Types of Psychiatrist
Posted on: 8 March 2017
What are Psychiatrists?
Psychiatrists are doctors that specialize in psychiatry, the study and treatment of mental illness and behavior. Psychiatrists must complete a Bachelor's degree followed by a medical school degree, which usually takes four years, and a residency period of working in a mental health setting. The length of time of the residency is usually anther four years. After this, they apply for a certification to practice. With all this experience and knowledge, you can trust psychiatrists to really know their field. Psychiatrists give psychological evaluations and diagnoses and work out treatment options for patients, which sometimes includes medication. There are several types of psychiatrist outlined herein.
Addiction Psychiatrist
An Addiction Psychiatrist specializes in helping those with substance abuse problems. Alcoholics, drug addicts, and even people who use too much marijuana can see a psychiatrist about it and get help. They can also help people who are prescribed addictive medications for serious conditions. For example, if someone has been on prescribed painkillers for a long time and wants to cut back or come off the medication, a psychiatrist can provide treatment, guidelines, and support for the patient.
Adult Psychiatrist
An Adult Psychiatrist is the typical psychiatrist who helps those over eighteen with mental illnesses and behavior problems. For example, people with serious depression can get diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and may try antidepressant medications. For another example, veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may see a psychiatrist for specific symptoms such as insomnia, or panic related to flashbacks. Even people who don't end up being prescribed medicine can still benefit from seeing an adult psychiatrist because they can help you understand your disorder and discuss other treatment.
Child Psychiatrist
A Child Psychiatrist is one who specializes in treating children and those under eighteen. If a child is showing symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder and it's interfering with school and daily life, parents may take the child to a psychiatrist. The same goes if a child has serious rebellion and bad behavior problems and is seen for Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Child Psychiatrists may see children with Asperger's Syndrome, now included under the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Forensic Psychiatrist
Forensic Psychiatrists deal with psychiatry in the criminal justice system. A psychiatrist's forensic evaluations are given to criminals to assess and diagnose their mental illness. They will also discuss treatment in the context of the criminal justice system. Treatment might be very different, for example, if the patient is going to be living in jail for a while, or if he or she will be going to an institution. Forensic psychiatrists usually have to know the legal system well and sometimes have to appear in court for their patients. Forensic psychiatry is a broad field since relatively few people are in it to specialize it yet.
For more information, contact a business such as Carewright Clinical Services.
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