Who is a Psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in mental health. Psychiatrists are experts in diagnosing, treating and managing various mental illnesses and disorders. They use both therapy and medication to treat their patients. Psychiatrists are also adept in conducting thorough assessments to diagnose the underlying cause of a patient's mental health problem and provide the necessary treatment.
Part of a psychiatrist's line of work includes prescribing and managing medications to treat various mental health conditions.
Apart from medications, psychiatrists can also utilize therapeutic approaches to treating mental disorders. These include psychotherapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), among others. Such approaches can help them gain a deeper understanding of a patient's emotions, thinking, and behavioral patterns to improve their mental-well being.
What types of mental disorders do Psychiatrists treat?
Following are some of the mental disorders psychiatrists are capable of treating:
- Schizophrenia
- ADHD
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Multiple personality disorder
- Sleep problems
What is Psychiatry?
Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of psychiatric illnesses and mental disorders. Medical specialists who are experts in psychiatry are known as psychiatrists.
When should you see a Psychiatrist?
You should visit a psychiatrist in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi in the following cases:
- Mental Disorders: It is important to see a psychiatrist when you or your primary care doctor suspects you are experiencing some mental problem. People already diagnosed with mental disorders need to visit a psychiatrist regularly, especially in cases where the symptoms are becoming more severe.
- Stress and Anxiety: Moreover, it is also important to visit a psychiatrist in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi when your mental health is lagging and you feel overwhelmed by anxiety or stress. Perpetually feeling an intense feeling of sadness and hopelessness is a common symptom of depression and is cause for concern.
- Depression: If you experience any of the symptoms of depression, consulting a psychiatrist can be very helpful, if not life-changing.
- Self-harm, negative and sadistic thoughts: A morphed thinking process is also a cause for alarm. Mental health causes people to think negatively of themselves and others, incoherence and lack of focus in their thoughts, and most alarming are the suicidal thoughts. Some patients might also think of hurting others instead.
- Alarming symptoms: Mental problems also have physical symptoms. Having too much or too little energy, getting too little or too much sleep and extreme eating habits are common in patients with mental health problems. Those suffering from anger management issues also need intervention from a psychiatrist.
- Performance Anxiety:Some people have performance anxiety that interferes with their intimate relationships leading to sexual dysfunction. A trained mental health specialist can properly and safely treat this.
- Children with intellectual disabilities: Children with problems like autism, ADHD, and other intellectual issues also need to be treated by a mental health specialist before these problems become lifelong. Many psychiatrists are also specially trained to deal with young children and can effectively treat children who have a mental illness or severe trauma.
- Postpartum depression: New mothers might also need to visit the best psychiatrist in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi if they suffer from postpartum depression. The changing hormone levels, the trauma of birthing, and the responsibilities of motherhood can overwhelm mothers. If they feel depressed, suffer from mood swings, cannot connect to the baby, have altered sleep and dietary habits, cry and feel hopeless for more than two weeks, then they need the help of a mental health specialist.
What are a Psychiatrist's main areas of concern?
Psychiatrists are responsible for helping patients manage their mental health and understand its impact on their bodies.
Commonly used psychiatric medication includes antidepressants, antipsychotics, stimulants, sedatives, mood stabilizers etc.
Since these drugs impact the patient's overall health, psychiatrists ensure that they don't have any contraindications for the patients and are safe to take. The prescription process can sometimes be hit, and trial as the doctor does not know which drug and dosage the patient will respond well to.
Psychiatrists also perform different therapies on the patients. For example, those who suffer from seasonal depression are often treated using light therapy, a form of psychiatric treatment.
Electroconvulsive therapy is reserved for patients suffering from extreme depression that does not respond to other treatments. It involves giving electrical current to the brain. On the other hand, another treatment technique, psychotherapy, entails talking to the patients, similar to counselling.
What are the most common mental health issues in Pakistan?
Mental health problems are a growing concern in Pakistan. Pakistani people regularly visit a psychiatrist in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi to get treatment for various psychiatric disorders.
According to a study , the most common mental health problems in Pakistan are as follows.
|
Mental Illness
|
Percentage of Population
|
|
Depression
|
6%
|
|
Epilepsy
|
2%
|
|
Schizophrenia
|
1.5%
|
|
Alzheimer’s disease
|
1%
|
How can I find and book an appointment with a psychiatrist in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi?
oladoc makes it easy for you to book an appointment with a psychiatrist in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi. Choose any psychiatrist near you from the list of doctors shown above and book your appointment in just a few clicks. You can also check patient reviews, doctor rating, doctor experience, and qualifications, etc. oladoc lists only the top, qualified and verified psychiatrists on its platform to ensure your health and safety.
What is the difference between a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist?
The main difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist is that unlike psychologists, psychiatrists can also prescribe medications to patients for the treatment of mental illnesses whereas psychologists mostly provide counseling and psychotherapy to patients.
Types of Psychiatrists in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi
Psychiatry is a broad field that has many subspecialties. The best psychiatrists in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi may therefore specialize in:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists: These psychiatrists help diagnose, treat and manage thinking and behavioral issues in children. They are specially trained to deal with children's disorders like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood disorders, delinquency, learning disabilities etc.
- Forensic Psychiatrists: The psychiatrists who take up this field deal with the treatment of prisoners and patients locked up in secure hospitals. They also address the mental issues plaguing the community at large and therefore have close ties with the legal system.
- Geriatric Psychiatrists: They are psychiatrists that diagnose, treat, prevent and manage the mental health issues present in the older population.
- Perinatal Psychiatrists: This category of psychiatrists deal with the mental health of pregnant women and their progress through their first year with the baby.
- Neuropsychiatrists: Brain and mental diseases share a common terrain, and neuropsychiatry is a blend between neurology and psychiatry. Neuropsychiatrists are trained to deal with patients having various mental disorders that originate from abnormalities in brain function.
- Young Adult Psychiatrists: These types of psychiatrists work with people aged 18-29 and the problems they face due to the transitions they undergo in their lives lead, young adult specialists exclusively cater to the many mental health issues in young people.
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