Psychiatry

What is psychiatry?

Psychiatry is the medical specialty dedicated to diagnosing and treating disorders affecting your mind. These conditions include:

• Major depressive disorder (MDD or depression)
• Bipolar disorder
• Anxiety disorders and phobias
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Substance use disorder
• Eating disorders
• Personality disorders
• Schizophrenia

Psychiatry also treats patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other developmental/behavioral problems.

Mental health conditions affect your ability to study, work, pursue goals, and have healthy relationships. Many disorders can cause severe dysfunction and shorten your life without expert psychiatric care.

What happens at a psychiatric consultation?

Your first consultation allows your psychiatrist to learn about you and why you seek psychiatric help. The Fountain Group uses convenient telehealth, a secure remote video link where you talk to your doctor using your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.

Your psychiatrist reviews your medical history and asks about your symptoms. They also discuss your home and work life, living environment, general health, and anything else that can affect your mental health. In addition, your psychiatrist might ask you to complete psychological tests.

Your psychiatrist diagnoses your condition using the information gathered and designs a personalized treatment plan. They tell you about the treatment they recommend and other choices you might have, allowing you to make an informed decision going forward.

Which treatments are used in psychiatry?

Psychiatry’s primary treatments are psychotherapy and medication:

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy (talk therapy) involves regular conversations with your psychiatrist to address the problems caused by poor mental health. Many therapies are available. Some examine past experiences and memories that affect your mind. Your therapist helps you identify and work through these traumas, releasing you from their control.

Some talk therapies focus on what causes you problems in daily life. Treatment might also involve boosting your self-esteem, examining your goals and developing ways to achieve them, or teaching you coping skills.

Medication

Medication is often critical to reducing psychiatric symptoms. The primary medicines used in psychiatry are:

• Antidepressants
• Anti-anxiety drugs
• Mood stabilizers
• Stimulants
• Antipsychotics
• Drug withdrawal medicines

Finding the medications and dosages that suit you best can take time. Still, it’s worthwhile to keep going because the effects can be life-changing. Combining appropriate medication with psychotherapy usually achieves the most successful outcomes.

The Fountain Group welcomes patients of all ages and specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry. Call today or book an appointment online.