Psychiatry

Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that diagnoses, treats, and studies mental illness and behavioral conditions. While all physicians will encounter patients with mental illnesses and any of them may treat it, psychiatrists specialize in these areas, being more extensively trained in the differential diagnosis (distinguishing various forms) and treatment of mental illness and are professionally required to keep up to date on the newest developments in the field of mental illness. Additionally psychologists, nurse practitioners, and social workers can provide psychiatric care though of these only the nurse practitioners may prescribe medication.

Related terms

Alienist is an old term for a psychiatrist, but is now used more specifically to refer to a psychiatrist who specializes in the legal aspects of mental illness. The term shrink (from head shrinker) is a (sometimes offensive) slang term for a psychotherapist.

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