Who is a psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a healthcare professional with specialist training in diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Psychiatrists can also prescribe mental health medications, such as antidepressants — unlike other mental health professionals like psychologists and counselors, who usually do not enjoy prescription privileges. The most fundamental distinction between psychologists and psychiatrists is that the former cannot prescribe drugs.
In the United States, around 41,133 psychiatrists were practicing in 1,397 counties. These professionals can be found in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, community mental health programs, and private practice. Common prescriptions in psychiatry include antidepressants, hypnotics, stimulants, sedatives, and mood stabilizers.
However, many other modes of treatment are also used. For instance, when patients do not respond to therapy or medication, they may be prescribed any of the following: electroconvulsive therapy, deep brain stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and light therapy.
What does a psychiatrist do?
Psychiatrists are qualified to understand the complex interplay between psychological and physical health. They use this knowledge to help people improve their mood, thought patterns, and behavior. Some of the benefits of becoming a psychiatrist include the following:
- Assisting people to live better: Psychiatrists help people suffering from mental illness live healthier and happier lives. They use their training and skills to diagnose mental health concerns and develop treatment plans that can help improve patients’ lives.
- Bringing a difference in others' lives: Psychiatrists make a positive difference in their patients and families' lives. They provide care and support that can significantly impact their patients.
- Doing interesting work: Psychiatry is an exciting field of medicine that is constantly evolving. Psychiatrists can learn about new treatments and research as they help their patients.
- Helping people in need: Psychiatrists often work with people struggling with difficult life circumstances or significant life transitions.
Education and training of psychiatrists in the US
Psychiatrists can choose from various education programs to receive training in their field. The most common type of program is a 4-year residency, which includes completing a 1-2 year internship followed by 2-3 years of specialized training in psychiatry. Alternatively, some psychiatrists may opt for a 4-year residency program that does not include an internship component. There are also 6-9 month fellowship programs available for psychiatrists who wish to receive additional training in specific areas such as child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, addictions, clinical neurophysiology, consultation-liaison psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, pain medicine, and sleep medicine.
The current state of psychiatry training in the US
The current state of psychiatry training in the US could be better. Several problems need to be addressed to improve the quality of training and education for psychiatrists in the country.
One of the major problems is the need for more funding for psychiatric training programs. This has led to a need for more trained psychiatrists in the country. Another problem is the need for more diversity in psychiatric training programs. Many psychiatrists must be prepared to work with patients from different cultural backgrounds.
In addition, there is a shortage of standardization in psychiatric training programs. This makes it difficult for psychiatrists to transfer their knowledge and skills from one program to another. As a result, many psychiatrists cannot benefit from their training.
The state of psychiatry training in the USA must be improved to better meet the needs of patients and psychiatrists alike.
Psychiatrists vs. psychologists
While psychologists and psychiatrists have a lot in common, they are fundamentally different in the following ways:
- Training: Psychiatrists have medical degrees, such as an MD or a DO. Contrarily, psychologists earn a master's degree and a doctoral degree (Ph.D., PsyD, EdD), but they are not medical doctors. Unlike psychiatrists who focus on diagnosing and treating mental illnesses, psychologists study the human mind, behaviors, and emotions.
- Prescriptive authority: Since psychiatrists are licensed mental healthcare professionals, they can prescribe medications, whereas psychologists cannot. Instead, psychologists provide different forms of therapy, such as talk therapy, exposure therapy, and art therapy. If the psychologist feels a patient needs medical treatment, they can refer them to a suitable psychiatrist.
Reasons to see a psychiatrist
You can visit a psychiatrist near you for various reasons, including:
- Excessive worry or anxiety
- Sleep disturbances
- Compulsive thoughts or behavior
- Frequent emotional outbursts
- Delusions or hallucinations
- Reduced attention span or concentration
- Thoughts of hurting yourself or others
- Difficulty adjusting to life changes
- Dependency on alcohol or recreational drugs
What to expect from a visit to your psychiatrist?
During your appointment, your psychiatrist will inquire about your medical history, any medications you are on, past diagnoses, and family history of mental health conditions. Being prepared with all the necessary information beforehand can help. Additionally, they will ask questions about your current symptoms, sleep quality, diet, lifestyle, etc.
Sometimes, they might ask you open-ended questions like “How are you feeling?” or “What brings you here?”. While such questions might make you nervous and unsure of where to start, remember there are no wrong answers. Your psychiatrist may eventually ask you more specific follow-up questions to identify your concerns better, make an accurate diagnosis, and build a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Some common mental health disorders
Substance use disorders (SUDs)
Also known as drug use disorders, they are defined as the maladaptive use of dangerous substances. Patients feel an uncontrollable urge to consume substances such as hard alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs (like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine) — often to the point where their ability to function in daily life is impaired.
