Psychiatry facts for kids

Psychiatry is a special part of medicine. It focuses on understanding, finding, and helping with mental illnesses. These are conditions that affect how people think, feel, and act, making life difficult. People who work in psychiatry and help others with these problems are called psychiatrists.

What Psychiatrists Do

Psychiatrists are trained doctors. This means they can legally give out medications to help with emotional and behavior problems. Psychologists, on the other hand, are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medicines.

Psychiatrists learn a lot about how the body and the brain work together. They study all kinds of illnesses. Sometimes, a problem in the body can affect how the brain works. For example, some physical health issues can lead to feelings of sadness or changes in mood.

As doctors, psychiatrists understand how medicines can help the brain work better. They also know that medicines can sometimes cause problems. Sometimes, a psychologist might suggest a patient see a psychiatrist if medicine could be helpful. The patient can still continue to see their psychologist too.

In the 1950s, the first medicine for bipolar disorder was found. It was called lithium. Soon after, the first medicine for psychosis was discovered. Later, other medicines were found to help calm people, reduce depression, and keep feelings steady.

Medicines for mental health don't usually "cure" a condition. Instead, they help balance brain chemicals. Some medicines can slow down thoughts for people who think too fast. If these medicines are stopped, the problems often come back.

Sigmund Freud's Ideas

One very famous psychiatrist was Sigmund Freud. He was a medical doctor who studied the brain. He believed that hidden thoughts in our minds, which he called the "unconscious," could cause physical problems or strange behaviors.

He thought that things that happened to people when they were babies or very young children could affect their behavior later. He created "talking therapy," called psychoanalysis. In this therapy, he tried to understand what might be causing a person's problems.

Freud believed that by figuring out these causes and telling the patient, they would get better. However, this often didn't lead to lasting changes. Because of this, psychiatrists and psychologists have found many other ways to help their patients over time.

Understanding the Brain

Since medicines for mental health were first discovered, doctors have found ways to understand why people with mental illnesses think and act in certain ways. They do this by studying the brain as closely as they can.

This area of medicine is called neuropsychiatry. The doctors who work in this field are called neuropsychiatrists. They hope to find ways to permanently help or fix mental illnesses by changing the brain. For now, they work to find better medicines.

The science of psychology studies how people behave and change. Psychologists use what they learn to create new ways to help people change their behavior. Talking therapy and applied psychology were important early ways to help people with everyday problems. Some mental illnesses can be helped this way, but others need medicines. After that, a psychologist can often help a lot.

Concerns About Psychiatry

Psychiatry has sometimes faced criticism. The term anti-psychiatry was created in 1967. This idea suggests that some psychiatric treatments might cause more harm than good. In the past, some treatments were used that are now seen as dangerous, like electroconvulsive therapy or lobotomy.

Some groups of former patients have become very critical of psychiatry, often calling themselves "survivors."

Types of Psychiatry

• Forensic psychiatry – This area looks at mental health in connection with legal matters.
• Addiction psychiatry – This focuses on helping people with chemical addictions.
• Child and adolescent psychiatry – This deals with the mental health of children and teenagers.
• Geriatric psychiatry – This helps older adults with their mental health.
• Psychopharmacology – This is the study of how medicines affect the mind and behavior.

Common Mental Health Conditions

• Anxiety
• Attention-deficit disorder
• Autism disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Personality disorders
• Psychopathy
• Schizophrenia

Images for kids

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  The word psyche comes from the ancient Greek for 'soul' or 'butterfly'. The fluttering insect appears in the coat of arms of Britain's Royal College of Psychiatrists.

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  NIMH federal agency patient room for Psychiatric research, Maryland, USA

See also

In Spanish: Psiquiatría para niños