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What is a Mental evaluation ? What does it consist of ? My childrenare going to have me picked up and taken to the State Hospital for one . I was told that I would be there for 72 hours . Can mt Children do this to me and how can I avoid this .
Hi carolsue. I'm very sorry to hear about what you are going through. Basically, a mental status exam involves an evaluation of your mental state, based on observation of you and your thought processes and content, as well as your mood, affect, cognition, insight and judgement. This is done to determine whether you have any mental disorders, and to determine what treatment, if any, that you may need. If your children have obtained a court order to commit you for 72 hours, there is nothing you can do about it. It means that a judge has agreed that this would be beneficial to you and your well-being. Obviously, your children feel they have reason to think you need a mental evaluation. If you are not taking care of yourself, or are considered a danger to yourself or others, they can get a court order to commit you for 72 hours. During this 72 hours, you will be evaluated, and a determination will be made about your mental capacity.I'm sorry this has happened, but if you are having some mental health issues, it might be a good thing as it can lead to you getting the help that you need.Best wishes, and please let me know if I can answer any further questions. Tamara
There is nothing that I have done to make me not stable. Will they hurt me or give me schock treatments like I have seen on TV. I am really scared about this
Hi carolsue. I am so sorry that you are scared. I understand that this has got to be very hard for you. I have worked in these places, and I promise you they won't hurt you. They are going to talk to you, and watch how you behave, and maybe give you some tests. It is very unlikely that they will give you shock treatments - that is only for people who are very depressed and have not responded to other treatments. If you have not done anything to make you unstable, then they cannot keep you longer than 72 hours. If they do think you have some mental health issues, then they will treat you to help you feel better. If you don't think you are unstable, you may want to try to talk with your children and find out why they think this will help you, or what behaviors they are concerned about. I'm sure they love you and want the best for you. Good luck with everything. Please let me know if I can be of further help. Tamara
Experience: 20+ yrs Private Practice; Cert. Master Therapist; National Board Certified; APA Board Certified