A psychiatry consultation is an appointment with a psychiatrist to obtain his medical opinion on a specific case. Psychiatrists are physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental health disorders. They provide two types of consultations – a patient consultation and liaison psychiatric consultation.
In a psychiatric consultation, the doctor evaluates a patient’s psychiatric condition, taking into consideration various psychological, biological, and social factors. In a liaison consultation, a general practitioner or attending physician consults with a psychiatrist with regards to the treatment and management of patients suffering from medical conditions. This consultation links general medicine and psychiatry.
At the end of the consultation, the psychiatrist will provide a diagnosis followed by treatment recommendations. Seeking this type of consultation protects patients from the serious risks caused by a compromised mental state.
Who Should Undergo and Expected Results
A psychiatry consultation can benefit patients who are suffering from:
Mental problems
Chronic diseases
Risk factors of mental illness
Patients with mental problems
For patients suffering from mental problems, seeking a psychiatric consultation is the first step towards receiving the treatment they need. It is beneficial for patients suffering from or showing signs of mental health illnesses, some examples of which include:
Schizophrenia
Bipolar disorder
Mood or anxiety disorders
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Autism
Borderline personality disorder
Depression
Dissociative disorders
Eating disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
At the end of a psychiatric evaluation, the patient or his family will be given a differential diagnosis, treatment recommendations, and practical advice on how to (a) manage the patient’s symptoms and (b) deal with the patient’s condition in the long run.
The differential diagnosis will give patients and their families an insight as to the possible sources of the problem, which could be due to biological, psychological, or social factors.
Biological causes may include:
Inherited condition
Poor nutrition
Physical illness
Hormones
Psychological causes may include:
Stress
Childhood experience
Social causes may include:
Relationship problems
Cultural issues