• Published on: Sep 14, 2021
  • 5 minute read
  • By: Second Medic Expert

Psychiatrists Near Me: Specialist Doctor You Need To Call & When.

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The goal in psychiatry is to identify and treat the root causes of psychological distress by helping patients regulate their emotions and manage thoughts.

Psychiatrists mainly provide psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, consultation, research, teaching, diagnosis, and evaluation. They may prescribe medications since they're specially trained to know when medications are needed for psychiatric treatments even if it's just for short-term needs or meditation techniques to help them when they're having anxiety attacks or depression episodes that won't go away without professional intervention. Psychologists tend to address broad aspects of behavior while psychiatrists focus more on deep-rooted psychological problems like schizophrenia which requires both medication treatment but also intensive therapy to be properly treated through talk therapy alone like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia. Psychiatrists are licensed physicians that prescribe medication to treat mental illness or emotional problems. Psychiatric professionals include psychotherapists (a form of psychologist), psychologists (also referred to as clinical psychologists) and social workers. So, a psychiatrist is a mental health professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental disorders.

Mental disorders are conditions that alter the brain's function, involve ongoing problems with thoughts or moods, cause distress or impaired functioning, and lead to an increased risk of other medical illnesses. These can be treated by medications to balance brain chemistry, psychotherapy to help people understand what they're thinking and why certain responses seem normal despite being unhealthy for them, or some other therapeutic technique relevant to the specific problem. Psychiatrists often work alongside psychologists (who specialize primarily in psychological treatment) therapists (who primarily offer other types of therapy), doctors (who diagnose physical ailments) care coordinators (who handle insurance issues) nurses/nurse practitioners. A Psychiatrist diagnoses and treats mental illness. The specifics of how to examine a patient who believes they are experiencing psychiatric problems, the specifics of how to diagnose someone with a mental illness or personality disorder, and the details of how to treatment will vary depending on your training. However, in most cases, you will spend some time talking with your patient about their symptoms (anamnesis) to figure out the specific problem that is causing them distress.

The discussion usually starts by talking about the last time the person felt mentally well and happy, and it moves on from there to uncovering factors in one's life that may be contributing to mental illness. These may include family relationships, work stressors, financial problems, excessive drug use or drinking alcohol, marital difficulties including infidelity among many others.

A psychiatric evaluation is typically comprehensive and takes up to an hour - sometimes longer, if necessary, follow-up sessions are indicated during which treatment plans could be put into place or modified according to your needs. Medications might also need to be adjusted for best possible affectivity before any other treatment.

Psychiatrists are trained to diagnose mental illnesses through various methods, including talking with the person in question, doing tests, and using other types of diagnostic tools.

Psychiatric diseases include depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder), Tourette syndrome and autism spectrum disorders. The name for this type of doctor is based on the Latin word 'psyche,' which means mind or soul/self because their work is about understanding how these faults in mental function affect who we are as people internally.

A regular visit will involve the patient telling their life story to the psychiatrist for them to find any signs of emotional imbalance or suicidal ideation. Psychiatrists recommend therapy for many patients as well as medicine management from drug psychiatrists which can also include occupational therapists and "psychiatric rehabilitation" therapists if needed. In addition, they call on psychologists and other doctors routinely for different input or treatment of mental health problems.

Many people don't realize psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in treating patients with mood disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders such as OCD, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Psychiatrists can prescribe medications to regulate the patient's brain chemistry. They may also use psychotherapy sessions to help a patient recognize and understand the factors that may be contributing to their illness. Specialties include child & adolescent psychiatry; forensic psychiatry; research psychiatry; geriatric psychiatry (elderly); addiction psychiatry (substance abuse); family psychiatry (family doctor). Psychiatrists like others in medicine must complete years of training before they can practice on their own.

The origins of psychotherapy can be traced back to the practices of Ancient Greek doctors who discovered mental illness existed for a reason. Hippocrates reasoned that these problems stemmed from physiological disorders deep within the body. He coined this metaphor 'melancholia,' meaning "black bile" in Latin, which was carried forth into Greek thinking as neurosis or melancholia, meaning "emotional insanity." The earliest known usage of the term ‘psychology’ was by Saint Thomas Aquinas after being influenced by Avicenna's use of 'al-nafs,' which means

A psychiatrist has completed professional training in medical school and also has specialized knowledge about systemic psychiatric medications, advanced psychotherapy techniques, research data including that from modern brain imaging techniques to interpret what psychological reaction corresponds with a specific pattern of cerebral activity.

