Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions, including biological sciences such as biology and chemistry; psychology; neuroscience; social sciences such as sociology and linguistics.
Therapists possess a comprehensive medical background and must pass a rigorous examination. They rely on standard psychological tests and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as part of their care plan.
Diagnosis
Psychiatrists take great care in evaluating your symptoms and history, which may involve physical exams and laboratory tests. Their medical training and the criteria in DSM-5 manuals (such as DSM-5 ) help them establish your mental health diagnosis.
Your psychiatrist will discuss various treatments available to treat your mental illness with you, such as psychotherapy, medications and other approaches. Psychotherapy is a type of talk therapy which can be done either individually or collectively with other patients.
Many psychiatric illnesses have lasting or lifelong effects, meaning your diagnosis may not be completely resolved with treatment alone. Therefore, it’s essential that you communicate freely with your physician regarding any feelings, thoughts and questions about what was discussed at each appointment; writing down concerns/questions prior to and following each appointment can help remind yourself of what was discussed at meetings; journalling can also provide invaluable insight into symptoms affecting daily activities and life in general.
Treatment
Psychiatrists specialize in treating mental conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, panic attacks and psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Additionally, they may prescribe medications such as antidepressants and mood stabilizers to manage symptoms.
At an intake appointment, psychiatrists will ask about your physical and emotional symptoms as well as examine you and order lab tests in order to provide a diagnosis. Following guidelines set by the American Psychiatric Association to diagnose mental disorders, they may employ various techniques including mental status exams, physical exams and brain imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET) scans.
Psychotherapy (or talk therapy) may also help alleviate a patient’s symptoms. Psychotherapy sessions may take place individually, couples therapy sessions, family therapy or group settings. Sometimes electroconvulsive therapy, also known as ECT treatment may be recommended; in certain conditions this involves sending electrical currents directly to the brain. If their symptoms don’t improve with therapy or medication alone, psychiatrists can refer them to behavioral neurology specialists for further assistance.
Counseling
As physicians, psychiatrists can order a wide array of medical laboratory and psychological tests which together with discussions will give a full picture of your health. Furthermore, they use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 published by the American Psychiatric Association as a source for diagnosing specific mental conditions.
Psychiatrists offer both psychotherapy and medication treatments depending on your diagnosis and symptoms, though some individuals find counseling more useful than medication alone. Counseling generally focuses on normal developmental processes across life span, helping individuals recognize negative patterns of behavior while teaching new coping mechanisms.
Before heading in for your initial appointment with Dr. Romero-Gaddi, make a list of your top concerns and questions so you don’t forget anything important, according to Romero-Gaddi. This can help reduce anxiety during the session. Also bring with you any current medications you are taking or supplements you might be taking; this information will enable your psychiatrist to develop a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.
Research
Research is vital in order to gain a greater understanding of the causes and treatments for mental illnesses, and develop more effective procedures and preventive strategies. Furthermore, research serves as a crucial basis for the organization and delivery of mental health services and policy at various levels of government.
Psychiatrists are uniquely qualified to conduct research that investigates both biological and psychological components of mental illness. With training in psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, integrative human physiology and cognitive neurosciences they offer an interdisciplinary perspective when conducting their investigations.
Psychiatrists work directly with their patients to monitor medication effectiveness and adverse side effects, as well as participate in research related to mental disorders’ genetics and epidemiology. One such research activity by APA includes its PsychPRO clinical data registry that collects patient outcomes as a measure of quality care. Over 16 months, committee deliberations sessions took place both publicly and behind closed doors – including workshops focused on obstacles associated with research training during residency – gathering information through personal contacts, two commissioned papers, outreach mailings, outreach mailings and literature reviews.
