Psychiatrists are medical doctors who are experts in mental health. They specialise in diagnosing and treating people with mental illness.

Psychiatrists have a deep understanding of physical and mental health – and how they affect each other.

They help people with mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and addiction.

What does a psychiatrist do?

Psychiatrists assess all of your mental and physical symptoms.

They make a diagnosis and work with you to develop a management plan for your treatment and recovery.

Psychiatrists provide psychological treatment, prescribe medications and do procedures such as electroconvulsive therapy.

As part of their work, a psychiatrist can:

• provide urgent care for a sudden mental illness
• help you to manage a long-term mental health condition
• provide advice about lifestyle changes
• work with you individually, or with you and your partner, family or carers
• provide second opinions and advice to other doctors and health professionals
• refer you to other health professionals
• admit you to hospital if required.

What can a psychiatrist help with?

A psychiatrist can be of particular help if your mental health condition:

• is complex or difficult to diagnose
• involves suicidal ideas or plans
• is severe or happens suddenly
• needs medication that only a psychiatrist can prescribe
• isn’t responding to standard treatment through your GP (family doctor).

Common reasons why someone might see a psychiatrist:

• problems adjusting after major life changes or stress
• anxiety, worry or fear
• depressed or low mood that doesn’t go away
• suicidal thinking
• thoughts of hurting other people
• hurting yourself on purpose
• too much energy, being unable to sleep, wind down or relax
• constant negative thoughts
• obsessional thinking
• feeling on edge or jumpy
• feeling like people are after you or want to harm you
• hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that aren’t there)

• delusions (fixed beliefs with no basis in reality)
• rushing, disjointed thoughts
• out of control alcohol or drug use
• problem gambling, gaming or other addictive behaviours
• problems around body image, eating or dieting
• memory problems
• poor concentration and attention, hyperactivity
• violence, agitation or emotional outbursts
• insomnia and other sleep problems
• conditions that start in childhood such as autism, intellectual disability and childhood anxiety.

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