WHAT IS A ? DIAGNOSING PATIENTS TREATMENTS LET’S PSYCHIATRIC TRAINING, CERTIFICATION PSYCHIATRIC SPECIALTIES TALK What is a Psychiatrist? WHERE DO WORK? FACTS WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PSYCHIATRIST AND ? ABOUT RESOURCES

take just a few sessions over a week or two or may take American Board of and to become a What is a Psychiatrist? many sessions over a period of years. There are many forms “board certified” psychiatrist. They must be re-certified of and it can be done individually, with a every 10 years. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in the family, or in a group. Some mental illnesses require limited diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illnesses, but ongoing treatment in order to manage chronic including substance use disorders. Psychiatrists are Psychiatric Specialties conditions. qualified to assess both the mental and physical aspects of Medications are used by psychiatrists in much the same psychological disturbance. A psychiatrist has completed Many psychiatrists continue training beyond the four way that medications are used to treat high blood pressure (is an M.D. or D. O.) and an additional four years to become a psychiatrist. They may study or diabetes. After medical and psychological evaluations, or more years of training in psychiatry.  Child and adolescent psychiatry psychiatrists can prescribe medications to help treat mental People seek psychiatric help for many reasons. The  disorders. Psychiatric medications can help correct problems can be sudden, such as a panic attack, imbalances in brain chemistry that are thought to be  Forensic (legal) psychiatry frightening hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, or hearing involved in some mental disorders. Psychiatrists often use “voices.” Or they may be more long-term, such as feelings  psychiatry medications in combination with psychotherapy. Patients on of sadness and hopelessness or anxious feelings that  Pain long-term medication treatment will need to meet with their never seem to lift, causing everyday life to feel distorted or  Psychosomatic (mind and body) medicine psychiatrist periodically in order to monitor the effects of out of control. medications.  Diagnosing Patients Other treatments are also sometimes used by Some psychiatrists choose additional training in psychiatrists. Electroconvulsive (ECT), a medical at special psychoanalytic institutes or treatment that involves applying electrical currents to the Because they are , psychiatrists can order or additional training in psychiatric research. brain, is used most often to treat severe depression that has perform a full range of medical laboratory and not responded to other treatments. Deep brain stimulation, psychological tests which, combined with interviews/ , and repetitive transcranial Where do psychiatrists work? discussions with patients, help provide a picture of a magnetic stimulation are a few of the newer being patient’s physical and mental state. Their education and Psychiatrists work in a variety of settings, including private used to treat some mental disorders. Light therapy is used years of clinical training and experience equip them to practices, , general and psychiatric , to treat seasonal depression. understand the complex relationship between emotional university medical centers, community agencies, courts and other medical illnesses, to evaluate medical and and prisons, homes, industry, government, psychological data, to make a diagnosis, and to work with Psychiatric Training, Certification military settings, schools and universities, rehabilitation a patient to develop a treatment plan. programs, emergency rooms, , and many other To become a psychiatrist, a person must complete college, Specific diagnoses are based on criteria established in places. About half of the psychiatrists in the U.S. maintain then medical school, and then a four-year residency in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, private practices and many psychiatrists work in multiple psychiatry. Some psychiatrists also complete additional which contains descriptions, symptoms and other criteria settings. specialized training after their four years of for diagnosing mental disorders. general psychiatry training (see below). Newly graduated physicians must pass written and oral What is the difference between a Treatments examinations for a state license to practice medicine. After psychiatrist and psychologist? graduation, doctors typically spend much of the first year of Psychiatrists use a variety of treatments, including residency training in a taking care of patients with a A psychiatrist is a medical doctor with special training in psychotherapy, medication, and other treatments. wide range of medical illnesses. The psychiatrist-in-training psychiatry who is able to conduct psychotherapy and Psychotherapy, sometimes called talk therapy, is a then spends at least three additional years in a psychiatric prescribe medications and other medical treatments. treatment that involves a talking relationship between a residency learning the diagnosis and treatment of mental A psychologist usually has an advanced degree, most therapist and patient. It can be used to treat a broad variety illnesses, gaining valuable skills in various forms of commonly in , and often has extensive of mental disorders and emotional difficulties. The goal of psychotherapy and in the use of psychiatric and training in research. treat mental disorders psychotherapy is to eliminate or control disabling or other treatments. with psychotherapy and some specialize in psychological troubling symptoms so the patient can function better. After completing residency training, most psychiatrists testing and evaluation. Depending on the extent of the problem, treatment may take a voluntary written and oral examination given by the

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