About Psychiatry
Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of people with mental disorders.
Mental disorders and mental illnesses affect almost every aspect of a person’s life, and we need psychiatry to treat them. We’re talking about physical functions, behavior, and affectivity, perception of reality, interpersonal relationships, sexuality, work and leisure. Such disorders are caused by the interaction of complex biological, social and spiritual factors that cannot always be clearly identified. The task of psychiatry is to clarify the role of these various factors and their influence on manifestations of mental illness.
Psychiatrists are primarily doctors, as they are graduates of a medical school. They can prescribe medication and treatments from a psychopharmacological point of view to primarily treat a medical problem (a neurochemical imbalance of the brain). A specialist in psychiatry only deals with people with mental problems whose physical symptoms have come to affect their daily activities.
The most common mental disorders (emotional disorders) that are solved with the help of psychiatric sessions in Bucharest, Cluj and Iasi and Romania are:
Depression
Substance abuse
Anxiety
Insomnia
Borderline Disorder
Bipolar disorder
Schizophrenia
Post traumatic stress
As far as city life is concerned, the dominant health problem is definitely depression. However, in rural areas substance abuse is the biggest mental health problem.
Psychiatry – When do you need psychiatric sessions?
Generally you need to see a psychiatrist when you have some symptoms that may signal a mental disorder. That doesn’t mean you necessarily have to go to a psychiatric hospital. These can be:
you’re sad; you don’t feel like doing anything; you’re always tired; you find it hard to make decisions and sometimes think that life is pointless; you’ve even thought about or tried to commit suicide
you are tormented by anxiety, anxiety; you have a “lump in your throat”, palpitations; you have panic attacks that make you think you are going to go crazy or die
you are going through a difficult time in your life (bereavement, separation, illness, conflicts in the family, couple or at work, major stress). you notice that you are not able to recover
you talk a lot lately; those around you tell you to sit still; you don’t feel you need sleep and you go through alternating states of nervousness and sadness/exhaustion
you have become “obsessed” with a person; with certain thoughts or behaviors
lately, it seems like everyone around you is talking about you or you feel like you’re being followed or someone is hurting you; you experience delusion
you hear things that others cannot seem to hear; have had visions or other disturbances of sight, hearing or smell
Reasons why people come to psychiatry
They were prescribed more than one psychiatric drug
Psychiatric drug treatment begins to lose its effects and they need to change their medication
They received different diagnoses from other specialists
They followed the General Physician treatment and their situation did not improve
They have received a referral from a psychologist or psychotherapist
They have physical symptoms that other specialties have failed to address
They think they have a mental health problem
They begin to exhibit inappropriate behaviors and these behaviors are repeated periodically
Psychiatry – What happens in a session?
First of all, it is worth mentioning that psychiatric services can also be paid through CASMB if you are insured. These are medical services for which there is a constant and massive demand from the population.
The purpose of the first psychiatric session or psychiatric interview is to establish the diagnosis. This cannot be done with a social worker or nurse, as is often the case. Your psychiatrist will talk to you and ask you a series of questions about your health and the symptoms you are experiencing. It is very important that your answers are honest and as detailed as possible, otherwise both the doctor’s work and your time will be wasted.
If you don’t feel able to come on your own, you can bring someone close to you to support you. The confidentiality boundary between you and this person will be respected by the doctor.
Following the discussion, the doctor will determine the diagnosis and treatment and explain exactly what your situation is and what to expect. In most cases, medication is prescribed to relieve the symptoms, so there’s a good chance you’ll leave the office with a prescription. Often, the problems that encourage patients to come to psychiatry are also treated through psychotherapy. In this case, you will receive a medical letter to a psychotherapist to help you with your current problem.
Of course, there may be situations where your drug treatment overlaps with your psychotherapy sessions.
The psychiatric consultation, as well as the medication offered, only treats the symptoms you have; it keeps them under control. The source of the problems however, can only be treated by psychotherapy.
