A psychiatrist can diagnose mental disorders and prescribe appropriate medication if needed. If you have a condition that has lingered for more than two weeks and does not respond to your own attempts to feel better, perhaps you need to see a psychiatrist. There are many symptoms that could warrant a psychiatrist’s care. Some of these are feelings of depression, hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt and lack of enjoyment in your usual activities. Any disturbances in appetite and sleep- an increase or decrease in these-can be signs that psychiatry might help. Certainly, thoughts of suicide or homicide are emergency symptoms and should be treated as such. Any thoughts of harming yourself or someone else are reasons to go to an emergency room of a hospital. There, typically, a psychiatric examination can be done on the spot. Other symptoms can most likely be taken care of at an outpatient appointment. A referral by your family physician can help get you in to see someone who is equipped to evaluate any psychiatric needs you might have.
There are, however, other symptoms and conditions that may warrant emergency care and are worth mentioning here. One of these is psychosis. Psychosis can involve hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking and disorganized behavior. In psychosis there is a break from reality. Things that are not real are believed, can be acted upon, can be seen, heard, or otherwise experienced through the senses. Often one becomes unsafe when psychotic. Self-care may fall apart or one may become so disoriented that there is risk of putting one’s self in dangerous situations (walking into traffic, for example).
Another example that can warrant emergency care is severe trauma. One may become unable to function as the shock of such an event overwhelms and debilitates. It is not unusual for people in these situations to become unable to communicate, unable to sleep, unable to eat, or distressed by sights, sounds or other reminders of the trauma. Terror is common. Extreme anxiety and even paranoia can debilitate the traumatized person.
Any sudden change in behavior, the ability to think, to make decisions or to complete daily tasks can also warrant emergency psychiatric care.
Additionally, apart from emergencies, there is a long list of symptoms and conditions that can be alleviated by psychiatric care. Depression, prolonged grief, difficulty concentrating, inability to complete tasks, inability to tolerate social situations, irrational fears, angry outbursts, bouts of sadness, nightmares, worry and relationship problems, addiction and repeated self-sabotage are just a few.
If uncertain about when it is appropriate to see a psychiatrist, ask someone. Your family physician in particular can help you decide. If you are seeing a therapist or counselor, they, too, can discuss this with you and make a referral.
