Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioural disorders.
People seek psychiatric help for many reasons. The problems can be sudden, such as a panic attack, frightening hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, or hearing voices; Or they may be more long-term, such as feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or anxiousness that never seem to lift or problems functioning, causing everyday life to feel distorted or out of control.
DIAGNOSIS
Because they are physicians, psychiatrists are suitably equipped to understand the complex relationship between emotional and other medical illnesses and the relationships with genetics and family history, to evaluate medical and psychological data, to make a diagnosis, and to work with patients to develop treatment plans.
TREATMENT
Psychiatrists use a variety of treatments – including various forms of psychotherapy, medications, occupational therapy, psychosocial interventions and other treatments (such as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT), depending on the needs of each patient. These are often done in a multidisciplinary approach comprising the psychiatrists, Psychologists, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, nutritionists, patient attendants among others. After completing thorough evaluations, psychiatrists can prescribe medications to help treat mental disorders. Psychiatric medications can help correct imbalances in brain chemistry that are thought to be involved in some mental disorders.
FOLLOW-UP
Patients on long-term medication treatment will need to meet with their psychiatrist periodically to monitor the effectiveness of the medication and any potential side effects.