Psychiatry

Psychiatry is the specialty that deals with human psychology and the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. Psychiatric clinics employ expert staff consisting of psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. Clinical interviews, examinations, laboratory tests and imaging methods are used to diagnose psychiatric diseases. Psychiatric diseases are treated with pharmacotherapy (medication) and psychotherapy (spiritual treatment).

In our psychiatry clinics, we offer child and family counseling, adolescent counseling, personality tests, intelligence tests and developmental tests for children (MMPI, TAT, WISC-R, AGTE) and play therapies, as well as supportive psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization according to the needs of the patients. and reprocessing EMDR therapy is applied.

The main diseases diagnosed and treated in psychiatric clinics are:

Depression

Depression; It is a very common psychiatric disease that progresses with disorders related to thoughts, behaviors and emotions. Problems such as a constantly sad and unhappy mood, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, disruption of sleep patterns, and loss of appetite are observed in patients with depression. In cases of depression that cannot be controlled with cognitive treatments, success can be achieved with drug treatments.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive illness or bipolar mood disorder, causes sharp mood swings and seriously affects a person’s life. During the manic period, the patient takes on an exuberant character, and in the so-called depressive period, the patient becomes depressed. Except for attack periods, the patient’s mood is completely normal and no exuberance or depression is observed. Medication must be administered to completely eliminate the disease or shorten the disease periods.

Obsessive compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is when the patient focuses on disturbing thoughts called obsessions, and as a result, acquires constant behaviors called compulsions in order to get rid of the discomfort. Obsessive-compulsive disorder may occur due to some parts of the brain being more active than they should be, or it may develop as a result of an individual experiencing a bad event that could cause trauma in their past life. Since it is generally not possible for patients to recover spontaneously, behavioral therapies are applied along with medication for treatment.

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are also called anxiety disorders. Anxiety is a normal feeling that occurs in situations where extraordinary or sudden decisions need to be made and is experienced by every person in order for human life to continue. However, anxiety disorder means that the individual cannot manage his/her anxiety and experiences anxiety even in non-dangerous processes. Patients with anxiety disorders have difficulty in continuing their daily lives, and their relationships with others in social life are affected by this situation. To eliminate anxiety disorders, patients are treated with psychotherapy along with medication.

Sexual Dysfunctions

Sexual dysfunctions such as vaginismus in women, erection problems in men, and premature ejaculation may be caused by psychological problems. Individuals who apply to health institutions with such problems may need to seek psychiatric treatment if no pathological findings are found after gynecological and urological examinations.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia; It is a psychiatric disease that prevents the individual from distinguishing between real and unreal situations and events, makes it difficult for the brain to think normally, and therefore prevents the individual from keeping his/her behaviors and emotions under control. The disease, which progresses very slowly in its development process, can lead to very serious consequences if the necessary precautions are not taken. Therefore, it is very important to start treatment in the early stages of the disease. Antipsychotic medications and psychotherapies are administered together to prevent the disease from progressing. Depending on the level of the disease, inpatient treatment may be required in some cases.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder is a psychological disease that occurs mostly at young ages and can be observed as hyperactivity and attention deficit. Although it is not taken into consideration in daily life, it can have a very negative impact on human life and put the future of children at learning age at risk. Although the symptoms decrease with age, early diagnosis and treatment should prevent any negative impact on the child’s education and training life. The factor that causes the disease to occur is determined by neurological and neuropsychiatric tests and attempts are made to overcome it with medication or psychological support. Although psychological support is often sufficient, some patients may also require medication.

Substance Abuse

Substance addiction is the use of drugs that make it difficult for the body to perform its normal functions. Even though the drug addict knows and feels that the substance she uses harms her body, she cannot stop using drugs because she feels deprived. This situation causes the use and dose of the harmful substance to increase over time. Treatment of substance addiction is carried out in hospitals and the duration of treatment varies between 2-6 weeks depending on the level of addiction. Psychiatric treatment continues after the drug treatment administered in the hospital, so that substance addiction can be treated if the patient is stable.

Social Phobia

Social phobia, an anxiety disorder, is characterized by the desire to avoid being in social environments due to the fear of being judged and disliked by society. These patients have a great fear of speaking in front of the public, eating, or talking to someone else, with the thought that individuals in the society will make negative judgments about them such as incompetent, stupid, or ugly. Although the biggest role in treatment belongs to psychotherapy, drug treatments can also be applied when necessary.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Experiencing situations such as insomnia, constant recall of memories, easy startle, nightmares and despair about the future after traumatic events such as natural disaster, accident, harassment, torture and attack is called post-traumatic stress disorder. In some cases, this may be accompanied by depression and anxiety disorders. Treatment of the disease includes psychotherapies and medication.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders called Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa may develop in individuals due to a decrease in body image and self-esteem. In Anorexia Nervosa, behaviors such as eating very low calories, exercising at high intensity and excessive levels, and using laxative (diarrheal) drugs to lose weight occur due to the desire to have an extremely thin body. In Bulimia Nervosa, there are episodes of overeating followed by a feeling of regret and voluntary vomiting. Just like in Anorexia Nervosa, the desire to lose weight and the use of laxatives, excessive exercise and starvation behaviors are observed. However, unlike Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa patients are slightly overweight or of normal weight. Psychiatric treatment has the most important role in the treatment, and support is also received from different medical units to ensure the complications and nutrition that develop due to the disease.

Grief Reactions

The devastation and grief felt in irreversible events that deeply affect life, such as the death of a loved one, separation and divorce, are a natural reaction seen in all people. If this situation, which is expected to ease within a few weeks, causes extreme sadness, unhappiness and pain, anger and hostile attitudes in the person even 3-6 months after the deeply saddening event, it is defined as pathological grief and requires psychiatric treatment.

Sleeping disorders

Disrupted sleep patterns not only cause insomnia and fatigue but also increase the risk of many health problems. In patients who do not have any physiological health problems, sleep disorders such as difficulty falling asleep, waking up tired despite adequate sleep, waking up constantly at night, constant nightmares and delirium are conditions that require psychiatric treatment.