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.

See also

• Anti-psychiatry
• Biological psychiatry
• Chemical imbalance theory
• Cognitive neuropsychiatry
• Important publications in Psychiatry
• Important publications in medicine
• Important publications in psychology
• International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology
• List of psychiatric drugs
• Neurology
• Neuropsychiatry
• Mental health
• Psychiatric survivors movement
• Psychoanalysis
• Psychopathology
• Psychopharmacology
• Psychotherapy
• Scientology and psychiatry