Psychiatry in Dubai: Expert Treatment for Mental Health
What is Psychiatry?
Psychiatry is a branch of medicine which deals with emotional, behavioural and psychological disorders. Psychiatrists are medically qualified doctors who have graduated from medical school and undertaken further extensive training in the field of Psychiatry.
Psychiatrists are able to treat a very broad range of conditions with a range of different treatment interventions. They elicit symptoms and make a diagnosis by undertaking careful and methodical formulation and assessment interviews with the patient.
It is important for the psychiatrist to fully understand the patient’s individual journey and their unique emotional experience. All our psychiatrists are Western-qualified and internationally recognised experts in their respective fields. They hold active specialist licenses in Dubai and their home countries.
What happens during an initial consultation?
The initial consultation will last for 60 minutes. During this consultation the psychiatrist will take a detailed history to understand the nature of the problem, how it first began, how it has developed, how it may have affected you in the past and how it may be affecting you today.
The psychiatrist will undertake a careful analysis in order to arrive at a definitive diagnosis, following which he will advise you on the different treatment options so that you are able to make a collaborative and informed decision.
Occasionally, in more complex situations the psychiatrist may require 2 or 3 initial assessment sessions in order to arrive at the correct diagnosis, which will then allow for a treatment plan to be formulated.
The psychiatrist may also request blood tests or previous medical records as part of his assessment process. The psychiatrist will also complete any insurance forms required for approval for clients who are claiming from medical insurance.
How long is an initial consultation?
All initial consultations will last for 60 minutes.
How to decide on a treatment plan?
Following an initial formulation and assessment session, the psychiatrist will discuss his opinion with you regarding the diagnosis and treatment plan. The psychiatrist will explain what the recommended treatment strategy should be in your specific situation to enable to you recover.
This will be based on the latest treatment guidelines from the UK such as Nice (https://www.nice.org.uk). Treatment packages may comprise of different elements including medication and /or therapy in order to contain and manage the patient’s anxieties.
Therapy can involve contact with a counsellor, psychotherapist or clinical psychologist. These are commonly referred to as the talking treatments. Some forms of talking therapy may be delivered by the psychiatrist. This depends on what is determined for your individual bespoke care and treatment package.
What happens at a follow-up appointment?
The frequency and duration of follow-up appointments are usually decided between the patient and the psychiatrist after the initial assessment has been concluded. Follow-up appointments can last for 30 minutes or an hour depending upon what has been agreed.
Follow-up appointments are a useful forum to review treatments and goals, assess changes, clarify and address any outstanding issues and to provide continuity of care and support.
What types of treatments do Psychiatrists provide?
All of our psychiatrists and psychologists in Dubai are strongly committed to placing our patients at the heart of everything we do. We are strongly committed to empowerment, autonomy and the principles of recovery.
Trust and integrity form the foundation of any positive therapeutic relationship. It can take time for trust to build up.
Psychiatrists treat a broad range of conditions eclectically. Examples of conditions commonly treated by psychiatrists include:
ADHD; depressive disorders; anxiety disorders; OCD; panic disorders; phobias; eating disorders; self-esteem problems; relationship difficulties etc. This list is not exhaustive. The list of all the issues can be found here -> All Psychiatric issues.
Treatments include talking therapies and/or medications. There are a myriad of different medications to treat different disorders and conditions.
The patient and the psychiatrist will reach a joint decision to commence medication, if that is required. In many situations medication is not required. The prescribing psychiatrist will spend considerable time explaining the benefits, side effects, interactions, dosage and anticipated duration of treatment, so that you feel happy and comfortable before starting any new treatment. If medications are an initial consideration it may be helpful to see a psychiatrist in the first instance.