Psychiatry refers to a field of medicine that is focused specifically on the mind, aiming to study, prevent, and treat mental health conditions.
Mental health problems can take many forms including depression, schizophrenia, eating disorders, anxieties, phobias, drug and alcohol abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dementia.
Psychiatrists treat mental disorders, which are conventionally divided into three very general categories: mental illnesses, severe learning disabilities, and personality disorders. Psychiatrists can diagnose and treat a number of mental health conditions.
Conditions a Psychiatrist can treat:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD)
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Phobias
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Addictions
Psychiatrists may also provide psychological support for people with long-term, painful, or terminal physical health conditions. Psychiatrists use a variety of treatments – including various forms of psychotherapy, medications and other treatments, depending on the needs of each patient. Usually, a referral is required from a GP, however, at CP Medical Clinic you can book in directly to see our psychiatrist.
Taking care of your mind as well as your body is really important if you are staying at home because of coronavirus (COVID-19).
You may feel worried or anxious about your finances, your health or those close to you. Perhaps you feel bored, frustrated or lonely. It’s important to remember that it’s OK to feel this way and that everyone reacts differently. Remember, for most of us, these feelings will pass. Staying at home may be difficult, but you’re helping to protect yourself and others by doing it.
There are things you can do now to help you keep on top of your mental wellbeing and cope with how you may feel if you’re staying at home. Make sure you get further support if you feel you need it.
Maintaining healthy relationships with people you trust is important for your mental wellbeing. Think about how ways to stay in touch with friends and family if you or they need to stay at home – by phone, messaging, video calls or social media. It’s normal to feel a bit worried, scared or helpless about the current situation. Remember: it is OK to share your concerns with others you trust – and doing so may help them too.
If you cannot speak to someone you know or if doing so has not helped, there are plenty of helplines you can try instead.
Our physical health has a big impact on how we feel. At times like these, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour that end up making you feel worse. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water and exercise regularly. Avoid smoking, drugs or drinking too much alcohol If you are staying at home, you could try exercising indoors, as there are lots of free online classes. Or try an easy 10-minute home workout.
Try to limit the time you spend watching, reading or listening to coverage of the outbreak, including on social media, and think about turning off breaking-news alerts on your phone. You could set yourself a specific time to read updates or limit yourself to checking a couple of times a day.
If we are feeling worried, anxious, lonely or low, we may stop doing things we usually enjoy. Make an effort to focus on your favourite hobby if it is something you can still do at home. Or start a new hobby: read, write, do crosswords or jigsaws, or try drawing and painting. Whatever it is, find something that works for you. If you cannot think of anything you like doing, try learning something new at home. There are lots of free tutorials and courses online. You can still stay social at home by joining others online: book clubs, pub quizzes and music concerts are just a few of the things to try.
Stay Safe!