general Flashcards
what things help to build a rapport when taking a psych history
eye contact
relaxed, non- threatening posture
appear unhurried
what is important about the safety of the interviewer in a psych history
easy exit - be near door
tell someone where you are
what are benefits of open questions
o Allows patients to start talking about themselves and puts them at ease as they have the floor
o Allows you time to think and plan areas of questioning as you assess their style and content of their response
o Allows a period of non-verbal response from interviewer; listening and facilitating.
what would you want to know about the circumstances of a psychiatry referral
who by
why
informal (voluntary) or not
what format should you record a persons presenting complaint
in their own words
what information do you want to obtain in the psychiatry history of presenting complaint
Onset, precipitants, course, severity
Associated symptoms, effects on daily living, effect on family/ relationships
Is it getting worse or better?
Has it responded to any treatment?
what questions may you ask about symptoms of depression
Are you low/ depressed? Is life worth living? Can anything give you pleasure? Energy levels? Sleep /appetite? Can you concentrate? Are ypu feeling guilty? Is your confidence low? Have you lost your libido? Are you preoccupied with guilt, regret/ hopelessness? Suicidal thought?
what questions may you ask about symptoms of mania
Have you felt more energy than normal (despite not sleeping)?
Can you focus on things?
Are you having difficulty settling?
Are you spending more than usual?
Are you interested in sex with different/ inappropriate people?
what questions may you ask about symptoms of psychosis
Has anything odd or unusual been happening recently?
If they have odd ideas ask how did these occur?
What actions do you feel the need to take?
Might your thoughts be being interfered with?
Do you feel anyone is controlling you?
Is anyone putting thoughts in your head?
do other people access or hear your thoughts?
Is anyone harming you?
Any plots against you?
Do you hear voices when thers no one nearby?
What do they say?
Do you see things other can’t?
what questions may you ask about symptoms of dug and alcohol abuse
What do you take? How much, how often and for how long? How much do you spend on all of this? Is it impacting you the next day? Has your use recently changed? Withdrawal signs?
what questions may you ask about symptoms of OCD
Any odd thoughts? Recurring, intrusive worries? Note any compulsive behavior
what questions may you ask about symptoms of anxiety
Any worries? Are you always worried or does it happen in discrete episodes (attacks)? What causes this? What physical symptoms do you get? How do you manage your anxiety?
what questions may you ask about history of eating disorders
What are you currently eating? How do you feel about your weight? Are you dieting?
what questions may you ask about suicide risk
Have you ever felt so low that you have considered harming yourself?
Have you ever actually harmed yourself?
What stopped you harming yourself more than this?
Have you made any detailed suicide plans?
Are you wanting to harm anyone?
Have you stopped looking after yourself (dressing, washing, eating, drinking)?
what do you want to know about someone’s past psychiatric history
Past episodes/ diagnoses / contacts
Previous treatments (psychological, drug and physical)
Inter-episode functioning
Previous admissions to hospital
Attempted suicide/ repeated DSH
Previous detentions under Mental Health Legislation
what things may be relevant to psychiatry about someone s past medical history
Developmental problems
Head injuries
Endocrine abnormalities – thyroid can mimic psych
Liver damage, oesophageal varices, peptic ulcers – alcohol intake
Vascular risks factors – memory problems, amnesia
what would you ask in a persons drug history
about tablets, injections medication recently – if they are taking them or not
Any drugs discontinued (within past 6 months)
how long medication has been taken for and at what dose
Ask about adverse reactions and allergies
what social history is relevant in a psychiatric history
Social circumstances including occupation Current financial situation/stressors smoking/ alcohol/ illicit drug use Screening questionnaires eg CAGE Current relationship/stressors Children – contact, relationship
what things are asked in the personal psychiatric history
Developmental milestones - Schooling/Education
Occupational history
Significant relationships – sexual and marital history
Financial
Friendships, hobbies and interests
Pre-morbid Personality-
what should be included in the forensic history
“Have you ever been in contact with the police? Charged with any crime?”
