What are the most common problems a psychiatrist deals w daily basis?

[macbook00]

So, I'm wondering what the typical, most common problems a psychiatrist deals w on a regular basis? What is the general patient population like on a normal day? How about for child psychiatry?

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[fMRI]

So, I'm wondering what the typical, most common problems a psychiatrist deals w on a regular basis? What is the general patient population like on a normal day? How about for child psychiatry?

That really depends on where you work. If you are in private practice in an affluent part of town, your patient population differs from, say, a large inner city hospital taking care of the under-/uninsured, a rural area (where you are the only "shrink" out there) or from a specialist center (eating disorders, addictions) or a prison.

Depending on where you decide to work, you select the most common problem your patients suffer from. I know this is sort of a stupid answer, but that's how it seems it works.

We could do this the other way around: Post what the most common problems are, and we'll guess the place of work.

 

[macbook00]

That really depends on where you work. If you are in private practice in an affluent part of town, your patient population differs from, say, a large inner city hospital taking care of the under-/uninsured, a rural area (where you are the only "shrink" out there) or from a specialist center (eating disorders, addictions) or a prison.

Depending on where you decide to work, you select the most common problem your patients suffer from. I know this is sort of a stupid answer, but that's how it seems it works.

We could do this the other way around: Post what the most common problems are, and we'll guess the place of work.

Okay So how about an afluent private practice vs inner city vs a university hospital?? I'm just trying to get a better idea about the types of problems you would see in different environments...

 

[Doc Samson]

Okay So how about an afluent private practice vs inner city vs a university hospital?? I'm just trying to get a better idea about the types of problems you would see in different environments...

Affluent private practice: Depression, anxiety, personality disorders, some substance abuse, and a healthy portion of the worried well neurotic.

University hospital: Schizophrenia, bipolar DO, depression, lots of substance abuse, personality disorders, malingering.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Affluent private practice: Depression, anxiety, personality disorders, some substance abuse, and a healthy portion of the worried well neurotic.

University hospital: Schizophrenia, bipolar DO, depression, lots of substance abuse, personality disorders, malingering.

Inner city: same as university, but with no money to pay for meds

 

[whopper]

What kind of problems? Depends on what you are defining as a problem-if you mean the type of diagnosis, I'd go with what's been written above--its going to depend on what type of practice you are working in.

Rural vs Urban: both areas present with differing frequencies on the type of abuse. E.g. inner cities often times has more cocaine & IVDA. Rural areas tend to have more prescription opioid & amphetamine use. At least where I residency, urban areas tended to have more schizophrenic patients, while the rural patients tended to be more mood disorder (don't know if that will hold true in other areas)

High socioeconomig status vs lower

geographic location

inpatient vs outpatient vs crisis psychiatry (often in an ER)...

They all present with differing frequencies of the types of patients you will see.

As a psychiatrist, you will have a choice on what type of practice you want to do.

I'm working in a forensic psychiatric inpatient unit right now, I've only seen 2 cases of depression, and 1 case of OCD in the 6 months I've been doing this so far. Almost all my patients are schizophrenic, schizoaffective, Bipolar, substance abuse or dependence, or malingering.

I do a lot of consults--none of which are on a medical floor. I do consults on psychiatric patients on other units because a 2nd opinion is needed other than the treating psychiatrist...e.g. a consult on a patient who is histrionic, has no Axis I other than substance disorders and his psychiatrist wants him discharged, while that patient is insisting he will do something that will get him arrested to get him back into the psyche unit. A possible case where the patient is manipulating the system unfairly so he can get free housing & attention. The administration & the treating psychiatrist wanted another psychiatrist to evaluate the patient just in case to make sure.

In the place I was at during residency, the inpatient unit had a good variabilty of mood disorders, psychotic, substance disorders and anxiety disorders.

I just mentioned to my wife tonight that had I been doing 6 months back at the old hospital, I would've written dozens of antidepressant prescriptions by now. At the place I'm at I've only done 2 so far.

 

[Faebinder]

What kind of problems? Depends on what you are defining as a problem-if you mean the type of diagnosis, I'd go with what's been written above--its going to depend on what type of practice you are working in.

Rural vs Urban: both areas present with differing frequencies on the type of abuse. E.g. inner cities often times has more cocaine & IVDA. Rural areas tend to have more prescription opioid & amphetamine use. At least where I residency, urban areas tended to have more schizophrenic patients, while the rural patients tended to be more mood disorder (don't know if that will hold true in other areas)

High socioeconomig status vs lower

geographic location

inpatient vs outpatient vs crisis psychiatry (often in an ER)...

They all present with differing frequencies of the types of patients you will see.

As a psychiatrist, you will have a choice on what type of practice you want to do.

I'm working in a forensic psychiatric inpatient unit right now, I've only seen 2 cases of depression, and 1 case of OCD in the 6 months I've been doing this so far. Almost all my patients are schizophrenic, schizoaffective, Bipolar, substance abuse or dependence, or malingering.

I do a lot of consults--none of which are on a medical floor. I do consults on psychiatric patients on other units because a 2nd opinion is needed other than the treating psychiatrist...e.g. a consult on a patient who is histrionic, has no Axis I other than substance disorders and his psychiatrist wants him discharged, while that patient is insisting he will do something that will get him arrested to get him back into the psyche unit. A possible case where the patient is manipulating the system unfairly so he can get free housing & attention. The administration & the treating psychiatrist wanted another psychiatrist to evaluate the patient just in case to make sure.

In the place I was at during residency, the inpatient unit had a good variabilty of mood disorders, psychotic, substance disorders and anxiety disorders.

I just mentioned to my wife tonight that had I been doing 6 months back at the old hospital, I would've written dozens of antidepressant prescriptions by now. At the place I'm at I've only done 2 so far.

Wow, what a difference. I can't imagine not needing to write for more than 2 antidepressants in 6 months. Must be some interesting cases you got running around.