Pyschiatry
The Study of the Human Psyche
Psychiatry is 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.
People seek psychiatric help for many reasons. The problems can be
sudden, such as a panic attack, frightening hallucinations, thoughts of
suicide, or hearing "voices." Or they may be more long-term, such as
feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or anxiousness that never seem to
lift or problems functioning, causing everyday life to feel distorted or
out of control.