Psychologists generally study behavior and mental processes while psychiatrists diagnose.

psychiatrists usually specialize in a specific field, for example, child psychiatry or consulting on mental disorders such as schizophrenia whereas psychologists tend to focus more on the subjects of human behavior, research, and aspects of cognitive science where they can situate their work in a larger context.

Clinical psychologists usually have a doctorate degree in psychology while psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize only in mental health.

Psychiatrists offer more of a biological approach to mental illness, which involves prescribing medication and closely monitoring the effect of the drugs both during and after treatment. Psychologists typically rely on talk therapy to address behavioral issues. Psychiatrists can be effective for some patients, but not everyone is willing or able to take prescription medication.

Psychologists study human behavior with the goal of understanding it better, not treating it. They go hand in hand at times but most psychologists don't prescribe medicine nor do they perform surgery. A psychologist will usually be a therapist or otherwise, work with clients face to face, but there are also many psychologists who work behind the scenes in marketing and advertising, etc..

A psychologist refers to a clinician who is certified, has a Doctorate degree in psychology, and usually specializes in research or teaching.

Psychiatrists may specialize in child psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, addiction counseling, etc. Psychologists may specialize in counseling psychology, performance testing and improvement consulting, social psychology as it relates to business behavior.

Psychiatry has only undergone minimal training in psychology if any at all. They can offer counseling sessions with their patients but are not qualified to diagnose conditions or give treatment plans or medication prescriptions without the input of a psychiatrist.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors that specialize in mental health care and typically must take additional courses to be certified by their governing board to practice psychiatry. Psychologists are clinical scientists who don't usually need any type of post-degree education before being able to work within the industry, but this also varies state by state

Psychologists are more focused on diagnosing and treating mental disorders, while psychiatrists are focused on the biological causes of those disorders.

Psychiatrists diagnose and treat psychiatric illnesses according to their biological causes with medications as well as psychotherapy. Mental health professionals like psychologists focus primarily on psychotherapy sessions to deal with mental illness or behavioral patterns stemming from trauma or disabilities. While there is some overlap between the two professions, they generally focus on different aspects of mental health care; therefore, psychologists may not be qualified to prescribe medication for patients who need it. Psychiatrists may still refer certain patients (for example people who want to pursue psychotherapy but cannot afford it), if they feel that it would be beneficial for them too see a psychologist near them

Psychologists are focused on studying the human mind and behavior. Psychologists usually study people as a whole, whereas psychiatrists tend to focus more specifically on mental diseases.

Psychiatrists take care of patients that have a range of mental illnesses such as mood disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or depression. On the other hand, psychologists help with much less serious conditions like learning disabilities and social disorders. A psychiatrist specializes in medication management while a psychologist might work with psychotherapy sessions but not prescribe medication for their clients.

Psychiatrists and psychologists differentiate themselves through the treatment model they use. Psychiatrists focus their therapy on conditions that produce psychosis, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Psychologists diagnose and treat individuals with cognitive, behavioral, and emotional problems which do not result in psychosis. These conditions include depression, anxiety disorders (such as posttraumatic stress disorder), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), addictive behavior (such as alcoholism or gambling addiction), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), impulse control disorders like pyromania or kleptomania) personality disorders, problems related to trauma or abuse in childhood among others). Unlike psychiatrists who can prescribe medication to treat some of these ills - psychologists usually prefer counseling alone.

Many psychologists have licenses to prescribe medication as well, but it's through psychiatric medicine school. Similarly, many physicians have trained in psychiatry and have credentials in clinical psychology or even social work. If someone needs therapy, check to see if they are accepting new patients before going ahead with their treatment. Also be wary of therapists who recommend medications after a diagnosis has been made, as this may not be ethical for those who need therapy without reliance on drugs first. Finally, this sort of information should always be considered when filling out insurance paperwork.

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Kindness Week encourages

Kindness Week – Recognize Employees Going the Extra Mile

In today’s fast-paced corporate world, deadlines, targets and performance metrics often dominate workplace conversations. However, one powerful factor that consistently drives employee satisfaction and productivity is kindness.

Kindness Week is a meaningful initiative designed to celebrate employees who go beyond their defined roles, support their colleagues and contribute positively to workplace culture. Recognizing those who consistently go the extra mile not only boosts morale but also strengthens organizational values.