In some cases, this results from addiction to a prescription drug. For instance, opioid-based painkillers tend to have a higher risk of dependence. You may need assistance from your doctors, mental health workers, family, friends, support groups, or structured treatment programs to overcome your drug addiction.
Usually, medications curb drug cravings, alleviate withdrawal symptoms, and prevent relapse. Individuals with SUDs can benefit from psychotherapy to better understand their behavior and motivations. About 70,000 people die from drug overdoses in the United States each year. Overdose deaths are increasing at a rate of 4.0 percent each year.
Anxiety and other related disorders
Anxiety is characterized by muscular tension and avoidance behavior in anticipation of a future threat. It can be seen as a natural response of the body to stress. Therefore, depending on the stressor, an anxiety response can be beneficial or detrimental.
Anxiety disorders are often marked by excessive fear or anxiety, in contrast to normal emotions of apprehension or anxiety. These are the most prevalent mental illnesses, affecting about one-third of all adults at some point in their lives. They are further divided into generalized anxiety disorders (GAD), panic disorders, phobia disorders, and separation anxiety disorders.
Anxiety disorders are treatable, yet only 36.9% of persons who suffer from them receive help.
Depression
Major depressive disorder (MDD) or clinical depression can drastically affect how you feel, think, and handle everyday tasks, such as sleeping, eating, and working. Patients often experience withdrawal and a loss of sleep and appetite.
This condition can affect any individual, regardless of age, race, income, social culture, or level of education. Depression, as a disorder, may be caused by genetic, biochemical, environmental, and psychological factors. In case of a diagnosis of MDD, your psychiatrist may recommend therapy coupled with medications.
Significantly, depression can exacerbate other mental problems and ailments, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and chronic pain. Medication for these disorders can sometimes induce adverse effects that exacerbate depression symptoms. 11.2% of emergency department visits had depression written down in the medical record.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are dangerous mental illnesses. They warp your food-related thoughts and habits, endangering your life and well-being. As a result, you can eat a lot less or a lot more than the recommended daily intake. Eating disorders impact about 5% of the population and are most common throughout adolescence and young adulthood.
Eating disorders are a medical condition, not a personal preference. They can have an impact on your body's ability to obtain adequate nutrition, resulting in health complications such as heart and renal difficulties and mortality. A few examples of eating disorders are:
Binge eating Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa.
Find the best psychiatrist near you in San Francisco, CA
Zocdoc can help you find the best psychiatrists in your area. It's a one-of-a-kind website that allows patients to enter the specialists (or specialty) they're looking for and their location and insurance preferences. You can also search for psychiatrists at a clinic, a center, a hospital, or a practice.
All Zocdoc providers come with a tailored profile. You can learn about their clinical interests, certifications, language skills, and more! You can easily search among in-network psychiatrists by entering your insurance network’s name. Other professionals in the field of mental healthcare — such as psychologists, adult psychiatrists, mental health nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists — can also be found on Zocdoc.
You can also read about the procedures and conditions the doctor can treat to find the right psychiatrist near you. With tens of thousands of verified user reviews, Zocdoc is at the forefront of linking well-known professionals with individuals who need their help.
Bookings are simple, secure, and free!
Mental Illnesses in San Francisco and California - a brief overview of recent studies
California Reducing Disparities Project is a statewide policy project that aims to establish ideas for transforming the public mental health system and identifying solutions for populations that have been historically unserved, mistreated, or inadequately served. Take a look at the following numbers:
Almost three out of every four Mexican Americans with a diagnosable mental illness who require treatment go untreated. Compared to other racial/ethnic groups, more Native Americans and African Americans under 35 have seriously considered suicide (27 percent and 18 percent, respectively). Among all racial/ethnic groupings, white men had the highest age-adjusted suicide rates (22 per 100,000 population).
The Kaiser Family Foundation has provided an overview of mental health in California through a fact sheet. It was found that between September 29 and October 11, 2021, 32% of individuals in California reported anxiety and depressive symptoms, compared to 31.6% of adults in the United States.
The Substance Use and Mental Disorders in the Metro Brief San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont MSA is a series of reports highlighting mental illnesses and substance abuse in the metros of the United States. It was found that an annual average of 782,000 people aged 12 and up used any illicit substance in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont MSA in the previous year.
This accounts for almost 21.9 percent of the MSA's population, more significant than the figures in California (16.8%) than in the United States (14.7 percent). Marijuana use was 17.0 percent in the previous year, greater than the rates in California and the United States. Nonmedical use of prescription-type pain medicines was 5.6 percent, similar to the state and national rates.
Sources
Mayo Clinic
American Psychiatric Association
National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics
Anxiety & Depression Association of America
National Institute of Mental Health[1]
National Institute of Mental Health[2]
MedlinePlus
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Let's Get Healthy California
Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
KeyStone Healthcarestudies
PsychiatryOnline
University of Medicine and Health Sciences
American Board of Medical Specialties
Everyday Health
Cleveland Clinic
WebMD
