does a mental status exam consist of?

Mental health is perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of healthcare. This is so sad, I could cry, but instead let’s laugh it off because that’s why we’re here in the first place! Now, let’s talk about mental status exams (MSEs) which are important assessments conducted by psychiatrists and psychologists to evaluate an individual’s overall psychological state.

What Is An MSE?

An MSE stands for Mental State Examination (don’t worry if you forget this – we’ll be reminding you throughout). It is a clinical assessment tool used for:

  • Evaluating a person experiencing emotional distress
  • Diagnosing conditions such as dementia & other psychiatric disorders
  • Assessing how someone presents themselves in different settings altogether including their behavior

## The Components Of An MSE
So what exactly goes into this exam? It tests several things including four main components:

Appearance And Behavior(AB)

The first part involves assessing a person’s general presentation which may include factors such as hygiene, dress style and grooming. Any sudden changes observed will need to be noted up.

### Speech/Motor Functioning (SMF)
This part assesses any movements or gestures made by an individual during communication. Occupational therapists have nothing on these folks on this section!

Mood/Affect(C’mere little buddy MA)

This focuses on evaluating an individual’s emotions – both current emotions and alterations from their past presentations.

Thought Process/Quality/Tone (TPTQ(not our favorite thing ever))

Finally! We arrive at assessing thought process/quality/tone; that sounds super complex -but nope not really!. This refers to evaluations of thoughts expressed out loud (what type of content?) or inside one’s mind like daydreams even(very deep stuff!!)-which means can sometimes provide valuable information concerning underlying maladies.

How is an MSE Performed?

So what happens during the examination? When you go into these exams, anticipate them to run for 15-20 minutes (could be shorter or longer depending). You’ll be sitting down face-to-face with a psychiatrist who will ask specific questions related to each of the components mentioned above. These will also cover other aspects not mentioned but don’t worry -none has ever been unpleasantly surpised!. Expect some fun queries about everyday life that may seem irrelevant –like ‘what’s up doc’ kind of stuff-but as trivial as they might seem ,these little things help them evaluate other factors too!

During this conversation, any changes in demeanor (CD) which may indicate significant anxiety/depression/mania can be observed and noted.

As a psychiatrist/neuropsychologist does their evaluation, it’s important for family members/proxy caregivers present there such as spouses/partners because they can provide accurate information concerning medical history(very essential info yo!) which cannot otherwise be obtained from patient interviews alone (besides moral support).

Check out an example table below showcasing how MSQ works:

Component Key Aspects
Appearance and behavior Hygiene & Dressing Style
Speech/motor functioning Movement/Gestures
Mood/Affect : Caring buddy %&#$(&!$!%@~
Thought Process/Quality/Tone Mental content

After The Exam

Afterwards, based on the observations made during the interview/review process,you now get +1 experience points (plus a potential diagnosis)-congrats!!

The examiner then passes along all their conclusions including whether or not there was evidence presenting symptoms consistent across key criteria necessary for various DSM5 diagnoses- commonly depression/the “worry-brain” category of disorders) -but even so,different specialists vary in opinions/interpretations; that’s why a clear understanding is crucial and 2nd (AND 3RD) opinions are always welcome.

Final Notes

So there you have it! Now you know what to anticipate from an MSE – it’s not as daunting when joking about them, isn’t it? Always remember that seeking mental health concerns earlier leads to possible earliest interventions towards recovery. Don’t take my word for granted- go ahead & schedule appointments if in doubt- better safe than sorry!

That being said,I’ll leave you with a funny quote: “Psychiatry enables us to correct our faults by confessing our parents’ shortcomings.” Haha lol!!!

Now off we go, don’t forget your happy pills at the door (kidding!) -but seriously do keep your mask on whilst keeping yourself socially distanced too!!

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