What is a Psychiatrist?

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who is specialized in giving treatment for mental health. Consulting a psychiatrist in Ludhiana will help you focus on your mental condition. The psychiatrist is experienced & trained in giving you the treatment for different mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and many other conditions.

What makes psychiatrists different from therapists?

The major difference between both of them is in their medical training. A psychiatrist has got additional training in psychiatry. In some states, the psychiatrist has the authority to prescribe medications to address mental health issues. In some cases, once the psychologist has completed the training he can prescribe the medications.

Psychologists will address the mental health issues with the psychotherapy. One of the options is CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) which helps to change people’s thought patterns and behaviors to improve the way they feel. In many cases, psychologists and psychiatrists work alongside so that the patient can get the best treatment plan.

*Keep in mind every patient has different issues and what might work for you will not for another person. So, make an informed decision by consulting the mental health expert.

What conditions do they treat?

A psychiatrist can treat different mental health conditions, and some of them are mentioned below:

• Schizophrenia
• Self-harm
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia
• Hallucinations
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Feeling constantly on edge, agitated, or unable to relax
• Delusional thinking
• Severe stress, worry, or anxiety
• Insomnia and sleeping problems
• Obsessional thoughts
• Violent outbursts
• Thoughts of hurting others
• Memory problems
• Negative thinking
• Inability to concentrate
• Hyperactivity
• Body image issues
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Drug, alcohol, or a certain behavior addiction
• Suicidal thoughts
• Neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

What are the types of a psychiatrist?

The psychiatrist has expertise in a certain area and the subcategories of psychiatry are:

• Child and adolescent psychiatry
• Young adult psychiatry
• Perinatal psychiatry

This area helps to focus on the areas which arise during pregnancy and in the first antenatal year.

• Geriatric psychiatry

The main is to focus on older adults

• Addiction psychiatry
• Forensic psychiatry

The main aim is to address the issues linked to mental health in people involved with the legal system and criminal records.

What type of education do they need?

A reliable and trustworthy psychiatrist has completed 4 years of training. Once they have passed the written examination they get the license to practice further. Once their medical training is over, they will do the training for 4 years in a psychiatry residency.

During the first year, he works in the hospital setting and treats the patient with various mental conditions. In the next 3 years, the individual will get to know how the problem should be diagnosed and treated.