Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists are doctors who are medically trained and specialize in psychiatry. It is also common for psychiatrists come into facilities to act as a consultant for other professionals. Psychiatrists’ licenses are unique because they are licensed medical doctors to prescribe medications when necessary.
What Training is Needed to Become a Psychiatrist? To become a psychiatrist, aspiring doctors first need to attain a bachelor’s degree. Next, they will move onto medical school, where they will earn their MDs. Then they are required to complete their four-year residency. In most cases, this occurs in a psychiatric hospital or a hospital’s psychiatric department. Many psychiatrists also pursue a specialty group that they will solely or mainly focus on during their career.
What Psychiatric Subcategories Are There? There are a variety of psychiatric subcategories psychiatrists may choose to specialize in. They might sometimes decide to focus on treating patients in a particular age group or choose to treat a single condition.
Psychiatrists are also unique in that they are licensed medical doctors to prescribe medications when necessary.
What is Psychiatric Training?
Training to become a psychiatrist involves first getting a bachelor’s degree and then moving onto medical school and earning their MSs. Once they earn their MDs, they complete their four-year residency, usually in a psychiatric hospital or a hospital’s psychiatric department. Many psychiatrists also pursue a specialty group, such as focusing mainly or only on working with middle-aged adults or the elderly.
What Types of Psychiatric Treatments Are There?
There are a variety of treatments psychiatrists use depending on the patients’ overall emotional condition and symptoms. The treatments that can be used on their own or with any combination of other psychiatric treatments, which include:
- Psychotherapy
- Behavioral Therapy
- Interpersonal Therapy
- Dialectical Therapy
The subcategories psychiatrists focus on are:
Sleep Disorders
Psychiatrists focus on what is affecting sleep behaviors and patterns in their clients. Substance abuse, depression, and anxiety are commonly associated with sleep disorders.
Addiction Psychiatry
Psychiatrists treat impulse-control disorders. In this subcategory, the focus is often on gambling, drugs and alcohol, sex, and food.
Gender and Sexual Psychiatry
Psychiatrists treat psychiatric difficulties common with gender identity disorder, sexual dysfunction, and sexual orientation. This is a relatively new specialty, but it has grown substantially in recent years.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Psychiatrists focus on working with children and adolescents. The psychiatrists will be focusing on the mindsets and behavior patterns of the children they are treating. They also pay close attention to influences on those who are 18-years-old and younger.
Psychosomatic Medicine
Psychosomatic medicine focuses on patients with physical symptoms, which are mainly caused by psychiatric effects. Once they know what is affecting the patient, they start treatment to help them move in a healthier direction. Many physical illnesses can affect the mind, and the same goes for mental illness causing physical symptoms.
Community Psychiatry
Psychiatrists take a public health perspective in this subcategory. They focus on finding, stopping, and treating behavioral and emotional disorders specific to a community. Psychiatrists often use outreach centers for the field.
Neuropsychiatry
Psychiatrists work with psychiatric and emotional issues involving the central nervous system. Electroconvulsive (ECI) therapy is sometimes employed as part of treatment.
Cross-Cultural Psychiatry
Psychiatrists work with psychiatric and emotional issues involving the central nervous system. Electroconvulsive (ECI) therapy is sometimes employed as part of treatment.
Geriatric Psychiatry
Psychiatrists focus on working with elderly patients. Psychiatrists in this field often treat patients with memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s or Dementia and frequently need chronic pain management, palliative care, and hospice care.
Developmental Psychiatry
Psychiatrists in this subcategory focus on the developments and roots of psychiatric disorders and any changes the brain experiences during fetal development and early childhood.
Forensic Psychiatry
Psychiatrists are brought in as consultants for attorneys and law enforcement agencies. When they consult, they frequently give impartial testimony for legal cases.
Eating Disorders
Psychiatrists focus on treating patients who have eating disorders such as Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa. They do this by helping them change how they regard their behaviors applicable to eating, body, exercise, and nutrition.
Emergency Psychiatry
Psychiatrists in this subcategory work in urgent situations where their patients’ well-being, health, or life is at risk. These professionals work with an array of patients who tend to self-injure or act violently towards others.