 

Why Kindness Matters in the Workplace

Kindness in professional settings includes:

  • Offering help without being asked
     

  • Supporting team members during stressful periods
     

  • Maintaining respectful communication
     

  • Appreciating others’ contributions
     

  • Showing empathy during challenges
     

These small actions significantly influence employee wellbeing and workplace harmony.

Research in organizational psychology indicates that workplaces with higher levels of appreciation and positive reinforcement experience:

  • Better employee engagement
     

  • Lower stress levels
     

  • Higher productivity
     

  • Improved retention rates
     

 

The Purpose of Kindness Week

Kindness Week serves multiple objectives:

1. Encourage Positive Behavior

By highlighting positive actions, organizations reinforce desirable behaviors.

2. Promote Appreciation

Employees feel valued when their efforts are acknowledged publicly.

3. Strengthen Team Bonds

Recognition fosters collaboration and trust.

4. Improve Workplace Morale

Celebrating contributions creates a supportive environment.

 

Benefits of Recognizing Employees Who Go the Extra Mile

Boosted Motivation

When employees know their efforts are noticed, they are more motivated to maintain high performance.

Increased Engagement

Recognition creates emotional connection with the organization.

Better Mental Wellbeing

Feeling appreciated reduces stress and burnout.

Enhanced Organizational Reputation

A positive work culture attracts talent and strengthens employer branding.

 

How to Celebrate Kindness Week

1. Employee Appreciation Awards

Create categories such as:

  • Kindness Champion
     

  • Team Support Star
     

  • Helping Hand Award
     

  • Positive Attitude Leader
     

Keep criteria transparent and inclusive.

 

2. Gratitude Wall

Encourage employees to post thank-you notes recognizing colleagues’ contributions.

This creates visible appreciation within the organization.

 

3. Leadership Acknowledgment

Managers and senior leaders can personally recognize employees during team meetings.

Direct appreciation from leadership increases impact.

 

4. Team Lunch or Wellness Event

Organize:

  • Welcome lunches
     

  • Healthy snack days
     

  • Mindfulness sessions
     

  • Team-building activities
     

Combining kindness with wellness initiatives reinforces healthy workplace culture.

 

5. Random Acts of Kindness Challenge

Encourage employees to perform small acts such as:

  • Mentoring a junior colleague
     

  • Helping with workload
     

  • Writing appreciation emails
     

  • Sharing learning resources
     

Recognize participation at week’s end.

 

Kindness and Employee Retention

Studies consistently show that employees who feel recognized are more likely to remain loyal to their organizations.

Recognition contributes to:

  • Reduced turnover
     

  • Improved job satisfaction
     

  • Stronger commitment
     

  • Positive organizational citizenship behavior
     

Kindness Week may seem simple, but its long-term cultural impact can be significant.

 

Promoting Inclusivity During Kindness Week

Ensure recognition initiatives:

  • Avoid favoritism
     

  • Include all departments
     

  • Value non-managerial roles equally
     

  • Recognize behind-the-scenes contributions
     

Inclusivity strengthens fairness and trust.

 

Measuring the Impact

Organizations can assess the success of Kindness Week by tracking:

  • Employee feedback surveys
     

  • Participation rates
     

  • Team engagement metrics
     

  • Retention trends
     

Continuous appreciation initiatives beyond one week create sustainable results.

 

Building a Culture Beyond One Week

Kindness should not be limited to a single event. Companies can maintain momentum by:

  • Monthly recognition programs
     

  • Peer-to-peer appreciation platforms
     

  • Wellness check-ins
     

  • Leadership mentoring initiatives
     

Embedding appreciation into daily operations ensures lasting cultural transformation.

 

The Indian Corporate Context

In India’s rapidly growing corporate landscape, workplace stress and competition are increasing. Initiatives like Kindness Week support mental wellbeing, collaboration and emotional resilience.

Organizations prioritizing empathy and recognition often witness stronger teamwork and healthier work environments.

 

Conclusion

Kindness Week is more than a celebration — it is a strategic initiative to recognize employees who go the extra mile and foster a culture of appreciation. By encouraging empathy, gratitude and recognition, organizations create an environment where employees feel valued and motivated.

Simple acts of appreciation can lead to stronger teams, improved morale and long-term success. Recognizing kindness today builds a more collaborative and positive workplace for tomorrow.

 

References

  • Society for Human Resource Management – Employee Recognition Studies
  • Indian Journal of Occupational Health – Workplace Wellbeing Research
  • Harvard Business Review – Impact of Appreciation on Productivity
  • World Health Organization – Healthy Workplace Framework
  • National Institute of Mental Health – Workplace Mental Health Insights

See all

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