Five different types of psychiatrist and how to choose the right specialist
Discover different types of psychiatrists and their differences. Explore how to choose the correct psychiatry specialty for your needs.
Key takeaways
The National Institute of Health estimates that about one in five adults in the US is living with a mental illness. Psychiatrists play a vital role in diagnosing, treating, and helping these people – along with children and adolescents – manage their mental health conditions. However, not all psychiatrists are the same. Every field of medicine has specialists who focus on particular health issues, demographics, and treatments, and psychiatry is no different. Knowing the basics about psychiatric specialties can help you select the provider who’s the best fit for your specific needs. And finding the right psychiatrist – one equipped with expertise and experience relevant to you – can mean getting the most effective treatment possible.
In the article below, we’ll describe what a psychiatrist does and detail some of the different types of psychiatrists. We’ll also provide guidance on how to choose one that makes sense for you. We’ll finish up by answering some frequently asked questions and discussing possible next steps for finding care.
What does a psychiatrist do?
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in treating mental health conditions with medications, psychotherapy, and certain procedures. They’ve been to medical school, completed their medical residency, and may have had additional training depending on their specialty. A psychiatrist’s medical practice focuses on:
- Diagnosis: Psychiatrists can diagnose mental health disorders through clinical evaluation and psychological testing. This process often involves interviews between the psychiatrist and patient, a review of the patient’s medical history, and the application of specific diagnostic criteria to a patient’s case. Generally speaking, to be treated for a specific condition, a person must first be diagnosed with it by a psychiatrist.
- Medication management: Psychiatrists can prescribe medications to help a person manage conditions like ADHD and depression. They also monitor the effects of those medications, watch for interactions with any other medications a patient may be taking, and adjust prescriptions as necessary.
- Supportive therapy: At Talkiatry, our psychiatrists combine medication with supportive therapy, which aims to improve patients’ self-esteem and help them address immediate conflicts in their lives. Our psychiatrists can also refer a patient to standalone therapy – which may take the form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or another type of psychotherapy – if they judge that it’s likely to benefit the patient.
- Collaboration: Psychiatrists will evaluate their patients’ overall health and work with any other healthcare providers they may be seeing to ensure integrated, comprehensive care.
Five types of psychiatrists
- General Psychiatry
General psychiatrists treat a wide range of mental health conditions in adults. As the adjective “general” suggests, they don’t specialize in treating one particular type of condition or population. If they judge that you might be better served by a specialist, they may refer you to another psychiatrist whose expertise aligns with your needs.
Some of the disorders and conditions that a general psychiatrist may treat include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and PTSD, as well as other trauma-related disorders
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Child and adolescent psychiatrists specialize in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions in children and adolescents, meaning teenagers. These psychiatrists typically undergo additional training to learn how to take developmental factors into account when making diagnoses.
Since some common psychiatric medications aren’t approved for people under a certain age, these psychiatrists also work to find effective alternatives. Additionally, they’ll work with the families and schools of patients to evaluate patient needs and provide comprehensive care informed by the full scope of a young patient’s life.
Child and adolescent psychiatrists tend to be especially adept at diagnosing and treating conditions that occur relatively frequently in young populations, like ADHD, autism, eating disorders, and anxiety, among others.
- Geriatric Psychiatry
Geriatric psychiatrists focus on mental health issues affecting older adults. As the proportion of the population over the age of 65 continues to increase – it currently stands at about 18% and is estimated to hit 23% in 2054, according to the Pew Research Center – the demand for geriatric psychiatrists is likely to climb.
These specialists are trained to understand the particular mental health challenges affecting the elderly, as well as how the aging process can interact with underlying coixpanditions. Geriatric psychiatrists are especially qualified to help patients manage Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, along with conditions like depression and anxiety, whether they occur as a byproduct of dementia or on their own.
- Addiction Psychiatry
In 2021, an estimated 46.1 million people in the United States were living with a substance use disorder, a mental health disorder that makes a person unable to control their use of one or more substances, such as legal and illegal drugs and alcohol. Addiction psychiatrists specialize in diagnosing and treating these disorders and any co-occurring or underlying psychiatric conditions, like depression and anxiety. You might know some of these substance use disorders by their common names – for example, alcoholism and opioid addiction.
Addiction psychiatrists may prescribe medications that help a patient get off a substance or that minimize withdrawal symptoms. Addiction psychiatrists may also provide care for gambling addiction and other behavioral addictions.
- Perinatal Psychiatry
Perinatal psychiatrists specialize in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions in those who are pregnant or have recently had a child. They’re trained to care for the unique challenges that expectant and new parents deal with, ranging from postpartum depression to limitations on what medications a pregnant or breastfeeding person can safely take.
How to choose a psychiatrist: three tips
- Consider your needs
If you’ve never seen a psychiatrist, or aren’t sure what you need, you might start by looking for a general psychiatrist. For many conditions, like depression and anxiety, a general psychiatrist will be able to provide appropriate care.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with a specific condition – say, ADHD or a form of addiction – seek out a clinician with a matching focus or specialty. Similarly, if you’re a child or an older person, or if you’re seeking psychiatric care on behalf of a child or an older person, reach out to the appropriate type of psychiatrist. The same goes for people who are pregnant and those who’ve recently given birth.
- Evaluate qualifications and experience
How many years has a psychiatrist been working? Are they board-certified? Do they have experience treating your specific condition (or a condition you believe you may have)? These are some of the initial questions you may consider when evaluating a potential psychiatrist’s qualifications and experience.
Don’t stop there, though. You’ll also want to read about their treatment approaches and peruse their bios. Try to find something about them or their practice that resonates with you. You might also try speaking directly with the clinician in question.
- Check availability and insurance coverage
A few more questions: Does the psychiatrist you’re looking into have room in their schedule to see you? If so, are their open time slots convenient for you? Do they offer telehealth appointments? And do they take your insurance?
The right provider doesn’t just provide thoughtful, effective care – ideally, they also provide affordable, accessible care.
Find the right psychiatrist with Talkiatry
Feeling overwhelmed about finding the right psychiatrist? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to navigate it alone, either. At Talkiatry, we make getting quality psychiatric care simpler, more personal, and easier to access.
We accept a wide range of insurance plans and will confirm your coverage before you begin care—so you can focus on feeling better, not figuring out the fine print.
Our psychiatrists specialize in a wide variety of conditions and treatment approaches. We’ll match you with one who fits your needs, and they’ll meet with you for virtual visits that work with your schedule. If therapy is right for you too, your psychiatrist can integrate it into your plan or collaborate with a therapist from our team.
Ready to take the first step? Start with our short online assessment. Because your wellbeing isn’t just your priority—it’s ours, too.
Types of psychiatrists: FAQ
What is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist?
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medication and provide psychotherapy. Psychologists hold a PhD or PsyD and provide therapy but cannot prescribe medication (except in a few states, after completing additional training).
Do all psychiatrists provide therapy?
Short answer: No. Some psychiatrists focus on medication management, while others offer some form of psychotherapy. Ask about your psychiatrist’s approach during your consultation or research the matter beforehand if possible.
Do psychiatrists specialize in treating specific disorders?
Yes. For instance, addiction psychiatrists, perinatal psychiatrists, and geriatric psychiatrists specialize in treating population-specific disorders, such as postpartum depression in new mothers or dementia in elderly patients. Other psychiatrists specialize in treating certain disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or ADHD.
