Psychiatrist and Mental Illness

 

“Oh God, my son’s irritable behavior is getting on peak. I don’t how to deal with him”, a mother was worried. “Why do I feel so low every now and then, how will I complete my tasks?” an 18-year-old murmured. “My daughter is getting quiet and weak day by day, while everything seems perfect around her, what should I do?” a father is bothered for his daughter. Millions of such questions arise in our minds in diverse ways, but many of us are unable to get a satisfactory answer to them. Therefore let’s talk about the right person to deal with these issues. Your best option for resolving such perplexity is to see a psychiatrist or psychologist.

What does a psychiatrist do?

A psychiatrist is a dedicated professional who evaluates, diagnoses and then treats problems related to mental and emotional well–being like depression, schizophrenia, insomnia, addictive behaviors, and personality disorders. He knows about physical health, mental health and how they both are intertwined. To mention the process, a psychiatrist may evaluate the symptoms by blood tests and medical history. Afterward, he analyzes the symptoms in order to make a diagnosis. After that, he may recommend treatment which can be either medication or therapy based or both.

The treatment involves a management plan for recovery which entails;

• Urgent care for sudden illness
• Managing long-term mental health condition
• Lifestyle changes
• Approach to life
• Guiding family for Coordination with patient

Why would a person need a psychiatrist?

In our journey of life, we come across many moments which affect us emotionally. Some of us cope with those emotions while some take them as larger than life. The latter ones bear serious mental and physical effects. According to a survey, the fifth part of the world is suffering through mental sickness but the problem is that besides modern awareness, there still exists a social stigma about seeking a mental health doctor to treat the “brain”. This is why people keep swallowing their disturbed condition. It is important to know that being mentally disturbed is totally fine, it just demands a psychiatrist’s observation of your problem. He will look into your issue and try to make your life easier with his recommendations. Visiting a psychiatrist becomes mandatory when there is a clear change in behavior, thoughts, emotions and expression of those emotions. Some conditions which can beget mental distress and require a psychiatrist consultation are mentioned below;

• Adjustment after major life changes
• Anxiety
• Fear
• Disjointed thoughts
• Depression: It involves intense and long periods of sadness
• Addictive behavior
• Out-of-control substance intake
• Hurting yourself on purpose
• Dietary problems
• Relatively High energy than normal
• Emotional outbursts
• Insomnia
• Thoughts that people will harm you and are against you
• Hallucinations
• Suicidal thoughts
• Believing on illogical theories created by mind
• Changed performance

How do I know if I need a psychiatrist?

Consider the fact that these are the traits of a normal human being like happiness, sadness, anger, illusions etc. but to a limited extent. Psychiatric problems can be characterized by the intensity and period of the symptoms. Moreover, the disturbance in a person’s normal functioning of life also indicates their degree of mental wellness. For example a sleep-deprived person may not work and think creatively which can affect his office work.

The border-line cases which are not too intense like work-related stress, or confused decisiveness can also be treated with a help of a psychiatrist. He may suggest you behavioral therapy like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or may counsel the problem and get solved. In addition, a psychiatrist can also refer a case to a psychologist.

Does psychiatrists actually help?

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who have specialized in psychiatry after MBBS. They take a lot of training so they have immense experience. They also may specialize in different fields of psychiatry like adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, perinatal psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, medical psychotherapy etc. A psychiatrist carefully listens to the patient when he is describing what he feels, makes him feel comfortable and that “these symptoms can happen to anyone”. In this manner he strives to detect the problem which is disturbing your life. For the treatment, he uses medicine and therapies to bring about changes in the body and mind.

Psychiatric issues affect the everyday functioning of our life. They do not let us focus and decide. We become unable to work, eat and sleep properly. Here, it is pertinent to mention that our minds and body are not separate. Therefore, mental illness can also cause physical sickness like migraine, digestive problems, change in sleep and diet patterns, etc. During such conditions consulting a psychiatrist can be helpful. They can save you from this havoc and bring you back to life. Through their therapies, they change your thinking pattern which gives strength to deal with further problems. They shape up a treatment plan with you comprising of medication, therapies and recommendations to change your thinking.

How long does it take for a psychiatrist to diagnose you?

Mental health diagnosis includes several steps. Firstly, if required, a diagnostic check -up is conducted including blood tests, urine test, etc. This is to ensure that the symptoms are not caused by something else. This typically takes less than an hour. Moving further, a mental health professional who can be either psychiatrist or a psychologist, have a conversation with the patient. The evaluation time can vary from person to person. It depends upon the amount of information required for a diagnosis. Mental health professional asks detailed questions about symptoms, how long they last, and how intense they are. He would also inquire about their impact on your daily life. Meanwhile, he will observe your behavior and actions. After connecting all the dots he will finally diagnose the disease or problem. Communal problems such as depression and anxiety may get diagnosed within 1 to 2 visits. Whereas, less common problems may require multiple sessions. On average a session with a psychiatrist takes between 30 to 60 minutes.