Psychiatrist Frequently Asked Questions
What is a psychiatrist?
Psychiatrists specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions. Their education and clinical training help them understand how medical conditions manifest as psychiatric symptoms and how mental health conditions can affect your body.
There are several psychiatry subspecialties, including:
- addiction medicine
- child and adolescent psychiatry
- forensic psychiatry
- geriatric psychiatry
- neuropsychiatry
- pain medicine
- sleep medicine
Psychiatrists treat a broad range of mental health conditions, including:
- addiction, including alcohol, drugs, gambling, and more
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders
- body image issues
- bipolar disorder
- eating disorders
- depression
- difficulty concentrating
- excessive anxiety or irritability
- insomnia or other sleeping conditions
- memory loss
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- schizophrenia
- self-harm and suicidal thoughts
- severe stress
- violent thoughts or outbursts
Psychiatrists use various treatments to help you manage your mental health condition, including psychotherapy and medications.
Psychotherapy is a treatment that involves establishing a close, talking relationship between you and your therapist. Two examples of psychotherapy include:
- behavioral therapy, which focuses on your learning and behavior to change unhealthy behavior patterns
- cognitive therapy, which focuses on your thoughts and shows a relationship between dysfunctional thinking and unhealthy emotions or behaviors
Medications are often used in combination with psychotherapy to help you treat your mental health condition. Some examples of medications include:
- antidepressants, which psychiatrists use to treat depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and more
- psychotropics, which psychiatrists use to treat delusions and hallucinations, such as with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
- sedatives, which are medications used to treat anxiety and insomnia
- stimulants, which are medications used to treat ADHD
You may want to start a relationship with a mental health provider if you’re experiencing hardship and want help understanding your thoughts and behaviors. A psychiatrist can help if the cause of your mental health condition is unknown or if you have a complex mental health condition that requires medication, including:
- ADHD
- bipolar disorder
- schizophrenia
- severe depression
It’s important to know that you are not alone. Psychiatrists have the training and expertise to provide you with the resources and care you need.