More about mental health specialists

Psychiatrist is a specialist doctor who studies mental health and behavior (psychiatry). Psychiatry itself is a branch of medical science that focuses on diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of emotional, psychological and behavioral disorders. Psychiatrists have the ability to diagnose and treat mental disorders in patients. To become a psychiatrist, one must complete his education as a general practitioner, then continue his specialization education in the field of psychiatry for approximately 4 years. Graduates of psychiatry or psychiatry specialists will then get the title Sp.KJ and can be called a psychiatrist.

Diseases Treated by Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists have in-depth knowledge about prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and therapy of various diseases or problems related to psychiatric disorders. Below are the diseases or conditions that are handled by the psychiatrist:

• Organic mental disorders.
• Mental and behavioral disorders due to abuse of psychoactive substances, alcohol, and illegal drugs.
• Sleep disorders, such as insomnia, hypersomnia, sleep cycle disorders, nightmares, and sleepwalking.
• Sexual problems, such as paraphilia, disorders of desire and sexual arousal, vaginismus, dyspareunia, orgasmic disorders, and sexual dysfunction.
• Eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia.
• Emotional and behavioral disorders in children or adolescents, for example developmental disorders, intellectual disabilities, behavioral disorders, hyperactivity, and autism.
• Personality Disorders.
• Anxiety disorders and phobias, such as panic attacks and PTSD.
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Psychosis, like schizophrenia.
• Mood disorders (mood), such as bipolar disorder and depression.

When should you see a psychiatrist?

You are advised to see a psychiatrist when experiencing physical, psychological or illnesses caused by psychological problems. The following complaints or symptoms can be used as a reason why you should go to a psychiatrist to get a solution:

• Often feel anxious and panicked.
• Difficulty sleeping or poor sleep quality.
• Cannot remain silent.
• Changes in appetite, both less and excessive.
• Prolonged sad or empty for no reason.
• Rapid mood swings and it is not clear what causes it.
• Difficult to undergo daily activities because it has no motivation.
• Feeling helpless.
• There is a desire or suicide attempt.
• Hallucinations exist, for example hearing voices that aren't really there.
• Being or ever abusing drugs or taking drugs.
• Having a strange and illogical mindset.

Actions Performed by a Psychiatrist

Psychiatrists are able to evaluate psychological and medical data through psychiatric medical examinations to determine diagnoses, and work with patients to make treatment plans. As a doctor, a psychiatrist can also find out the symptoms experienced by patients, as well as conduct psychological tests (psychological tests) and supporting tests such as blood, urine, CT-scan, MRI, and EEG if necessary. The results of discussions, question and answer sessions, and various psychological and laboratory tests will be analyzed by a psychiatrist to make a picture of the patient's physical and mental condition. The following actions can be taken by a psychiatrist for the treatment of patients:

• Psychotherapy and counseling

Psychotherapy and counseling is a speech therapy by psychiatrists to overcome various mental and emotional disorders suffered by patients. Psychotherapy and counseling aims to help patients cope with or control symptoms that interfere. The frequency of speech therapy sessions is adjusted to the patient's problems. Psychotherapy can be done individually, in pairs, with family, or done in groups.

• Prescribe medicines

Psychiatrists can prescribe medicines to help treat mental disorders. Drugs that are commonly prescribed by psychiatrists are sedative and anxiolytic drugs (for handling anxiety disorders and insomnia), antipsychotic drugs (for handling hallucinatory disorders and schizophrenia), antidepressant drugs (for the treatment of depression, OCD, eating disorders, anxiety disorders), stimulant medications (for ADHD treatment), and mood stabilizers (for handling bipolar disorder).

• Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is one of the actions that can be done by psychiatrists to stimulate patients to sleep or maintain sleep. In psychiatry, hypnotherapy along with other therapeutic methods is applied to help deal with phobias, anxiety disorders, help change bad behavior, to ease pain.

• Brain nerve stimulation therapy

A medical therapy that is used to treat severe depression and other mental disorders, which is only done if other treatment methods have not succeeded in alleviating the symptoms of the mental illness suffered by the patient. This therapy involves the use of electric current leading to the brain (electroconvulsive therapy / ECT) and the use of magnetic waves.

Some psychiatrists take additional specialization training after completing their education as a psychiatrist. Some psychiatrists can take certain actions to deal with a psychological problem based on the additional certification they have:

• Forensic psychiatrist (law).
• Psychiatrist is addicted (addicted).
• Child and adolescent psychiatry.
• Geriatric Psychiatry.
• Psychosomatic psychiatry (illness or pain caused by the mind).

Things You Need To Prepare Before You Go To A Psychiatrist

Here are the preparations you need to make before going to a psychiatrist:

• Find out in advance about the psychiatrist who will handle you. This is for the sake of building your confidence and comfort when meeting a psychiatrist.
• Explain the reasons you have seen a psychiatrist, including the symptoms you have experienced, how long the symptoms have occurred, or whether you have experienced behavioral problems such as addiction, or experienced a traumatic event in the past. This explanation will assist the psychiatrist in determining the diagnosis and treatment performed.
• If you want to use a BPJS card or insurance, make sure the place of the psychiatrist practices practices in collaboration with the insurance provider or BPJS.