Do you require the services of a clinical psychiatrist in your area?
Are you feeling overwhelmed and unsure about whether or not you should see a professional psychiatrist? Across South Africa, including Cape Town, George, East London, Port Elizabeth, Kimberley, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Nelspruit, and Durban, we have qualified and experienced clinical and addiction psychiatrists. Yes, our network of psychiatrists is available in all nine provinces of South Africa.
No matter where you are in South Africa, our goal is to make locating the right psychiatrist as simple as possible. Request a referral to a clinical or addiction psychiatrist in your region, and we’ll provide you with all the information you need.
What is Psychiatry?
Psychiatry is a medical specialty that focuses on diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They focus on mental health issues, such as substance abuse, and are trained to evaluate both the mental and physical components of mental illnesses.
People seek psychiatric assistance for a variety of reasons. A panic attack, frightening hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, or hearing “voices” are all examples of mental illness. They could be more long-term, such as emotions of despair, hopelessness, or anxiety that never seem to go away, or functional issues that make everyday life feel twisted or out of control.
Following their four years of general psychiatric training, some psychiatrists pursue extra specialized training. They may obtain certification in the following specialist areas:
- Psychiatry of children and adolescents
- Geriatric psychiatry
- Psychiatry for forensic (legal) purposes
- Psychiatry for addiction
- Pain relief
- Psychosomatic (body and mind) medication
- Medications for sleep
Where can I find a psychiatrist near me?
Psychiatrists work in a variety of settings including private practices, clinics, general and mental hospitals, university medical centres, community organisations, courts and prisons, nursing homes, rehabilitation programmes, emergency centres, hospice programs, and many more. Approximately half of the psychiatrists in South Africa have private offices, and many operate in several settings and environments.
How do psychiatrists diagnose patients in South Africa?
Psychiatrists can request or administer a wide range of medical laboratory and psychological tests, which, when combined with patient consultations, help to paint a picture of a patient’s physical and mental state. Their education and clinical training prepare them to comprehend the complex relationship between emotional and other medical illnesses, as well as the connections to genetics and family history, to evaluate medical and psychological data, to make a diagnosis, and to collaborate with patients to develop treatment plans.
What medication do psychiatrists use in South Africa?
Psychiatrists utilise drugs in the same manner that general practitioners use pharmaceuticals to treat the likes of high blood pressure or diabetes. Psychiatrists can prescribe drugs to assist treat mental problems after extensive patient examinations. While the exact mechanism of action of psychiatric drugs is unknown, they may help to alter chemical signaling and communication in the brain, which may help to alleviate some of the symptoms of psychiatric diseases. Patients on long-term medication treatment should visit with their psychiatrist on a regular basis to check the medicine’s effectiveness as well as any potential side effects.
Class of medications prescribed
- Antidepressants are medications that are used to treat depression, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, and eating disorders.
- Antipsychotic drugs are used to treat psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations, as well as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
- Anxiolytics and sedatives are medications that are used to treat anxiety and sleeplessness.
- Hypnotics are drugs that are used to help people fall asleep and stay asleep.
- Mood stabilisers are medications that are used to treat bipolar disorder.
- Stimulants are drugs that are used to treat ADHD.
Our network of Psychiatrists in South Africa creates a supportive environment throughout our meetings with our clients to enable them to feel calm and at ease. Our therapists and counsellors encourage clients to open up about underlying core difficulties by assuring them of complete anonymity and with a nonjudgmental attitude.
Psychiatrists Locations
Rehab Helper offers a list of Psychiatrist to choose from, all offering a different approach tailored to suit your needs. You can find a Psychiatrists at the following locations