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What is Psychiatry?
Psychiatry is a branch of Medicine focused on the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Mental, Emotional & Behavioral disorders.
A Psychiatrist is a one who holds an MBBS degree and then pursues an intensive training course to specialize in the field of Psychiatry- MD/DPM/DNB in Psychiatry.
And thus as a Psychiatrist and as a Physician, We are able to focus on one’s overall health. It addresses all of the needs in a patient’s personal life.
OUR VISION :
- To provide Mental Healthcare on par with international standards.
- To integrate Mental Health care with other medical specialties to provide a “wholesome” approach & there by treating an individual as a “whole”.
- To treat patients with at most care, compassion, ethicality and confidentiality.
- To increase awareness & reduce the stigma associated with mental health and promote positive well being and mental health to the general public
- To integrate Psychiatry with Sexual& Reproductive medicine to address sexual & infertility related psychological issues.
- To aid psychological support throughout the period of pregnancy and post pregnancy to reduce the stress associated with delivery and help in parenting techniques.
- Effective and modern treatment approaches to facilitate recovery as early as possible.
Why is Mental Health Important?
While mental or behavioral issues may not be as physically obvious as a broken bone, the reality is still the same.
It is very important to treat mental health issues as you would treat any other physical ailment.
Just as physical fitness helps our body to stay strong, mental fitness helps us achieve and sustain a state of good and balanced well being.
Mental health and physical health are interrelated. Without a good mental health there is no true physical health.
When we are mentally healthy, we enjoy our life, environment and the people in it, to the fullest.
We can cope up positively during stressful times, achieve our goals better, and maintain a healthy relationship with people around as, work efficiently to our fullest of capacity and overall enabling us to improve our quality of life.
Understanding Mental Illness
“PSYCHIATRY”, “MENTAL ILLNESS” those words resonates concern and fear amongst us. Due to the wide stigma associated with it and due to the Medias portrayal of mental health problems many people hesitate to even pay a visit to a psychiatrist. This leads to poor support from people around us, refusal to acknowledge the illness there by leading to delay in the treatment or people continue to suffer with the illness without treatment also.
The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. Mental illness occurs when the brain just like any other organ such as heart or kidney is not working the way it should and thus producing symptoms such as dull/sad mood, instability, anger outbursts, suicidal thoughts, reduced concentration, forgetfulness, sleep disturbance, suspiciousness and altered behavior.
Psychological issues and psychiatric illness cuts across every race, age, ethnicity, gender, color and country.
It can affect the children, adults, and the elderly.
World health organization quotes that “one among every 4 person suffer from some type of psychological issues at some point in their life time”.
There is a huge misconception in terms of understanding mental illness. Not all psychiatry related problems are long-term and chronic.
The major causes of Mental Illness can be widely classified according to its origins
BIOLOGICAL (Family H/O, genetically inherited)
NEUROCHEMICAL (alterations in the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain)
PSYCHO SOCIAL( financial, cultural causes, family support, marital issues ,education etc)
A person can experience common mental health/ psychological problems like
Generalized anxiety disorder
Panic attacks
OCD- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Social phobia
Depression
Eating Disorders.
Sleep related disorders.
Bipolar disorder
Schizophrenia
Psychosis
Major depressive disorder etc….
There is a wide misconception that psychiatric drugs once started have to be taken lifelong & the illness can never be cured.
With timely intervention and appropriate treatment, common mental health disorders are very much treatable & don’t require long term care.
Sleeplessness or excessive sleeping
Sad mood, excessive worrying
Decreased concentration
Poor eating habits
Suicidal ideas
Body ache, Headache, multiple and frequent pain complaints
Fearfulness, anxiety symptoms- pounding of heart, feeling keyed up, being on the edge, choking sensation etc..
