What would a doctor ask a patient who is mentally ill? (I'm writing a movie)?

the patient is scared of dying. He has become so scared of dying that his body puts images of people trying to kill him in his brain. he thinks that everywhere he goes somehow he is going to die. If somebody attacks him people around him just think he's being wierd cause all they see is him running away and screaming and stuff. One of his friends take him to a doctor. The doctor asks himm a series of questions and eventually the guy tells the doctor that he is scared of dying. I can't think of any questions a doctor would ask him and then the guy will tell him that he is scared of dying.What would a doctor ask a patient who is mentally ill? (I'm writing a movie)?
Don't confuse the roles of medical doctors with psychiatrists. Medical doctors are very good at spotting dementia. If you ask someone over the age of 8 to draw a clock that says 10 minutes past 2 and he can't do it, he's either got a serious neurological problem going on (like a stroke) or he's demented. Non-demented people can tell you their name, where they live, how old they are, what day (or at least what season it is), whether or not they are married, etc. If a patient flies around the examination room looking for spies, this is a tip that something is seriously wrong.What would a doctor ask a patient who is mentally ill? (I'm writing a movie)?
Well, in an initial interview, the doc would ask questions to see if the guy had any idea of his surroundings and date time etc...


1. do you know what day it is?


2. who the president is?


3. What is your name?


4. where are you?


5. What month is it?


6. What year is it?


7. What season is it?





Depending on how rational it is, the questions would be answered/asked like that. This would give the doc a feel for how lucid the patient is. If the patient has awareness of his surroundings and date/time etc...


Then, if he had been comitted, he would be asked why he was there? If your patient was an inpatient, he may be telling the doc that everyone is attacking him. Even though no one really is.


But if the friend brought him there he may say something like the friend took him there to be assaulted or something, or his friend was working for ';them';.


Hope this helps.
What's going on?


How long?


Has this happened before?


Do you know it's not real?


Any stress in your life?


etc





The what's your name, date, etc would only happen if he came in unconscious, and it'd be to see if he had physical brain damage. Exception being suspected dimensia, which wouldn't apply to your story.
Are you suicidal?


Do you want to harm others or yourself?


Do you have night terrors?


Do you hear voices?


Hallucinations?