• Who is a psychatrist?
• What training do psychiatrists receive?
• What are the differences between psychiatrists and other professionals who provide mental health care?
• Why do people seek psychiatric help?
• What methods of treatments do psychiatrists use?
• When is medication helpful?

Who is a psychatrist?
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illnesses and emotional problems. Because of their extensive medical training, a psychiatrist understands the body's functions and the complex relationship between emotional illness and other medical illness.

Psychiatrists are physicians and are the only mental health professionals licensed to prescribe medication. Of all the mental health providers in the United States, only psychiatrists are licensed medical doctors or doctors of osteopathy. As physicians, they can order or perform medical laboratory and psychological tests that provide a comprehensive profile of a patient's physical and mental state. Many years of education and clinical experience enable psychiatrists to evaluate medical and psychological data, make psychiatric and other medical diagnoses and recommend the most appropriate treatments.

Like all medical doctors, psychiatrists must complete an undergraduate college education and four years of medical school. After receiving an M.D. or D.O. degree, a physician must complete an additional 4 years of training in general psychiatry, which includes supervision by senior physicians and instruction in many aspects of psychiatric assessment, diagnosis and treatment. Psychiatrists are trained to prescribe medications AND provide psychotherapy for all mental illnesses, including addiction disorders.

What training do psychiatrists receive?
All psychiatrists must receive the same elements of general training, as outlined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Once a physician successfully completes 12 years of medical and psychiatric training, he or she is "Board-eligible," i.e. eligible to take the national certifying examinations administered by the independent American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. First a Board-eligible psychiatrist must pass a rigorous written examination, then undergo an oral examination graded by senior psychiatrists. After passing the written and oral exams given by the ABPN, a psychiatrist is "Board-certified," an accomplishment that can be confirmed by checking the web site of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).

Many psychiatrists also seek additional training in adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, forensic (legal) psychiatry, mental retardation, emergency psychiatry, administrative psychiatry or psychiatric research.

What are the differences between psychiatrists and other professionals who provide mental health care?
Only the psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can order medical tests and prescribe medication. Others who care for people with mental illness or provide health services undergo different types of training whose length and fields of study differ.

A psychologist applies psychological principles to the treatment of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders through abroad range of psychotherapies. They hold either a master's degree (M.S.) or doctoral degree in philosophy (Ph.D.) or psychology (Psy. D.)

A Licensed Social Worker (LCSW) is also trained in psychology and helps people deal effectively with a variety of mental health and daily living problems to improve overall functioning. The social worker usually holds a master's degree in social work (MSW).

Why do people seek psychiatric help?
People seek psychiatric help for many reasons. Life may become overwhelming. Relationships may become troubled, or anxiety--easily dismissed before as simple "nerves"--may become sharper and last longer. The emotions that can arise in reaction to everyday stresses may grow out of proportion, or may be completely absent. Eating may become a refuge, and sleep may begin to seem either irresistible or elusive. Alcohol or drug use may get out of control. The problems can be sudden, such as a panic attack or as hallucinations or thoughts of suicide. They may be more long-term such as a deep depression that causes everyday life to appear distorted or out of control.

People often seek psychotherapy when they have tried other approaches to solving a personal problem. For example, people who are depressed, anxious, or have drug or alcohol problems may find that talking to friends or family members is not enough to resolve their problems. Sometimes people may want to talk to a therapist about problems they would feel uncomfortable discussing with friends or family, such as being sexually abused as a child. Finding a therapist to talk to who is knowledgeable about emotional problems, has patients' best interests at heart, and is relatively objective can be extremely helpful.

What methods of treatments do psychiatrists use?
Psychiatrists use a wide range of treatments. These include many forms of psychotherapy, psychotropic and other medications, and hospitalization according to the needs of each patient.

Psychotherapy is a systematic treatment method in which, during regularly scheduled meeting, the psychiatrist and patient discuss troubling problems and feelings. The physician helps patients understand the basis of these problems and find solutions. Treatment may take several sessions over a few weeks, or many sessions over several years.

When is medication helpful?
Medications are useful and helpful in many instances when an evaluation suggests that medications may correct imbalances in brain chemistry, which are thought to be the cause of many mental disorders. A full psychiatric and medical evaluation and consideration of the potential benefits and risks of medication treatment is necessary before medications are prescribed.

Psychiatrists can prescribe a number of medications that are effective in treating mental illnesses such as depression, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. Psychiatrists usually use medications in combination with some form of psychotherapy.

For more information about medications:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/medicate.cfm and http://www.mentalhealth.com/p30-note.html