psychiatrist

psychiatrist treat mental illnesses such as psychosis and depression. In doing so, it distinguishes between the psychologist and the authorization to prescribe medication. In addition, psychotherapy is a form of treatment from the psychiatrist.

What is a psychiatrist?

psychiatrist are specialists in mental ("mental") illnesses. The specialists in clinical psychology are active in the inpatient area, while medical psychology is mainly at home in outpatient treatment.

Gerontopsychiatry, which addresses the special mental illnesses of the elderly, is gaining increasing importance in an aging society. A psychiatrist who works in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry is also highly specialized. Psychopathologists research and recognize defined clinical pictures, while pharmacopsychiatry focuses on the mode of action of drugs.

One approach to basic neurological research is biological psychiatry. Forensic psychiatry has a special social responsibility.

The training of a psychiatrist begins with studying medicine. After obtaining his license to practice medicine, he completes a four-year clinical specialist training and is then a psychiatrist.

Treatments

psychiatrist are confronted with an abundance of clinical pictures. Patients with schizophrenia are very often clinically relevant. Acute relapses of this underlying disease are associated with severe psychosis. Clear symptoms are delusions and hallucinations. Patients often hear voices giving them orders and making them act absurd. In these serious cases, the psychiatrist must prescribe psychotropic drugs.

Depression is another common mental illness that can take many forms. The methods of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis offer the prospect of successful treatment here. At the same time, the psychiatrist will usually also prescribe antidepressants.

Psychiatrists consider schizophrenia and depression to be predominantly genetic. The personality disorders are more likely to be attributed to social factors. Borderline syndrome, which is associated with extreme emotional lability, is known as a serious illness. Disturbed self-perception and self-harm are typical hallmarks of suffering. Personality disorders are mainly treated with psychotherapeutic techniques. Medical support is only required if there are consequences or side effects of the disease (“comorbidity”).

The psychiatrist often finds it difficult to distinguish clinical pictures from the form of compulsions from other syndromes. This is especially true because compulsions often occur together with anxiety disorders ("phobias"). Psychotherapeutic approaches in the area of ​​compulsions and anxieties have made good progress in recent years.

Treating addiction disorders is also a job for psychiatrists. A drug-assisted detox always precedes psychotherapy. Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia are usually classified as addictions. Therefore, these behavioral disorders are also treated by the psychiatrist.

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Diagnosis & examination methods

psychiatrist diagnose most mental disorders based on the patient interview. In this "exploration", an experienced psychiatrist also registers the general behavior of his counterpart. Body language alone can reveal a lot, because facial expressions and gestures also provide insight into the soul. In this way, even small lies can be exposed, for example when it comes to the amount of addictive substance consumption.

The first clues from the patient interview result in suspicious factors that are to be corroborated with standardized questionnaires. These methodological surveys are designed like multiple choice tests and are statistically evaluated according to scores. Talking to relatives often helps the psychiatrist because the perception of oneself and that of others can differ considerably. In the case of psychiatric illnesses this applies to a greater extent.

The psychiatrist also has to observe some patients in the hospital over a long period in order to make the often difficult diagnosis. This is where the nursing team provides the doctor with indispensable help. In the case of many mental disorders, the psychiatrist must rule out underlying physical diseases. Blood analyzes and X-ray procedures as well as an EKG and especially the EEG are therefore indispensable for the work of psychiatrists.

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What should the patient pay attention to?

psychiatrist and patient work together as partners in treatment. Therefore a trusting relationship is necessary. If a patient is seeking outpatient treatment, it is best to ask their general practitioner which established psychiatrist is suitable. Because the specialization within psychiatry is broad.

In the first conversation with the psychiatrist, the patient usually quickly feels whether the personal relationship is “right”. However, one should pay attention to whether the psychiatrist makes hasty diagnoses or prescribes medication frivolously. Because some psychotropic drugs themselves also harbor the risk of addiction. In particular, prescribing strong sedatives (benzodiazepines) immediately is usually not a responsible approach by the psychiatrist.