Psychiatrists
A psychiatrist is a doctor who has qualified as a specialist in psychiatry. If you want to be a psychiatrist, you must first qualify as a doctor. Like all other doctors, you must then work in various departments and wards in order to learn surgery, medicine, etc.
Only then can you start training to become a psychiatrist. After several years in various psychiatric and neurological departments, you will become a specialist doctor in psychiatry. During your training, you will learn about psychotherapy.
A psychiatrist is therefore both a doctor and a specialist in mental illness and has an understanding of both the medicinal and psychotherapeutic treatment of mental illnesses.
What is psychiatry?
Psychiatry is the medical speciality which concerns mental illnesses. Psychiatry interfaces with and exchanges knowledge with many other disciplines, including neurology, psychology, medicine and social medicine. Psychiatry uses knowledge of
- the function and diseases of the nervous system
- mental development, mental processes and illnesses
- the importance of social factors for health and illness
Among other things, psychiatrists deal with
- anxiety
- depression
- social phobias
- compulsive symptoms
- crisis reactions
- abuse
- pain syndromes
- insomnia
- eating disorders
- psychosomatic disorders
- psychoses
Psychiatrists expand their knowledge and experience of the various types of medicine and effects and psychotherapy through courses, seminars and practical experience. Psychiatrists can also participate in medicinal projects, thereby increasing their knowledge in this way, and they can also specialise in psychopharmaceutical or psychotherapeutic treatment.
Psychiatrists try to make their diagnosis on the first consultation. Based on this diagnosis, the psychiatrist will decide which form of treatment is most appropriate for you.
Medicine or psychotherapy
Most practising psychiatrists choose a combination of consultation sessions (psychotherapy) and medicine (psychoactive drugs).
In many cases, a combination of medicine and psychotherapy will be the most effective treatment for your depression. Taking medicine is voluntary if you are not psychotic and in a life-threatening condition which could lead to compulsory admission. You may decide that you would rather look for the causes of your depression via psychotherapy. The treatment will take place as a collaboration between yourself and your psychiatrist.
There are many different methods within psychotherapeutic treatment. Practising psychiatrists will choose the most appropriate method on the basis of their fundamental attitude and background.
The psychiatrist will offer psychotherapeutic treatment in the following ways:
- individually
- in groups
- as couple therapy
- as family therapy
Finally, you must not forget that exercise is now on the agenda and an important factor in the treatment, as it can also have a positive effect on the nervous system.