MoodRx Clinical Staff - Aug 24, 2024
In search of a mental health evaluation provider near you? Try our online assessment now
Are you wondering if you should seek treatment for your mental health? Or are you looking to check your baseline mental wellness so you can set goals and make improvements? You can start finding your answers right now! There’s a suite of self-assessment tools available to you in your free MoodRx Therapy Network account.
While an online self-assessment can’t provide a diagnosis, it can give you a sense of your mental health status and help you take stock of the symptoms you want to work on. This article provides information about online mental health self-assessments and how they help us match you with a therapist who can help.
Where can I receive a mental health evaluation?
You have access to a suite of clinical self-assessment tools in your MoodRx Therapy Network dashboard. When you use our free therapist matching service, you’ll be able to discuss your results with a licensed clinician during your consultation. The MoodRx therapist you choose will also have access to this information, and they may have you take the same assessments periodically to measure your progress. Your therapist or psychologist can also provide assessments to help you make treatment decisions. In-depth mental health evaluations are usually only necessary if you’re seeking a higher level of treatment.
What’s the purpose of a mental health evaluation?
Most often, care providers will administer mental health evaluations to get a good sense of how much your symptoms are affecting your daily life and determine the best course of treatment. In many cases, your options will include therapy, medication or a combination of the two. The self-assessments in your MoodRx dashboard are similar to the ones used in clinical settings. Without consulting with a licensed clinician, however, they should not be considered diagnostic tools.
Self-assessments are intended to help people check the status of their mental health and gain awareness of their symptoms. You might take a self-assessment at home to help you decide if you want to seek treatment or prepare for a conversation with a care provider. You can also use it to develop some goals to work on in therapy.
Your doctor may be able to diagnose conditions like anxiety and depression and prescribe medication. However, you’ll need to see a psychiatrist to get a diagnosis and medication management for more complex diagnoses. If your safety is a concern or if your symptoms are seriously impacting your ability to function, they may refer you to a higher level of treatment.
Why should I try an online mental health assessment?
Screening questionnaires like the PHQ-9 and the GAD-7 are used in many mental health settings, and they’re useful for self-assessment purposes. Online tools often add up your score and provide a neat summary of results, which you won’t get with a printable form. Taking an online mental health assessment can help you determine if you want to pursue treatment and what level of treatment you’d like to start with.
Clinics that treat clients in person often conduct their initial assessments over the phone. With teletherapy, you’ll get a more interactive experience from the beginning. You can complete the self-assessments on your own time, and your consultation will take place on a video call. The licensed clinician you speak with will be able to see data from your self-assessments so they can make personalized recommendations. Your MoodRx therapist may ask you to retake the assessments periodically to see the changing trends in your mental health vitals.
Are online mental health assessments reliable?
Questionnaires like the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 that were developed for clinical use have proven to be very reliable for measuring symptom severity. Again, they’re not intended to help you self-diagnose. Teletherapy channels such as secure video calls are effective for assessment across many populations and disorders. Teletherapy assessments overall are comparable to in-person care.
Get started with a MoodRx mental health self-assessment now
Taking the leap to find out where you are with your mental health takes some courage. You’re doing a brave thing by seeking out an assessment. That’s a good sign that you’re ready to get to know yourself better and start taking a more proactive approach to your mental wellness. At MoodRx, we love helping people who are motivated to move forward on their mental health journeys. We designed our platform to help you monitor your mental health, match with a therapist and manage your care.
What questions do you have about mental health assessments and treatment decisions? We’re here to help. If the answers you need aren’t on our FAQ page, feel free to contact us. If you’re ready to get started with your self-assessments, sign up for free now.
