Psychiatric Evaluations

What are psychiatric evaluations?

Psychiatric evaluations are consultations at Victory Recovery Partners to assess your mental well-being. They're usually the first step on your road to recovery from addiction.

Undergoing a psychiatric evaluation can be very beneficial and there are several stages to the process, including filling out a questionnaire, in-person interviews, and a physical exam. While this may seem like a lot to take in, the more information your psychiatrist and other providers have about you, the more they're able to help.

At every stage, your provider takes things at your pace. Once your psychiatric evaluation is complete, you can begin your treatment and the journey back to wellness.

What do psychiatric evaluations involve?

Psychiatric evaluations typically cover the following areas:

The nature of your addiction

Your psychiatrist needs to know about your addiction, including the substance or substances you use, your understanding of why you use them, and their effects on you. For example, do they relieve stress, increase your energy levels, provide a source of comfort, or have other uses?

Your psychiatrist asks questions about the situations that make you more likely to turn to your substance of choice and how often you're using. How much time does your addiction take up, what behaviors does it cause, and how do you feel about the effects it's having?

The effects of your addiction

Your psychiatrist asks you about the various effects addiction has on you beyond your mental health. For instance, how is it impacting your work and home life, and is it causing financial hardship? Addiction isn't just a problem for the patient – family, friends, and work colleagues can also suffer from the fallout of addiction.

Co-occurring health issues

Addictions typically affect your physical as well as mental health, so your psychiatrist needs to be aware of any other health problems you have. You might also have underlying medical conditions not directly related to your addiction, like diabetes, that they need to know about.

In many cases, addictions develop as a result of other health problems, most notably prescription opioid abuse stemming from taking medication to ease chronic pain. Your psychiatrist also needs to know about any other medications or supplements you're taking.

What else might my psychiatric evaluation involve?

Psychiatric evaluations typically involve a physical exam followed by toxicology and other blood tests.

Your Victory Recovery Partners psychiatrist also needs to review information from your personal and family medical histories, which can provide insight into the background of your addiction.

To find out more about psychiatric evaluations and how they help you on the road to healing from addiction, call Victory Recovery Partners or book an appointment online today.