Mental Health Assessment Essay

The mental health assessment is a crucial part in everyday nursing care as it evaluates an individual’s mental condition to assess for risk factors of mental illnesses and provide optimal care and treatment. Mental health is described as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” (CDC) If the patient not mentally healthy, they can develop mentally illnesses, which can affect treatment and the disease process of physical ailments because without mental health a person cannot be completely healthy. “Suicide Risk Assessment in High Risk Adolescents” is a nursing article that outlines suicide risk factors and prevention strategies for assist nurses in performing mental health assessments. Suicide, the act of

Because of the high risk of morbidity it is important for healthcare providers to be proficient in suicide screenings as it can assist in preventing suicides.

Adolescents are still developing. They are at the stage where they are too old to act like children, but not old enough to be treated like adults. This can cause a disturbance with their self-perception which can affect their emotions, often making them confused of who they are and causing feelings of self-consciousness and isolation. During this stage adolescents are at high risk for risky behaviors, due to changes in the neurochemicals of the brain. “Changes in dopamine activity affect the limbic system, which is involved with emotions, and its connection with the prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive functioning skills such as reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. Increased emotional