Psychiatry is the medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of mental illness.

Note that there are specialties, and in particular:

• gerontopsychiatry;
• or child psychiatry.

To better understand, remember that a mental illness is a set of disturbances occurring at the level of thoughts, behavior or emotions. It causes, for the individual who suffers from it, personal distress as well as difficulties in social or professional relations.

The disorders which enter the field of psychiatry are numerous. These include:

• la trough ;
• le attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD) ;
• Madness ;
• la schizophrenia (defined as loss of contact with reality);
• eating disorders (such as anorexia and bulimia);
• autism;
• autism spectrum disorders;
• bipolar disorder;
• anxiety disorders;
• psychotic disorders;
• personality disorders;
• attention deficit disorder;
• or neurocognitive disorders.

Some people are more at risk for developing mental illnesses. Here are some recognized risk factors:

• genetics (³);
• toxic factors (such as cannabis which increases the risk of developing schizophrenia);
• social factors (poor working condition, precariousness, etc.);
• family factors (separation, mistreatment, etc.)

The role of the psychiatrist is to establish a diagnosis based on a comprehensive assessment including:

• a mental exam;
• a physical examination;
• laboratory analyzes;
• or even medical imaging.

Depending on the diagnosis, the psychiatrist himself treats the mental illness or coordinates the treatment to be given to his patient. He can offer:

• psychotherapy;
• medication ;
• or different neurostimulation techniques.

Psychiatrists can work in private practice, but also within a multidisciplinary team (nurses, Psychologists, social workers, etc.) in hospitals or specialized centers.

The consultation with a psychiatrist does not involve any particular risks for the patient.

Psychiatrist training in France       

To become a psychiatrist, you must have a diploma of specialized studies (DES) in psychiatry:

• the student must first follow, after his baccalaureate, 6 years at the faculty of medicine;
• at the end of the 6th year, students take the national classifying tests to enter the boarding school. Depending on their classification, they will be able to choose their specialty and their place of practice. The DES in psychiatry is obtained after 4 years of internship in psychiatry.

Finally, to be able to practice and carry the title of doctor, the student must also defend a research thesis.

Psychiatrist training in Quebec

After college studies, the student must:

• follow a doctorate in medicine, lasting 1 or 4 years (with or without a preparatory year for medicine for students admitted with a college or university training deemed insufficient in basic biological sciences);
• then specialize by following a residency in psychiatry, for 4 years.

To find a psychiatrist:

• in Quebec, you can consult the site “health directory” â ?? ´;
• in France, via the website of the National Council of the Order of Physiciansâ ?? µ.

When the consultation is prescribed by an attending physician, it is covered by the Health Insurance (France) or the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec.

The psychiatrist is not a psychologist. He has medical training, which the psychologist does not have.