Psychiatry

What is psychiatry?

Psychiatry is a medical discipline. It deals with mental disorders, i.e., with pathologic changes in the higher nervous functions, which lead to incorrect reflection of patients' reality and inaccurate behavior. Psychiatric treatment is aimed primarily at controlling patients' symptoms. However, the causes of mental disorder may not go away. In this case, some psychiatrists provide psychotherapy or refer the patient to a psychotherapist. Thus, three treatment options emerge - only medication (with drugs), only psychotherapeutic and mixed, a combination of medication and psychotherapy.

What is a psychiatrist?

A psychiatrist is a doctor who treats patients with mental disorders using prescription drugs, psychotherapy, and other methods to affect various organs and systems in the body. As a physician, he follows the medical model and explains the changes in the psyche, their course, and their influence with biology laws.

What are the main types of conditions that psychiatrists treat?

• disorders in early childhood or adolescence - attention deficit disorder, epilepsy, mental retardation

• delirium, dementia, amnesia and other cognitive disorders - Alzheimer's disease

• mental disorders due to a general medical condition

• substance abuse disorders - alcohol and drug abuse

• schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders

• mood disorders - major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder

• anxiety disorders - generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder

What are the main subtypes of psychiatry?

• general psychopathology

• special psychopathology

• forensic psychiatry