What Treatments Do Psychiatrists Use?

Treatment Types:

• Psychotherapy

  • Individual
  • Family
  • Couples
  • Group

• Medications

• Psychosocial Interventions

• TMS

• Other Physical Treatments (Less Common):

  • ETC, DBS, & VNS

Psychotherapy is often the first step with patients. From there, a psych eval will be done and it will be determined if the patient would benefit from a medication plan.

Class of Medications:

• Antidepressants – used to treat depression, panic disorder, PTSD, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder and eating disorders
• Antipsychotic medications – used to treat psychotic symptoms (delusions and hallucinations), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder
• Sedatives and anxiolytics – used to treat anxiety and insomnia
• Hypnotics – used to induce and maintain sleep
• Mood stabilizers – used to treat bipolar disorder
• Stimulants – used to treat ADHD

These medications can “help correct imbalances in brain chemistry that are thought to be involved in some mental disorders.” Psychiatrists are one of the few mental health providers that can prescribe medication and are usually a necessary piece of long-term medication management for mental health issues.

Source: “What is Psychiatry?” American Psychiatric Association

Gabby Lundy, Exult Healthcare