1. What is a psychiatrist?

Psychiatrists are licensed physicians who specialize in the human brain, mind and body. Psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental illnesses that are responsible for psychosis or abnormal behavior.

2. What is the difference between psychiatry and psychology?

The main difference between psychiatry and psychology is the medical degree that is required for psychiatrists. Psychiatrists first complete an undergraduate medical degree and then they go on to an internship followed by another five years of study. Upon completion of their degree, psychiatrists are authorized to prescribe medication in order to treat the diagnosed mental disorder.

Psychologists operate very similarly to psychiatrists and they are also concerned about the mental health of individuals. Psychologists study behavior, normal and abnormal and they use behavioral methods or sometimes even collaborate with a psychiatrist in order to adequately cure a patient. As psychologists don’t hold a medical degree, they are not authorized to prescribe medication.

3. What are the most common mental disorders?

Among mental illnesses, the most common ones are depression, bipolar disorder or manic depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, eating disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Usually, these disorders can be cured over time. In order to effectively treat these conditions, a combination of psychotherapy and medication is used.

4. What is obsessive-compulsive behavior?

People with OCD exercise excessive worrying and doubting. In OCD, the brain gets stuck on a particular thought or urge and can’t let go. For example, certain people get stuck on the thought of leaving electronic devices turned on and they are afraid that this might cause to burn down the house. However, after checking and confirming that all devices are turned off, an individual suffering from OCD would continue to double check multiple times.

5. What is the restless leg syndrome?

The restless leg syndrome is a common neurological disorder. The person with the RLS experiences unpleasant sensations of the legs, especially when lying down or before falling asleep. These sensations can be described as pulling, drawing, crawling, wormy, prickly, boring and even painful sensations usually with the urge to constantly move the legs.

If you have any questions for a Psychiatrist, contact one of our Maine Psychiatrist today.

	Did You Know?
	Treatment of mental illness worth the investment Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives; The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than 100 billion dollars each year in the United States.