Choosing the right mental health practitioner
Part of improving mindspace, and overall well-being, is finding the right help from the right people when you need it most. Beyond primary care doctors, many types of mental health professionals can support patients, including social workers, therapists and psychiatrists. But psychiatrists stand apart as medical doctors.
Dr. Komal Pordal is a psychiatrist at Psychiatry Connection, a telepsychiatry practice with services covered by many insurance plans. She said psychiatrists, who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions, can tap their medical training to evaluate psychiatric disorders. As licensed physicians who have attended medical school, psychiatrists can prescribe medication if, and when, it’s appropriate.
Sorting out the practitioners
Primary care doctors are often the clinicians patients see when seeking to relieve stress, anxiety or other mental health concerns, Pordal said. These physicians may ask about day-to-day habits such as diet, sleep and exercise, and, if necessary, refer patients to other mental health professionals.
Therapists, psychologists and social workers, who hold their own credentials, licenses or doctorates, can provide non-pharmacological care. This may include helping patients develop coping strategies or adopt mental-health-supporting practices such as mindfulness or meditation.
Primary care doctors may also refer patients to psychiatrists, who specialize in treating mental health just as cardiologists specialize in treating hearts, Pordal said.
The approach
Pordal said psychiatry interested her when she was in medical school because the specialty lets her help patients across different life stages and challenges. Pordal said she uses a biopsychosocial approach, recognizing that biological factors, psychological experiences and social conditions all influence mental health.
“Depression or anxiety doesn’t look the same for everyone,” she said. “In psychiatry especially, you get to treat people in some of their lowest moments and actually see them get better.”
Treatment begins with a detailed review of a patient’s medical history, Pordal said, including past treatments, current struggles and continuing life circumstances. Psychiatrists particularly track symptoms, Pordal said, zeroing in on when they began and how they have progressed.
With this knowledge, psychiatrists develop treatment plans and evaluate whether those plans should include medication.
If psychiatrists prescribe medication, results are not immediate, Pordal said. Psychiatrists can monitor patients as they take medication over time, she said, assessing efficacy and adjusting dosages if side effects occur.
“We’re coming up with ways to make sure that the medication is helping and adding to your life,” Pordal said, “and not making your life revolve around it.”
A holistic view
Pordal said psychiatrists often function as complements — one part of a broader care team that can include primary care providers, therapists, psychologists, counselors, social workers and personal support systems such as family and friends.
Medication, she said, can also be a complementary treatment, fitting in with coping skills, mindfulness, diet and exercise.
“Medicine alone is not a fix-all. … Ultimately, medicine is there to get you feeling better,” she said.
To book an appointment with Psychiatry Connection, click here.
