Last, psychiatrists are medical doctors (MD). They are physicians. They went to medical school, studied anatomy, and the like. These doctors, like myself, then specialized in the human mind.
Because of their medical background, psychiatrists are skilled in understanding the neuroscience and chemistry of the brain. They can prescribe medication. They understand how different neural pathways interconnect, the neurotransmitters involved in these connections, and how that then eventually translates into human behavior. Brain chemistry gone awry can result in a variety of disorders, and medications can help improve symptoms.
It’s a good idea to shop around for your new mental health professional to find the right fit. If you can talk with the potential doctor or counselor on the phone, you might be able to get a feel for them, before making an appointment.
Once in treatment, hard feelings may come up. This, actually, may mean the treatment is progressing, which is good. So, if after starting treatment, you start to consider switching to another psychoanalyst, be sure to discuss this openly with your doctor first, to make sure you’re not sabotaging a good mental health treatment plan.
Obviously, there are medications for a variety of disorders. Medications can sometimes act relatively quickly and help relieve symptoms. Psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy takes more time, is more work intensive, but the rewards tend to be greater and more permanent than medication alone.
This is why I offer both therapy and prescriptive medication. Utilizing both approaches can offers versatility and flexibility. As well, with me, there are no separate visits to see your therapist (i.e. LPC, social worker, psychologist, etc.) and then your medication-only prescribing psychiatrist. It’s convenient (and less expensive) to have both available in one person.
