Psychiatry
What is Psychiatry?
Psychiatry is a speciality that aids in diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians with medical degree who specializes in mental health, including substance use disorders.
Psychiatric Evaluation
Psychiatric assessment may be needed to diagnose emotional, behavioural, or developmental disorders. Evaluation of a person is made based on altered behaviours present in relation to a particular environment. A note is made of social, cognitive and emotional aspects that may be affected as a result of these behaviours.
A person who needs such assessment is usually pointed out by family, spouse, teacher or friends.
What is involved in a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation?
These are the most common parts of a comprehensive, diagnostic psychiatric evaluation. But, each review is different, as each person’s symptoms and behaviours are different. The evaluation may include:
- These are the most common parts of a comprehensive, diagnostic psychiatric evaluation. But, each evaluation is different, as each person's symptoms and behaviors are different. Evaluation may include:
- Description of behaviors (like when do the behaviors happen, how long does the behavior last, what are the conditions in which the behaviors most often happen)
- Description of symptoms (physical and psychiatric symptoms)
- Effects of behaviors or symptoms related to:
- Work performance
- School performance
- Relationships and interactions with others (like spouse, coworkers, family members, or neighbors)
- Family involvement
- Activity involvement
- Psychiatric interview
- Personal and family history of emotional, behavioral, or developmental disorders
- Complete medical history, including description of the person's overall physical health, list of any other illnesses or conditions present, and any current treatments
- Lab tests, in some cases (may be used to determine if an underlying medical condition is present), including:
- Blood tests
- Radiology studies to look for abnormalities, particularly in the brain structures
- Educational assessments
- Speech and language assessments
- Psychological assessments
Our Doctors
Dr. Nadeem Akhtar
CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST