PSYCHIATRY

The American Psychiatric Association (2019) defines Psychiatry as the branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (an M.D. or D.O.) who specializes in mental health, including substance use disorders. Psychiatrists are qualified to assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychological problems.

There are several specialty areas within psychiatry.

Reference

American Psychiatric Association.  (2019). What is psychiatry. Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-psychiatry

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

The child and adolescent psychiatrist, is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and the treatment of disorders of thinking, feeling and/or behavior affecting children, adolescents, and their families. A child and adolescent psychiatrist offers families the advantages of a medical education, the medical traditions of professional ethics, and medical responsibility for providing comprehensive care (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2019).

Addiction Psychiatrists

Addiction psychiatrists identify concurrent psychiatric and substance use problems in individuals seeking treatment for either or both conditions.

Community Psychiatrist

Community Psychiatrists focus on the detection, prevention, early treatment, and rehabilitation of patients with emotional discorders. Particular emphasis is placed on the social-interpersonal-environmental factors that contribute to mental illness.