Offences including sentences
Recidivism
Particular attention to violent or sexual crimes
what is a good way to find someone’s pre-morbid personality
How would your best friend describe you as a person?
what things would you comment about appearance in the mental state examination
o Height/Build – literally what they look like, way to remember them
o Clothing - appropriate/inappropriate to occasion/ weather, bizarre
o Personal hygiene - clean/unshaven/malodorous
o Make up, jewellery, accessories
what things would you comment about behaviour in the mental state examination
o Greeting – shaking hand, hug etc. Idea of disinhibited/ wary
o Gesturing - normal, expansive, bizarre
o Eye contact
o Abnormal movements - tremor, choreioathetoid movements, posturing, akathisia
o Build a rapport / be Cooperative
what are some clinical signs of odd behaviour that may be picked up on MSE
- Responding to unseen stimuli (what you can’t see but real to the person)
- Evidence of side effects of medication – orofasial dyskinesia, rotunded
- Evidence of intoxication – can present as unwell
- Movement disorder etc catatonia, forced grasping, waxy flexibility, opposition
what is the difference between mood and affect
mood - patient’s subjective report on their current mood state
affect - objective manifestation of mood at interview (emotions conveyed)
what things would you comment on someones speech in the mental state examination
Content of speech (what the patient says) and form of speech (how they say it)
Spontaneity – offer information voluntarily
Volume - loud, quiet, poverty
Rate - pressured, slowed
Rhythm - rhyming and punning
Tone - monotonous, lilting
Dysarthria/ Dysphasia - expressive/receptive
if someone speaks about a mood disturbance, what should you probe them for
severity, duration, and ubiquity and any other associating features.
what 3 questions would you ask to check if someone has insight into their condition
Are symptoms due to illness?
Is this a mental illness?
Do they agree with treatment/ management plan?
what would you assess someones cognition in a mental state examination
Orientation - time, place, person
Attention/concentration - throughout interview,
standard test is reversed months DNOSAJJMAMFJ
Short term memory - 3 objects; name & address
Long term memory - personal history
If any concerns - perform objective tests eg MSQ, MMSE, MOCA, FAS, Clock drawing, executive function tests
what is the difference between pseudo and true hallucinations
pseudo - inside head
true - absence of stimuli
what is the difference between an illusion and a hallucination
illusions- misinterpret a stimulus
hallucination - true perception located in external space with no external stimulus
what different domains can a hallucination hold
auditory visual somatic/tactile - touch olfactory - smelll gustatory - taste
give some questions to ask about hallucinations
Have you seen or heard anything that other people have not been aware of?”
“Have you heard any people talking when there was nobody around?”
“What do they think is causing them?”
Does it seem possible?
“Has anything particular been playing on your mind?”
“Do you know why is this happening?”
“Have you noticed any change in your thoughts?”
“Has anyone interfered with your thoughts?”
“Does anyone else have access to your thoughts/ read your mind?”
“Is anyone deliberately trying to harm you, e.g. trying to poison you or kill you?”
how would you differentiate between a partial and full hallucination
Even when you seem to be most convinced, do you really feel in the back of your mind that it might not be true, it might be your imagination?
what 4 thins would you consider about someone’s thoughts
Speed and tempo of thoughts (slow)
Types of thoughts demonstrated (negative)
Linkage and thought form
Possession of thoughts (schizophrenia) – blocking/ insertion/ boradcasting
what is a formal thought disorder
A pattern of interruption or disorganisation of thought process
- broadcast, echo, insertion, thought block, withdrawal
what is a delusional belief
fixed, false belief out of normal cultural context, extraordinary conviction
“ a delusion is an unshakeable idea or belief which is out of keeping with the person’s social and normal cultural background; it is held with extraordinary conviction.”
what things should you think about someone having in their thoughts
Phobias/ Obsessions / Flight of ideas/ Preoccupations/ Over valued ideas