While some patients may only need psychotherapy, many patients will also need some form of medication.
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in mental health diagnoses. As a physician, their training includes both general medical knowledge, as well as specialized knowledge that includes how to effectively and safely manage psychiatric medications.
You may occasionally hear psychiatric medications called “psychotropics”. These words are interchangeable.
It’s important that your psychiatrist gains an understanding of your general health, as well as any other health risks you may have. With this information, they can make sure that any future psychiatric prescriptions are safe and appropriate.
A typical new patient medical workup includes:
-A targeted physical exam
-Reviewing all of your formal diagnoses from other physicians
-Reviewing all of your current prescription medications
-Knowing what medications you buy directly from the grocery store
-Knowing what herbal supplements or natural remedies you may use
-Screening labs to check your risk factors for common illnesses that may effect your mood, thinking, or what medication classes you are eligible for
Under specific circumstances, a psychiatrist may also request specific images or testing to be done. Before ordering those tests, they should walk you through these additional tests and why they are necessary.
I’m going to spend a few posts talking about the initial psychiatric medical workup, but I wanted to start with an overview.
Next time we’ll talk about the targeted physical exam.
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