Psychiatry & Psychiatrist Near me

Psychiatry is a medical field encompassing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor specializing in mental health and is qualified to diagnose, treat, and prescribe medication for mental health conditions.

Psychiatric consultation is sought for many reasons including panic attacks, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, the hearing of voices, or more long-term problems like anxiety. Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder are common and are often hereditary.

Being diagnosed with a mental health disorder may be distressing but it’s important to keep in mind that there are many treatment options available. It is important for people to seek treatment and support without hesitation. Thanks to health care professionals and increased awareness, the unprecedented stigma surrounding mental health have progressively decreased.

Looking for the best psychiatrist near me? Learn more about the benefits of psychological treatment & check the list of the top nearby psychiatrist.

Psychiatrist Training

A psychiatrist’s journey involves medical school, medical licensing, and completion of a four-year psychiatry residency. Some psychiatrists pursue further training and specialize in addiction, children and adolescents, geriatrics, forensics, and psychosomatic medicine. Psychiatrists are skilled in differentiating between mental disorders from other diseases presenting with psychiatric symptoms.

Types of Mental Disorders Treated By Psychiatrists

It is impossible to identify one cause for psychiatric disorders. The development of mental disorders may be caused by factors such as genetics, life experiences, traumatic injury, biological factors, alcohol consumption, and drug use.

The most prevalent mental illness is anxiety. Anxiety itself is a normal emotion arising in high-stress situations. However, in anxiety disorders, the feeling of anxiousness does not go away, may worsen over time, and associated symptoms may interrupt daily activities. Psychiatrists are specialized doctors for treating anxiety disorders & panic attacks.

Another common mental disorder is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It often occurs after a traumatic event and is diagnosed when symptoms such as heightened alertness, the inability to forget an event, insomnia, depression, and nervousness persist long-term.

Some common types of mental disorders:

• Anxiety disorders: including OCD, phobias, and panic disorder;
• PTSD;
• Personality disorders;
• Psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia;
• Bipolar disorder; and
• Depression.

Some mental disorders are found to be more common after traumatic events like severe injuries or accidents. Psychiatric disorders like PTSD, depression, and anxiety are found in a significant amount of accident victims and affect daily activities or work. There is also an inverse relationship between psychiatric disorders and injury risk. Injuries can be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric diseases.

Psychiatric Testing

In order to arrive at an accurate diagnosis, patient consultation should include a detailed clinical assessment to best understand and gather information regarding medical, psychological, behavioral, and cognitive history. Psychiatrists may order a full range of laboratory tests, which in combination with patient history and clinical assessment, aid in drawing a clearer picture of a patient’s condition.

Steps toward an accurate diagnosis include taking a medical history, physical examination, possible lab tests, neurological evaluation, and psychometric testing (psychological evaluation). Psychometric testing is valuable to the diagnosis process and involves a number of tests that covers every aspect of personality, behavioral, emotional, psychological, and cognitive function.

These tests include, but are not limited to, personality tests, intelligence tests, and neuropsychological tests and are question-and-answer based or involve performing certain tasks.

Psychological Treatments

Although there are many treatment options available, the response to psychiatry treatment varies between individuals. Further, no treatment is 100% effective. Treatment plans should be tailored to an individual’s needs and medical condition. Although medications may be prescribed for several psychiatric disorders, other options are highly effective.

Accidentdoctors911 has the best psychological treatments available by the top mental health experts in New York.

Types of treatment for psychiatric conditions include:

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is one of the most popular psychological treatments for psychiatric disorders. It is useful for a broad range of mental health conditions and involves conversing with a mental health professional regarding personal feelings and thoughts. A basic requirement of talk therapy is confidentiality. Psychotherapy may be conducted one-on-one, in a group setting, or as a couple or family.

Support groups

Support groups are crucial for addressing the loneliness that often accompanies mental health conditions and also provide friendships, comfort, and advice.

Other psychological therapies include exercise, meditation, or creative activities, involving art, writing, or music.

CT or Electroconvulsive therapy

ECT or Electroconvulsive therapy is a relatively safe procedure whereby electric currents are passed into the brain while under general anesthesia. This causes alterations within the brain that can improve and even reverse certain symptoms. It is most often used for depression, depression with psychosis, or when other psychological treatments are ineffective.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of therapy used for psychological stress and is an effective technique to treat trauma, specifically PTSD and medication.

For the best Psychological treatments, please contact our Top Rated Psychologists near you.
We have a great list of mental health doctors in NY & NJ.

Psychiatric Medication

Medications do not cure mental illnesses but they aid in symptom management and are more effective when used in combination with psychotherapy or other treatments.

• Antidepressants are prescribed for depression or other mental disorders, such as anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, OCD, pain, and insomnia. The most common types of antidepressants are SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) such as fluoxetine, and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors) which include venlafaxine and duloxetine, and bupropion. People rarely develop an addiction to antidepressants, but abrupt termination may cause withdrawal symptoms;
• Anxiolytics reduce anxiety symptoms, such as panic attacks, or extreme fear and worry. SSRIs and SNRIs are first-line drugs while benzodiazepines are not suggested for long-term intake. Benzodiazepines may cause dependency and tolerance, so they are often prescribed for short-term use;
• Stimulants are used for ADHD to increase alertness, energy, and attention;
• Antipsychotics are mainly used for the management of psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia; and
• Mood stabilizers such as Lithium, are primarily used to treat bipolar disorder and mood swings.