If you struggle with mental health concerns, you are not alone. According to the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH), “more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness.”[1]
There are a few ways to treat mental health conditions, with the main techniques being therapy and medication. If you are in therapy and still experiencing severe mental health symptoms, it might be time to consider trying medication. While a variety of mental health professionals can prescribe medications, psychiatrists are your best option.
Psychiatrists assess the symptoms you are experiencing, diagnose mental health disorders, create long-term treatment plans, and prescribe mental health medication to help you manage your condition. It’s important to note that you don’t have to be in therapy to see a psychiatrist, however, they might refer you to a therapist if they believe you need extra support.
When choosing a psychiatrist in Fort Lauderdale, you want to pick one that provides in-depth assessments at the start of treatment, has positive patient reviews, uses a communication style that works for you, practices safe prescribing methods, and is recommended by other mental health providers.
In this article, you will learn:
- What does a psychiatrist do?
- What qualities should you look for when picking a psychiatrist?
- How can other mental health providers help you find a psychiatrist in Fort Lauderdale?
What Does a Psychiatrist Do?
One of the most common types of mental health services is psychiatry. Psychiatrists are mental health professionals who have doctoral degrees, making them licensed doctors. They provide personalized care and medication to individuals suffering from mental health issues like anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, sleep disorders, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more.
The main ways that psychiatrists help their patients include:
Assess Emotional Health
During your first appointment in psychiatry, you’ll undergo an in-depth assessment. Your psychiatrist will ask you questions about what symptoms you are experiencing, what emotions you struggle with, and how your symptoms are impacting your daily life. They will use this information to create a treatment plan and potentially diagnose you with a mental health disorder.
Create Treatment Plans
After you complete an in-depth assessment and are diagnosed with a mental illness, your psychiatrist can begin creating your treatment plan. This might involve determining whether you need individual or group therapy, what level of care is right for you (i.e., inpatient or outpatient), and if medication is appropriate.
If they believe you need therapy or inpatient care, your psychiatrist will refer you to a mental health care treatment center or a counselor.
Prescribe Medication
Once your treatment plan is created, your psychiatrist can begin prescribing psychiatric medication. Sometimes it takes several tries to find a medication that alleviates your symptoms while causing minimal side effects. They will find a medication that they believe suits your needs and monitor your progress over several weeks.
If you begin to experience adverse side effects from a medication or are not experiencing therapeutic benefits, your psychiatrist will find a better solution for you. Sometimes, psychiatry involves some trial and error, which means you’ll need to trust the mental health counselor you are visiting.
How to Choose a Psychiatrist in Fort Lauderdale
Psychiatrists create personalized treatment plans for their clients, which involve mental health medication. Their main goal is to find you a medication that makes your mental health symptoms and daily life manageable. They also provide small amounts of supportive therapy, however, you should also be receiving care from a licensed therapist or psychologist.
If you are trying to find a psychiatrist, there are a few things you should consider. Before choosing a specific provider, you should:
Evaluate Their Onboarding Process for New Patients
Your primary care physician might refer you to a psychiatrist if they think you need mental health medication. If you decide to visit the provider they refer you to, you should evaluate the onboarding process they use. The best psychiatrists begin their treatment sessions with an in-depth assessment, which allows them to create an individualized treatment plan based on your needs.
Agape Behavioral Accepts Private Insurance Plans 
Ensure They are Qualified
FL psychiatrists are required to have a doctoral degree, as they are doctors who write prescriptions for medication. Even though master’s degrees are impressive, you don’t want to choose a psychiatrist who isn’t qualified for the job.
Other professionals who can prescribe mental health medication include:
- Psychiatric nurse practitioners
- Primary care providers
- Physicians assistants
While primary care providers and physician assistants can prescribe psychiatric meds, it is usually recommended to visit a psychiatrist for a more in-depth approach.
Look at Patient Reviews
Finding quality mental health services in Fort Lauderdale can be difficult, especially if it’s your first time navigating the mental health system. Before choosing a psychiatrist, you should take a look at the reviews their former and current patients have left them.
When reading reviews, you want to find people saying that the psychiatrist seems to care about their patients, listens to their concerns, makes appropriate adjustments to medications when side effects are bothering them, and has an overall comforting vibe. You could also pay attention to reviews that mention what the environment is like in the psychiatrist’s office.
Evaluate Communication Style and Specialties
Every psychiatrist will have their own communication style. When speaking with the psychiatrist for the first time, pay attention to whether their style of communication works for you. For example, you might prefer a direct approach, while others like a bit more of a supportive or lighthearted tone.
Additionally, you should assess what type of mental health conditions the psychiatrist specializes in. If you have a substance use disorder, you want to find addiction psychiatry. On the other hand, if you are finding a psychiatrist for your elderly family member, you’ll need geriatric psychiatry.
Assess Medication Management Services
Some mental health conditions require daily medication to make a full recovery. For example, bipolar disorder is associated with imbalanced brain chemicals, which must be managed with medication.
When you are choosing a psychiatrist, you need to make sure they use safe prescribing methods. This means they take your medical history into account when prescribing a medication, start you off on an appropriate dose, have frequent check-ins to ensure you are not experiencing severe side effects, and adjust medications accordingly.
Consider Appointment Type
Some psychiatrists only offer in-person visits. While seeing a mental health provider in person can be beneficial, sometimes people can’t commute to appointments. If you need online psychiatry, you should look for a mental health provider who offers telemedicine appointments.
Ask Other Mental Health Providers to Help You Find a Psychiatrist
If you are looking for mental health care like psychiatry, you can ask other mental health professionals and even a primary care physician for a reference.
While using the tips we mentioned can help you find a reputable psychiatrist, sometimes you need a little extra help. Asking other mental health professionals (like your therapist) for a referral to a psychiatrist will ensure you see a provider who is trusted in the mental health community. Because psychiatrists provide medication management services, you want to make sure you are going to one that you can trust.
Get Connected to a Good Psychiatrist in Fort Lauderdale
If you are looking for a mental health provider that offers medication management, you need a psychiatrist. At Agape Behavioral Healthcare, we offer a combination of individual talk therapy, group counseling, and psychiatry. Additionally, we combine evidence-based treatment with a holistic approach, which means you’ll have well-rounded treatment to help you achieve recovery.
Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive approach to psychiatry in Fort Lauderdale.
References:
- The National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH): Mental Illness
