Psychiatry
Psychiatry is a branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MDs or DOs) or psychiatric nurse practitioners who specialize in mental health and are qualified to assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychiatric conditions. Psychiatric services cover a broad range of subspecialties, including child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and more. Here at Aptiva, we specialize in traumas and workplace injuries for people over the age of 18. However, we do also accept people with other psychiatric concerns.
Trauma
Trauma refers to an emotional response to a distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope. When someone experiences trauma, their sense of safety and security is often disrupted, leading to intense emotional reactions and potentially long-lasting psychological effects if untreated. These effects can manifest in various ways:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Characterized by intrusive memories, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, negative changes in mood and thinking, and heightened arousal.
Anxiety and Depression: Trauma can increase the risk of developing anxiety disorders, such as adjustment or acute stress, as well as depression.
Dissociation: Some individuals may experience dissociative symptoms, where they feel disconnected from themselves or their surroundings to cope with the trauma.
Behavioral Changes: Trauma survivors may exhibit changes in behavior, such as increased irritability, fear of certain activities such as driving if they experienced a collision, more emotional than usual, or withdrawal from social activities or physical exercise.
Physical Symptoms: Chronic pain, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and other physical symptoms can also be associated with trauma.
Types of Trauma
Accidents (such as auto collisions)
Injuries (such as in the workplace)
Physical or sexual abuse
Natural disasters
Involved in or witnessing violence
Combat or war
Sudden loss of a loved one
Medical trauma
Neglect or abandonment
Services
Key aspects of psychiatric services include:
Diagnosis: Psychiatrists use various tools, including clinical interviews, psychological tests, and medical evaluations, to diagnose mental health concerns related to trauma such as depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder, acute stress disorder, PTSD, and more.
Treatment: Psychiatrists work with the Mental Health team to build a comprehensive treatment plan that can include medication management, psychotherapy, neuropsychological evaluations and other interventions.
Medication Management: Psychiatrists are trained in pharmacology and can prescribe and monitor medications that help manage symptoms of mental health concerns such as those related to trauma.
Collaboration: Therapists work in conjunction with other healthcare providers, such as psychotherapists, neuropsychologists, physicians and the patient’s primary care physicians, to provide holistic care to patients.
Research: Our psychiatric providers may also engage in research to advance the understanding of trauma.
