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PSYCHOLOGISTS
Psychiatry is the branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. Psychiatrists are qualified to assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychological problems.
People see 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 life or problems functioning, causing everyday life to fee distorted or out of control.
Because they are physicians, psychiatrists can order or perform a full range of medical laboratory and psychological tests which, combined with discussions with patients, help provide a picture of a patient's physical and mental state. Their education and clinical training equip them to understand the complex relationship between emotional and other medical illnesses and the relationship with genetics and family history, to evaluate medical and psychological data, to make a diagnosis, and to work with patients to develop treatment plans. Specific diagnoses are based on criteria established in "APA's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-5)," which contains descriptions, symptoms, and other criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.
Psychiatrists use a variety of treatments - including various forms of psychotherapy, medications, psychosocial interventions, and other treatments (such as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT), depending on the needs of each patient. Psychotherapy, sometimes called talk therapy, is a treatment that involves a talking relationship between a therapist and patient. It can be used to treat a broad variety of mental disorders and emotional difficulties. The goal of psychotherapy is to eliminate or control disabling or troubling symptoms so the patient can function better. Depending on the extent of the problem, treatment may take just a few sessions over a week or two or may take many sessions over a period of years. Psychotherapy can be done individually, as a couple, with a family, or in a group.
Read more at:
American Psychiatric Association (2016). What is Psychiatry. www.psychiatric.org.