Having Repetitive thoughts or doing repetitive works that are distressing
Talking and smiling to self
Suspiciousness
Anger issues, irritability
Dull withdrawn, not communicating with others
Not going to work, poor self care
Not performing or achieving to ones fullest of capacity
Unable to maintain a stable relationship
Having fears to socialize, give public speeches
Having specific fears- climbing heights, being in a closed space, being in a crowded place, fear of having any disease
Alcohol, cigarette smoking and other substance use.
Delayed milestones development- delayed neck holding, sitting, walking, speech delay etc..
Poor feeding and eating habits, eating inedible things
Excessive temper tantrums
Refusal to go to school
Poor scholastic performance
Preference to stay alone, not mingling with peers of same age
Not responding when called by name, not maintaining eye contact when spoken to.
Being hyperactive, excessive running around, climbing heights, frequent complaints from school
Poor attention span – difficulty in following and completing tasks
Frequent pain complaints, not being active, dull mood
Bedwetting, nail biting
Behavioral problems- not obeying rules at school and home, being disrespectful to parents and others, violent, stealing, bunking class, bullying peers, adamant behavior, anger outbursts, mood swings etc
Difficulty in sleeping, excess sleeping
Feeling dull, sad mood, poor self esteem, guilty thoughts, negative views about future
Reduced interest, easily getting tired
Poor appetite
Forgetfulness, memory problems- forgetting daily activities, names, usual routines, needing assistance in everyday chores, misplacing things etc
Behavioral problems- anger outburst, irritability, eating difficulties etc
Suspiciousness, irrelevant talk, poor self care
Acute -Altered consciousness, sleep pattern, day night confusion (delirium)
Diagnosis and treatment of depression
Diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders- Generalized anxiety, OCD, panic disorders, phobic disorders
Diagnosis and treatment of Bipolar disorder
Diagnosis and treatment of Schizophrenia, delusional disorders.
Diagnosis and treatment –deaddiction programmes for Alcohol, nicotine and other substance use de-addiction treatments
Treatment for stress related disorders
Treatment for somatoform disorders
Treatment of eating disorders
Antenatal, natal and post natal psychological support and treatment for related disorders (postpartum depression, psychosis)
Sexual and Infertility related disorders treatment
Treatment for epilepsy related psychological issues ,epileptic psychosis
Treatment and management of personality disorders
Elderly /Geriatric depression treatment
Dementia management and treatment
Treatment for sleep disorders
Management and treatment of ADHD- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder
Management and treatment of Autism and related disorders
Treatment of Childhood OCD
Treatment of Childhood Depression
Evaluation of Poor scholastic performance, Management of Learning disability, dyslexia’s, school refusal
Management of childhood behavioral problems
Management of internet addiction , gadgets addiction
Sexual counseling, premarital counseling.
Marital counseling and couple therapy.
CBT- cognitive behavior therapy.
DBT-Dialectical behavior therapy.
JPMR- Jacobson progressive muscle relaxation techniques.
Systematic De- Sentization therapy.
Grief counseling
Behavioral therapies
Personality development training, assertiveness training
This is a free service,
We are LGBTQI friendly service provider.
Consultant Psychiatrist
DR.C.PRARTHANA SARASWATHI - Consultant Psychiatrist
MBBS, MD Psychiatry
Dr. C. Prarthana Saraswathi works as a competent and efficient consultant psychiatrist, treating the patients with utmost care, compassion and confidentiality.
She is a registered medical practiotioner with post graduation n psychiatry (MD psychiatry). Dr. Prarthana strives to break the cultural taboos of mental health/illness & promote healthy mind and wellness with not only the patient but also in the wider community that she works in.
Her special interests include psychosexual medicine, psycooncology, child and adolescent psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry. Dr. Prarthana also actively conducts various health talks, workshops and medical camps to increase the awareness about mental health and mental fitness to promote her mission “no wealth without mental health”
QUALIFICATION :
MBBS ( Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha University )
MD Psychiatry ( Sree Balaji Medical College, Bharath University )