What is psychiatry?

Going to a psychiatry visit involves working with a doctor called a psychiatrist. The purpose of the visit may include things like getting a diagnosis of your mental health condition or getting medical treatment to improve your mental health.

Just like any other type of doctor, a psychiatrist has a medical degree. But, instead of specializing in general medicine or surgery, they specialize in mental health and the brain. Their education and training gives them insight into complex mental health issues and the relationship between mental and physical conditions, which allows them to take your whole health into account during treatment.

Seeing a psychiatrist is most helpful when your main goal is to reduce the symptoms of your mental health issues with a medication-based approach. What’s included in your treatment plan looks different for everyone and is up for discussion: There are many medications that might be beneficial, and different medications are used for different symptoms and diagnoses. It’s important to note that not everyone who sees a psychiatrist will leave with a prescription.

While psychiatrists may use discussion-based approaches as part of treatment, their medical training allows them to offer a wider variety of treatment options. This includes medication and other treatments that require an understanding of the biological, psychological, and social causes of mental health conditions. This includes what’s also called somatic therapies such as IV ketamine therapy.

Psychiatry can be especially useful if other approaches haven’t provided relief, or if symptoms are interfering with everyday life.

Your therapist or primary care doctor might recommend seeing a psychiatrist if therapy alone does not seem to be enough, or you need treatment beyond what they can provide. You may also decide to look into it yourself if your symptoms seem to be getting more serious.

Seeing a psychiatrist can be especially helpful if you’re looking to:

• Deal with more complex mental health conditions that are associated with chemical imbalances in the brain (like severe depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia)
• Treat symptoms that haven’t responded to other forms of treatment
• Address more sudden or worsening problems (like panic attacks, hallucinations, thoughts of self-harm or hearing voices)
• Cope with complicated emotions that don’t seem to go away
• Find relief from symptoms that are severely interfering with your day-to-day life
• Receive a medical diagnosis and learn more about it and how you can manage your condition
• Deal with a recurring mental health issue or something related to a family history of mental illness 

Taking steps to focus your search can help you find promising matches. Learn more about finding the best mental health provider for you.

A variety of online directories exist to help folks find a therapist that meets their needs—in terms of budget, cultural sensitivity and style.

NAMI offers valuable information about mental health care for the various communities, including questions you can ask during your search.

NAMI also offers tips for finding culturally competent providers.

It’s normal to feel nervous about getting mental health treatment and working with a psychiatrist, but knowing what to expect can help put you at ease. Know that your doctor is there to support you–they want to understand what you’re struggling with so that they can help you improve and feel your best.

Your first session with a psychiatrist is similar to that with a therapist: It will focus on getting to know you and your history, and it involves a lot of questions. This is so your psychiatrist can determine a diagnosis and treatment plan, which might take a couple of sessions to figure out.

Because your psychiatrist is trying to come up with possible diagnoses, they might ask more specific questions about your medical symptoms than a therapist. They will likely ask questions about your:

• Symptoms (everything from depression to anxiety to psychosis)
• Family medical history
• History of trauma
• Medical history
• Substance use history
• Psychiatric history (have you been hospitalized, who is your therapist, what medications have you been on)
• Your social history (who is your support system, what do you do for work/school)

In asking all of this, they’re trying to narrow down what could be going on with you. They may also ask questions to figure out if additional diagnostic steps (like lab tests or referrals to other medical specialists) might be needed.

Each person’s unique biology has a big impact on their mental health. Just like someone might need to take medicine for blood pressure, someone might need medicine to improve a mental health condition and overall well-being. Psychiatric medications can change chemical signaling in the brain, which can reduce symptoms for certain conditions. 

It’s normal to have questions about taking medication. That being said, research shows there are many medications that have been proven effective for a range of mental health conditions and symptoms. With medication, people better manage their illnesses and have better functioning in their day-to-day lives.

That said, medication shouldn’t be seen as a cure-all. It takes time to find the right medication, and you might notice side effects along the way. Here are some tips if you’re considering medication as part of your treatment: 

• Talk to your psychiatrist about the risks and benefits of any medication before you go on it.
• While you’re taking it, observe your symptoms and let your psychiatrist know what you’re experiencing.
• Most importantly, try to be patient. As frustrating as it can be at times, medication can help–it may just take time for it to work.

If you’ve patiently waited for one or more treatments to work but haven’t seen the results, it could be a sign that your psychiatrist may not be a good fit for you in terms of finding the right treatment plan. Here are some things to look out for:

• if your doctor fails to ask about existing medications or medical conditions
• if your doctor spends very little time with you before prescribing medication
• if your doctor doesn’t check in with you about the medication you’re taking
• if your doctor only focuses on side effects as opposed to how you’re doing
• if your doctor does not go over the risks and alternatives with you of your medication

In these cases, you may want to consider other options so you can get the caring and safe treatment you deserve. Finding the right psychiatrist can be difficult, but it’s important for you to be able to advocate for yourself.

That being said, it’s important to understand that the trial and error part of finding the right medication for you is a step in the process, and not a failure on the behalf of your doctor. Many medications take weeks–if not months–to work, and switching medications can be a frustrating process. 

Try to be open-minded, ask questions, and pay attention to your side effects and improvement. If it helps, track some symptoms by writing them down or using an app on your phone. Being open-minded and allowing time for success offers you the chance for meaningful relief and improved quality of life.

1. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Mental Health Statistics