The psychotherapist Alfred Adler once stated, “Follow your heart, but carry your brain with you.” This would be an apt way to summarize the services of a psychiatrist. Many people have the misunderstanding that psychiatrists only prescribe psychotropic medication like antidepressants, and that they’re more clinically-minded than compassionate. But psychiatrists do a lot more than prescribe meds. They diagnose, treat, and help prevent mental health conditions using a variety of approaches, not just pharmaceutical ones. They consider peoples’ underlying neurochemistry–psychiatrists are medical doctors, after all–but they also treat the whole person, not just the diagnosis or the physical self.
The licensed, board-certified psychiatrists at Thriveworks in Woodridge, IL have the expertise, insights, and compassion to help clients who are experiencing a mental health condition. Psychiatrists specialize in psychological and behavioral health. But seeing a psychiatrist doesn’t mean that you are mentally ill. Complex factors like environment and genetics can influence one’s mental health and there are wide variations in healthy functioning. If you suspect that you have a mental health condition and need a qualified professional to address your concerns, Thriveworks can help match you to an exceptional psychiatrist.
What Is the Difference Between a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist?
For the purposes of therapy, psychiatrists can prescribe medication and psychologists can’t. But of course the distinction is more nuanced than that. Psychiatrists graduated from medical school with MD (doctor of medicine) degrees. At medical school these doctors learned about the physiological influences on mental health conditions. They also received training in psychotherapy techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). At Thriveworks in Woodridge, IL, psychiatrists can prescribe and manage client medications through online appointments.
Psychologists can be counseling psychologists or clinical psychologists. As far as degrees are concerned, they usually have PsyDs or PhDs (both doctorate degrees). They’re trained in various psychotherapy approaches.
Thriveworks mental health providers also include licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), licensed professional counselors (LPCs), and licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs).
Is Anxiety Disorder a Mental Health Condition?
The term mental illness has fallen out of favor in the medical establishment. Rather, mental health professionals use terms like mental health conditions to describe different psychological and behavioral states. But diagnosing a disorder can still be an effective way to guide psychiatric treatment. Certain symptoms might demand certain treatment protocols.
At Thriveworks in Woodridge, IL, licensed psychiatrists can treat any of the following mental health conditions, and more:
- Depression disorders like major depression and postpartum depression
- Anxiety disorders like social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and agoraphobia
- Panic disorder
- Type I bipolar disorder (manic depression)
- Type II bipolar disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Addiction
- Child psychiatric issues
- Neurodiversity
- Specific phobias of objects or situations
- Self-harming behaviors
- Adverse side effects from psychiatric medications
- Personality disorders
- Anorexia and bulimia eating disorders
- Sleep disorders
What Are Personality Disorders?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which psychiatrists use to diagnose and treat mental health conditions, describes the following types of personality disorders:
- Paranoid
- Schizoid
- Schizotypal
- Narcissistic
- Avoidant
- Dependent
- Antisocial
- Borderline
- Histrionic
- Obsessive-compulsive
Personality disorders can cause major disruptions in someone’s life, affecting relationships, employment, moods, and self-image. Psychiatrists at Thriveworks in Woodridge, IL can treat personality disorders with therapy and/or medication.
What Happens in a Psychiatry Session?
In an initial psychiatry session at Thriveworks in Woodridge, IL, the doctor will conduct a full evaluation of the client. This evaluation might include the following elements:
- A comprehensive discussion of therapy goals
- A discussion of symptoms, both cognitive, emotional, and behavioral
- Psychological tests
- Physical examinations
- Lifestyle questions about substance use, nutrition, exercise, sleep, etc.
- A full medical history
- Family medical history
- A full psychosocial assessment of a person’s core relationships, support system, and home life
After this initial evaluation, a client and a psychiatrist can begin developing an effective treatment plan. This plan can change over time based on client feedback and responses. Treatment from a psychiatrist might include the following approaches:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Other cognitive and behavioral therapies
- Lifestyle modifications
- Psychosocial interventions
- Holistic treatments like mindfulness and deep breathing
- Relationship counseling from a Thriveworks licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT)
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR)
- Prescription medication and ongoing medication management
See an Exceptional Psychiatrist at Thriveworks in Woodridge, IL
The licensed psychiatrists at Thriveworks in Woodridge, IL accept most major forms of health insurance coverage. Psychiatry appointments are medical appointments. At Thriveworks, psychiatrists see clients through online sessions, which are just as effective and of the same high quality as traditional, in-person therapy. As an additional benefit, Thriveworks clients can access their provider between sessions by phone or email.
Don’t wait to get the mental health support that you deserve. Call the Thriveworks office today and you may be able to meet with a top-rated psychiatrist as early as tomorrow.
