Psychiatry

Psychiatry is a medical specialty focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who complete medical school and a residency in psychiatry, enabling them to assess biological, psychological, and social factors in mental health and, when appropriate, to prescribe medications. The field combines biomedical approaches with psychotherapy, social interventions, and culturally informed care.

Historically, psychiatry emerged from early moral and asylum-based care, evolving with the development of psychotropic medications and expanded psychotherapy in the 20th century. Diagnostic systems such as the DSM and the ICD provide standardized criteria for mental disorders, while ongoing research in neurobiology, genetics, and psychosocial factors informs classification and treatment. The field distinguishes itself from psychology by its medical training and pharmacologic treatments.

Assessment typically includes a structured psychiatric interview, mental status examination, and risk assessment, with laboratory tests or imaging used selectively. Treatments encompass pharmacotherapy (antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and anxiolytics), various forms of psychotherapy (cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, interpersonal, and supportive therapies), and somatic therapies such as electroconvulsive therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and emerging modalities. Treatment plans are individualized and often involve multidisciplinary teams and coordination with primary care.

Subspecialties include inpatient and outpatient care, consultation-liaison psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry. Practice occurs in hospitals, clinics, academic centers, and community settings, with increasing emphasis on integrated care, early intervention, and preventive strategies.

Ethical considerations focus on informed consent, patient autonomy and capacity, safety, and involuntary treatment where legally authorized. The field emphasizes evidence-based practice, patient rights, cultural competence, and reducing disparities in access to care. Psychiatry continually integrates advances in neuroscience, psychotherapy, and public health to support recovery and quality of life.