Psych eval

So i have a psych evaluation on the 6th...and well i am very nervous...not that i am nuts or anything but i am afraid i will say the wrong thing and they wont let me have the surgery...I am having an MMPI and a eating disorder Inventory....soooo like if they ask like if i eat when bored, depressed and stuff like that  and i answer yes do you think they will disqualify me?  I know it would be for my own good, but i feel i am really prepared for this surgery.  Don't we all eat like this? Or should i say didn't a lot of you eat like that.  If anyone had this same eval....and wouldn't mind putting their opinion about it I would be grateful!  Thanks everyone!! -Jen

Jen, I felt teh same way, I thought theyd lock me up... Just say the truth and you'll be fine..

Hi Jen, It's me again.....the psych eval is a piece of "cake".  For the most part your time is going to be spent answering the questions on the two tests they give you. You will be sitting in an office all by yourself to take the tests - at least I did. After they rank the tests most of the conversation is going over the results of the test.  Unless you have some extreme anger/violence issues all you need to do is to answer the questions honestly and many of the questions are rephrased and asked multiple times. I can't remember the name of the Dr I saw - but he was awesome.....and mostly we talked about some professional people that we knew in common (I worked in healthcare finance and info systems for 20 years). Oh - and I'm a big emtional eater - used to stuff myself to stuff the feelings, I was honest about it and what part I expected WLS to play into that and what other steps I felt I needed to take. Candace

Hi Jenn,  I also wanted to put your mind at ease..... The MMPI is the Minnesota Multiphasic Inventory....a rather lengthy but simple question and answer test. It is designed to identify potentially serious psychiatric issues. As I recall, (I graduated with degrees in Social Work) some of the questions are laughable and repetitive! Basically, as the other person *****plied mentioned, they want to determine if you are rational enough to be making such a life altering decision and if you understand that there are risks as well as benefits! They also want to weed out those with potential for violence, irrational/impulsive behavior--or if not weed them out, at least have the opportunity to evaluate whether the surgery would work for them! Relax, it's not a big deal! And yes, I've taken the test also! Take care, Lori

Oh yes...I had to take the MMPI last summer along with a bunch of other tests as part of a Clergy Assessment thingy and i couldn't stop laughing at all the references to bathroom habits! So as long as you are not "poop" obsessed, you will be fine! LOL

Don't stress. It's a piece of cake. Basically they want to know that you completely understand the process and restrictions. They ask stupid questions like what day is it? Who is the current president? Things like that. They have some basic stuff to ask to know you are compitent and of sound mind. I don't know anyone who did not pass. Mine was about 40 minutes and we shot the sh*t for half of that time. Relax and take a breath. It will be fine.

Thank You guys sooo much!  You all are such a big help!  Your replies put my mind at ease..I was reading horror stories on some other posts saying that they were not allowed to get WLS because they admitted to once being depressed..and stuff like that..I was like HUH?  Why wouldn't someone who is really overweight and struggling be depressed?  I would think it would be strange if the were NOT depressed at some point! LOL.  Thanks again! -Jen

Yeah, there's usually more going on with someone who had been denied surgery that just being hospitalized for depression - much deeper than that. I was diagnosed with PSTD and depression 10 years ago and look at me now.....I made it through!

Yeah, just to put you at ease it's not that bad at all. The MMPI is llooonnng but it's not too bad and for me atleast there were questions that I felt like there was no right answer too. A couple of them were along the lines of "You have a good relationship with your father/mother" or "You would call you father/mother a good man/woman" I am assuming they are trying to see what your family life is like but some of the questions I didn't feel could be answered with true or false, I remember one specifically asked me if I cough or if I had headaches and I just remember thinking um yeah I have been sick lol does that mean I answer true to I cough? I have no idea, they actually told me that my test results indicated I was trying to make myself look better then I really was, and I wasn't lol I answered the questions the best I could. I was also really honest with the psychiatrist, I have depression and a history of cutting as well as eating disorders (haven't had any issues in a long time and on anti depressants). We just talked about how I was dealing with it etc. So I guess my point is if I can pass the psych eval. with my messed up past you should be fine, nothing to worry about!

Thank you for sharing such a personal part your past to help explain and make me feel better!  That was very nice and caring of you!  I'm sure I will do ok..just nervous! ahhh...Its so weird because I am taking abnormal Psychology right now at school and we  just covered the MMPI briefly.  I couldn't see the connection between weight loss surgery though and this test and what would disqualify people...So thank you again! -Jen