How long does a psychiatric session last?
Psychiatric sessions are generally of two kinds. Initial assessment and Psychiatric control. They are outpatient services, meaning you don’t have to be admitted to the hospital clinic.
The initial assessment is the first appointment. The doctor will talk to you more to find out the source of your problem. It will establish a diagnosis and treatment plan for any mental illness. This session usually lasts 50 minutes, but there are cases when it can last up to 120 minutes.
Psychiatric check-up and the rest of the psychiatric sessions. This meeting is held periodically, about once a month, and its purpose is to monitor the effects of medication and prescribed psychiatric treatment. Your psychiatrist will follow the evolution and adjust the medication as appropriate. It lasts 30 minutes.
Difference between psychiatric practice and psychiatric clinic
The difference between a psychiatric practice and a clinic is at first glance only related to its size. In a psychiatric practice there is usually only one doctor, whereas in a clinic you will always find many more.
The fact that there is only one doctor in a psychiatric practice does not constrain the doctor’s competence. But it’s good to think about the big picture for your needs and the benefits you need. We can still talk about the possibility of mental disorders or mental illness.
Advantages of a psychiatric clinic
Since there are several psychiatrists working in the same group, their combined experience is much greater, so the chances of finding a doctor who specializes in mental disorders and your problem and getting a correct diagnosis are much higher. The doctor assigned to you is expected to have the most experience on your problem. The staff structure is diversified and complete. No need to go elsewhere for other services or paperwork.
Treatment is not limited. In a psychiatrist’s office, the doctor can only help you with a prescription, in some cases with referral to other specialties or psychotherapy. That leaves finding the other specialists and continuing treatment with them up to you. This does not happen in a clinic setting. Here you will find the psychiatrist and the psychotherapist in the same team working together to solve your mental suffering. Most of the services needed to solve your problem are usually available.
Treatment programs in a psychiatric clinic
Specialized clinics have created specific treatment programs for each diagnosis. It means that therapeutic programs are available for your diagnosis. You will already know how long they will last, how effective they are and what results they will bring you. It is worth mentioning that your involvement is key. The more you get involved, the better the results will be.
Guarantees. There are many people who are misdiagnosed. So they end up following the wrong treatment for years. In some cases they don’t only not get better, but worse in the meantime. How would you feel about taking some drugs for several months that you later found out did more harm than good? This does not happen in a specialized psychiatric clinic. The effects are always controlled and monitored from all points of view to ensure effective treatment.
Continuity. Specialized clinics generally have a much longer market presence and in Romania they tend to quickly grow and develop. So even if your episodes are recurring, you’ll always know where to find a team that you know has been helpful and effective for you. It can help you in the future.
Increased help. A psychiatric practice can only have one specialization. It can be for adults or children. Most psychiatric clinics offer services for the whole family. That includes children, teenagers, adults, couples, groups, families and seniors.
At the Hope Clinic you benefit from the most modern psychiatric treatments.
It all starts with a CONSULTATION WITH THE DOCTOR
We aim to implement all the recommendations provided by the European Psychiatric Association and the American Psychiatric Association for best practice in the field for the treatment of the mentally ill.
What questions should I ask after the psychiatric evaluation?
- What is my diagnosis?
- What therapeutic method do you recommend?
- How long will the treatment last? When will we know it’s time to stop treatment?
- Is drug treatment sufficient or is psychotherapy also needed?
- When should I come for my next check-up?
- Are there alternative treatments?
- What are the benefits and risks associated with the prescribed treatment?
- Is it possible to have side effects?
- How does the prescribed psychiatric treatment fit in with the other medications I am still taking?
If the patient is a child, you could also ask:
- How can parents or family members get involved?
- What to do if the child does not want to follow the prescribed instructions?
- How often will you talk to me about my child’s progress?
- If psychotherapy is also needed, where can I find a suitable specialist for my child?