Other online screenings are meant to expose you to advertising.  Still others just want to make you aware of a condition and its symptoms.  While the latter is a good goal, it’s important to remember that online screening tools are no substitute for seeing your doctor, psychologist, or neuropsychologist.  If you’re having any sort of symptoms, seek medical help.

Still, since screenings can be educational, and scoring an interesting result on an online screening can encourage people to see their doctors, psychologists, or neuropsychologists for professional screening, I’m posting this link to Mental Health America’s online screenings.  They include screenings for:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Bipolar Disorder
• Psychosis
• Eating Disorder
• PTSD
• Alcohol and Substance Use
• Childhood Emotional Disturbances

Please use these screenings responsibly and do not assume that if you score well on a screening that you do not need to speak to a professional.  If you have any questions, please see a professional.

Finding out you have a mental health issue may seem scary at first, but it is better to find out early, so you can get help early.  Often doctors and psychologists can help prevent a condition from stopping you from reaching your true potential in life.

Check out the screenings here:

https://screening.mentalhealthamerica.net/screening-tools/?show=1&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mentalhealthamerica.net%2Fabout-mha-screening&ipiden=4814b4e3990d7553c61ad98191a5560c

• Find a therapist who is right for you.
• A few tips for adjusting your diet.
• Seeking early neuropsychological screening if possible.

But these tips are all inside articles dealing with other, more specific topics.  I’ve been wanting to take some time to add more tips to help people cultivate mental health in general.  Some of these tips may seem like common sense to some people, but for others, they might be surprising.  For example:

• Eat a healthy diet
• Exercise regularly
• Spend time with friends often.  A strong social support network (in person, not in social media) has been shown to boost mental health
• Take breaks regularly to refresh your mind
• Do a hobby or something else you enjoy at least once a week
• Take time to enjoy small moments, or “live in the moment”

Tips  like that.  Helpful reminders.  And then I saw this article, which does a great job of summarizing many ideas for encouraging mental health.   So I thought I’d share it.  I hope you enjoy it!

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/31-tips-boost-your-mental-health

The following list may help you identify whether the memory failures you are noticing are typical or something that is rarer and may be a sign of some condition affecting the brain.  These should not be used as the sole basis for determining whether or not to get an evaluation.  If you believe you need an evaluation, then you should contact a doctor immediately. 

Some common memory failures that are generally typical for anyone and not considered abnormal are:

• Forgetting the name of an acquaintance or extended family member who is rarely seen
• Forgetting the location of commonly used items (e.g. keys, wallet)
• Forgetting where you parked your car
• Occasionally getting lost on the way to unfamiliar locations
• Occasionally entering a room and forgetting why you decided to go to that room
• An occasional missed appointment

Memory failures that are not typical in normal age-related memory decline include:

• Forgetting the names of close friends or family members
• Frequently forgetting important dates or events
• Getting lost on the way to places you have visited regularly for years
• Missing multiple appointments
• Frequently repeating yourself during conversations (noticed by either you or pointed out by others)
• Withdrawal or loss of interest in activities
• Difficulty doing activities that you have routinely done in the past (e.g. balancing a check book, paying bills, grocery shopping, laundry)
• Misplacing important items and being unable to retrace steps to find them
• Not remembering how you arrived at a location

A neuropsychological evaluation can detect small changes in brain functioning that may be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease or some other condition affecting the brain.  Results of tests are interpreted in a way that is unique to you.  That is, the results are compared to others who are the same age and have approximately the same level of education as you.  For many of our tests, we can compare your results to large groups of people all the way up to 105 years old.

If you notice signs of memory decline or other changes in brain functioning, please contact your doctor and ask about a neuropsychological evaluation.

• To find and understand problems you have in brain functioning
• For early detection of a condition affecting the brain (Many neuropsychological tests are designed to detect small weaknesses in brain functioning. This may allow for detection of conditions during the early stages of a debilitating disease)
• For diagnosis (Some conditions that affect brain functioning have a distinct pattern of strengths and weaknesses on neuropsychological testing)
• To obtain a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses
• To document changes in brain functioning over time
• To assess changes in brain functioning due to a treatment (Comparison of performance pre and post-treatment can help measure treatment effectiveness)
• To make informed predictions about difficulties someone may have when resuming work, school, or other responsibilities and prepare for these difficulties in advance

Neuropsychological tests are not invasive. No wires or electrodes will be attached to you, you will not be hooked up to a machine, and no X-rays will be taken. Instead, most tests are completed with a pencil and paper.

Your brain functioning is measured by having you do things like memorize information, copy objects, provide the name of objects shown to you and many other tasks. The entire evaluation is very thorough and may take four to six hours to complete. However, frequent breaks are provided in order to make the experience relaxing and to minimize stress.

The goal of the testing is to get a measure of your brain functioning when you are at your best. Try to get plenty of sleep the night before testing. Go through your morning routine and eat a good breakfast. Since you will be testing for much of the day, wear comfortable clothing.

On the day of testing, if possible, you should bring medical records that will help provide information about your brain functioning. Examples include CT or MRI scans of your brain, neurological reports, psychological reports, or testing you may have done in the past. During the testing, it is best to try to relax. Also, you are not penalized for guessing, so always provide a response to any question, even if you are not sure of the answer.

We strive to provide you with thorough results and the best testing experience possible.

During a neuropsychological evaluation, I gather information about symptoms, social, medical, and school history, assess difficulties with everyday activities, and administer neuropsychological tests. Unlike neuroimaging techniques like CT or MRI, which let us look at the structure of the brain, neuropsychological testing is the best way to see how the brain functions while trying to get things done.  Simply put, neuroimaging techniques are like looking at a car engine while neuropsychological testing is like doing a test drive.

Neuropsychological tests are designed to provide a precise measure of different types of brain function, such as memory and attention. A full battery of neuropsychological tests will assess:

• Intellectual functioning
• Attention
• Mental speed
• Working memory
• Language
• Verbal and nonverbal learning and memory
• Motor skills
• Visuospatial abilities
• Organization and planning
• Psychological/emotional functioning
• Academic skills (If appropriate)

With this information, it is possible to obtain a detailed picture of an individual’s strengths and weaknesses and how specific deficits contribute to real life problems. This is used to create more effective treatment plans and inform clinicians about other services that may be appropriate. In addition, because neuropsychological tests are designed to be sensitive, they can find subtle brain changes that less detailed testing may miss.

There are many other potential benefits of neuropsychological assessment, including:

• Early detection of a condition affecting the brain.  Many neuropsychological tests are designed to detect small weaknesses in brain functioning. This may allow for detection of conditions during the early stages of a debilitating disease, when getting treatment can be critical

• Diagnosis.  Some conditions that affect brain functioning have a distinct pattern of strengths and weaknesses on neuropsychological testing

• Document changes in brain functioning over time

• Assess changes in brain functioning due to a treatment.  Comparison of performance pre and post-treatment can help measure treatment effectiveness

• Make informed predictions about difficulties someone may have when resuming work, school, or other responsibilities and prepare for any difficulties in advance

Neuropsychological testing can help doctors develop more informed therapies for their patients, and it can help patients understand more about themselves and their brains.

Recommended Reading:

Want to know more about how to prepare for a neuropsychological evaluation? Please see I Was Referred for a Neuropsychological Evaluation. What’s Next?

For an informational pamphlet published by the American Psychological Association that describes neuropsychology to patients and families, click here.