Are you one of those who think that a test helps you resolve doubts about your personality, how you feel and even what you might have? If so, this article is for you.
The answer is simple, definitely not. It usually happens that, when we think we have a physical symptom, we resort to quickly searching the Internet to explain what we feel or we ask a neighbor, friend or family member to find an answer and, in this quick search for information, we may find an answer. response that is related to some type of medical illness. Do you think it’s enough? Or, definitely, would you go to the doctor to check what you read?
The same thing happens with mental health disorders. Many times we present some symptoms, we read about them on Google and think about whether we really identify with what it says there, in this case, OCD can be an example.
All human beings have the tendency to, for example, double check if we are going in the right direction, go on the bus and think about whether we close the stove or the door when leaving the house, or perhaps, we are very organized. /da, you enjoy your clean house and all, but is it really OCD? This question can lead us to look for ways to confirm that diagnosis, perhaps with a rapid test or another instrument; However, it is not that easy.
The diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and in general all existing mental disorders, requires support from a psychology professional and even a psychiatry professional to carry out clinical interviews that allow them to collect information. and, subsequently, carry out a thorough evaluation that indicates a diagnosis.
Within the framework of this process it is valid to use some tests, but not in isolation. The tests within a process of evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of a disorder They can be useful to review the progress of the therapy and the decrease in symptoms and see if the treatment is really being effective.
In addition to the application of certain tests, the professional treating the case will conduct very detailed interviews, in which they will inquire about symptoms, personal history and family historyas well as for details related to the consumption of psychoactive substances Well, in some cases, these They can trigger episodes that can be confused with the presence of a disorder.
It is also possible that in some cases order certain medical tests, such as blood tests, MRIs, or CT scansAlthough this does not always happen, in some cases they are used to rule out other types of health problems and be as sure as possible of the diagnosis.
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Added to all of the above, it will surely be necessary for the person to start wearing a judicious recording of your mood, sleep patterns and behaviors for the purpose of monitoring sudden changes, triggers and situations associated with these changes and of In this way, identify if there is any pattern that indicates the presence of manic or depressive episodes.
Taking all this into account, it is most likely that when we talk about significant mental health problems, it is most likely that before having a diagnosis we will have to make several visits to the professional so that he or she can gather all the relevant information.
Remember, it is important to let ourselves be guided by a mental health professional. Keep in mind: a diagnosis does not define you, it only serves as a reference for psychologists to know how to help you.