A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has taken up specialization in the area of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses. Their patients range from people with mild cases of anxiety to people with severe mental disorders that often show up in bizarre and often dangerous ways. A Psychiatrist in Chicago IL is often the physician who diagnosis mental retardation and treats those who are substance abusers.
Using information gathered through conversations with the patient, and information was freely given by the patient’s family, the psychiatrist in Chicago IL learns of the patient’s mental health problems. They are trained to recognize any connection there may be between a physical disorder and a mental disorder. To accomplish this, they may rely on diagnostic and laboratory tests.
In treating mental illness, the psychiatrist can use drugs, shock treatment, and psychotherapy. During psychotherapy sessions, the psychiatrist uses the special training they have, to help patients help themselves, and to learn to cope with their problems.
The psychiatrist in Chicago IL may work from private practice, a hospital, or a mental health clinic. They conduct research; they study the causes of mental illness and the treatment regimen.
Psychiatrists and psychologists are often confused with one another. A psychiatrist is a licensed physician that has taken advanced studies in psychiatry. As medical doctors, they are free to prescribe medicine. On the other hand, a psychologist is a person with a Ph.D. in psychology. They are not physicians, so they cannot prescribe drugs nor can they perform surgery. They are akin to scientists who study the reactions of people in a certain environment. They are trained to provide long-term therapy that delves into the hidden reasons for a mental disturbance.
Education and training:
Basic university education is an undergraduate degree. This degree is often in science. After this; four years in medical school, a one-year internship, and an additional three years of psychiatric training in a supervised hospital are required. All states require that psychiatrists are licensed.
Getting a job:
Psychiatrists work in hospitals, clinics, or private practice. There are some that combine both private practice and clinical practice. It may take some time to build a reputation that will allow the psychiatrist to open a private clinic; in the meantime, they begin their careers in a hospital setting.
