Connect with others who've been there. Share stories. Learn. Join Mayo Clinic's
online community.

Free

E-Newsletters

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer
View the Mayo Diet Book

Tests and diagnosis

By Mayo Clinic staff

Your doctor will try to rule out any physical problems that could be causing your symptoms, pinpoint a diagnosis and check for any related complications. These steps may include:

  • Physical exam. This generally involves checking vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure and temperature, listening to your heart and lungs, and examining your abdomen.
  • Psychological exam. A doctor or mental health provider will talk to you about your thoughts, feelings and behavior patterns. He or she will ask about your symptoms, including when they started, how severe they are, how they affect your daily life and whether you've had similar episodes in the past. You'll also discuss any thoughts you may have of suicide, self-harm or harming others. You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire to help pinpoint what's going on.
  • Laboratory tests. These may include a check of your thyroid function or a screening for alcohol and drugs, for example. Often lab tests aren't necessary to diagnose a mental illness.

Pinpointing which mental illness you have
It can be difficult to determine which particular mental illness or mental illnesses may be causing your symptoms. For one thing, many mental illnesses share similar symptoms. Also, a diagnosis is often based largely on how you describe your symptoms, along with how your doctor interprets those symptoms. Because of this, it can take some time and effort to get an accurate diagnosis. Stick with it, though, so that you can get appropriate treatment for your particular illness and situation.

The defining symptoms for each mental illness are detailed in a book called "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders." This manual is published by the American Psychiatric Association and is used by mental health providers to diagnose mental conditions and by insurance companies to reimburse for treatment.

To be diagnosed with a particular mental illness, you must meet the criteria for that illness listed in the DSM. Mental illnesses are grouped in the DSM based on their symptoms. Doctors sometimes disagree about what's considered normal or abnormal mental health. The process of deciding what's a mental illness continues to evolve.

Classes of mental illness
The main classes of mental illness are:

  • Mood disorders. These include disorders that affect how you feel emotionally. Examples include depression and bipolar disorder.
  • Anxiety disorders. Anxiety is an emotion characterized by the anticipation of future danger or misfortune, accompanied by feeling ill at ease. Examples include panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • Substance-related disorders. These include problems associated with the misuse of alcohol and illegal or legal drugs.
  • Disorders of detachment from reality (psychotic disorders). These disorders cause detachment from reality (delusions). The most notable example of this is schizophrenia, although other classes of disorders can be associated with detachment from reality at times.
  • Disorders of thinking (cognitive disorders). These disorders affect your ability to think and reason. They include delirium, dementia and memory problems. Alzheimer's disease is an example of a cognitive disorder.
  • Developmental disorders. This category covers a wide range of problems that usually begin in infancy, childhood or adolescence. They include autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities. But just because they're all grouped in this category doesn't necessarily mean they share a common cause or require the same treatment.
  • Personality disorders. A personality disorder is a characterized by a lasting pattern of emotional instability and unhealthy behavior that causes problems in your life and relationships. Examples include borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder.
  • Other disorders. These include disorders of impulse control, sleep, sexual functioning and eating. Also included are dissociative disorders, in which your sense of self is disrupted, and somatoform disorders, in which there are physical symptoms with no clear cause.
Treatments and drugs Preparing for your appointment
References
  1. Matorin AA, et al. Clinical manifestations of psychiatric disorders. In: Sadock BJ, et al. Kaplan & Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009:1071.
  2. Mental illness and the family: Recognizing warning signs and how to cope. Mental Health America. http://www.nmha.org/go/information/get-info/mi-and-the-family/recognizing-warning-signs-and-how-to-cope.Accessed June 25, 2010.
  3. Introduction. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed June 28, 2010.
  4. What are the early signs of mental disorders? World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/features/qa/38/en. Accessed June 25, 2010.
  5. Warning signs of major mental illness. Healthy Minds. http://www.healthyminds.org/Document-Library/Brochure-Library/Lets-Talk-Facts-Warning-Signs-of-Major-Mental-Illnesses.aspx. Accessed June 25, 2010.
  6. Mind/body connection: How your emotions affect your health. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/mental/782.printerview.html. Accessed June 25, 2010.
  7. Kung S (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 22, 2010.
  8. The numbers count: Mental disorders in America. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/statistics/index.shtml. Accessed June 25, 2010.
  9. Kiraly B, et al. Primary care issues in patients with mental illness. American Family Physician. 2008;1:355.
  10. Overview of mental illness. Mental health: A report of the Surgeon General. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter2/sec2.html. Accessed June 28, 2010.
  11. Mental illness: Taking care of yourself. American Family Physician. http://www.aafp.org/afp/2008/0801/p363.html. Accessed June 25, 2010.
  12. Martinez M, et al. Psychopharmacology. In: Hales RE. Textbook of Psychiatry. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008.
  13. Donker T, et al. Psychoeducation for depression, anxiety and psychological distress: A meta-analysis. BMC Medicine. 2009;7:79.
  14. Depression. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml. Accessed June 28, 2010.
  15. Lee RA. Anxiety disorders. In: Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/154207005-3/0/1494/57.html?tocnode=54111716&fromURL=57.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2954-0..50014-4_229. Accessed June 28, 2010.
  16. Saeed SA, et al. Herbal and dietary supplements for treatment of anxiety disorders. American Family Physician. 2007;76:549.
  17. Wahner-Roedler D. Treating 20 common conditions. In: Bauer B. Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: Time Inc.; 2010:166.
  18. Staying well when you have a mental health condition. Mental Health America. http://www.nmha.org/go/mental-health-month/staying-well-when-you-have-a-mental-illness. Accessed June 28, 2010.
DS01104 Sept. 1, 2010

© 1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger