Psychiatry

The Psychiatry clinic offers Psychiatric expertise to assess, diagnose and treat (pharmacotherapy and/or Psychotherapy) mental health disorders in an age independent way (children, adolescents and adults).

Our consultations take place mainly in our Outpatient clinics but can also happen on the medical/surgical wards for inpatients under other specialties (Liaison Psychiatry) and in the Emergency Department if needed (out of hour).

Our expertise includes *

• Anxiety disorders (e.g., Phobias, Panic disorder, Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety)
• Mood Disorder (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Affective disorder)
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Stress and Trauma related disorders (e.g., Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD))
• Eating Disorder (e.g., Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa)
• Psychotic Disorder (e.g., Schizophreniform Disorder, Delusional Disorder)
• Neurodevelopmental Disorder (e.g., Attention Deficit & Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD))
• Personality Disorders/difficulties

We recommend you book an appointment to see our Psychiatrist if you or any of your relatives (including children) suffer from several of these difficulties for several days or more. *

• Feel on edge or tense.
• Have unpleasant chest (e.g., palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath), abdominal (e.g., nausea, knot, butterflies) or musculoskeletal (e.g., muscle tension) symptoms, that have been checked and cleared by the relevant medical specialist.
• Your doctor told you your symptoms are due to “stress”.
• Excessive worry and difficulties concentrating.
• Very often irritable and/or restless.
• Struggling with your sleep (e.g., difficult to fall asleep, waking up earlier than usual)
• Have changes in your appetite and/or your weight.
• Have episodes of intense sudden fear with sweats and shakes that are random or in specific situations.
• Recurrent nightmares or flashbacks following a traumatic incident (e.g., violence, Road traffic accident that was witnessed or experienced).
• Constantly engage in long and repetitive rituals (e.g., handwashing, checking, counting).
• Feel low in mood and/or constantly tearful.
• Have a very labile Mood.
• Lost pleasure in activities that were previously pleasurable.
• Constantly tired and lack motivation.
• Feels worthless or hopeless.
• Have suicidal thoughts or non-suicidal self-harm urges or behaviors (go to the Emergency Department specially out of working hours or ask for an urgent appointment during working hours).
• Abnormally withdrawn and less communicative.
• Decrease in self-care and/or neglecting your hygiene.
• Have difficulties in concentration since childhood, very forgetful, and easily distractable.
• Hearing or seeing things that others do not (Hallucinations).
• Express paranoid or irrational beliefs.
• Feel your thoughts are muddy or being interfered with.
• Have sudden episodes of being the happiest ever (top of the world) and/or extremely angry.
• Talking constantly loud and fast.
• Engage in reckless and poorly thought activities and spending.
• Have difficulties in making or keeping relationships.
• Have difficulties in social interactions and communication.
• Are rigid and/or attached to strict routines in your daily life.

*The list is for guidance purposes only and is not exhaustive.

What is a Psychiatrist?

A Psychiatrist is Medical Doctor, who specializes in Mental Health Disorders. She/he is usually the first point of contact. She/He will assess the patient comprehensively (all details of your life, from childhood to present time). When possible, this requires obtaining collateral information from the patient family, partner or friends.

The psychiatrist can sometime request certain investigations to rule out physical causes to the mental health symptoms (e.g., Blood test, MRI scan of head, EEG).

He will identify the causes that precipitated and are maintaining your symptoms and provide a provisional diagnosis. Most often the diagnosis is straight forward, occasionally it requires a longer period of assessment as the clinical presentation can evolve with time.

He will then advice for a treatment plan. This may include taking medication or engage in a specific Psychological Therapy (e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)) and very often both.

The decision is based on the severity of the symptoms, the doctors expertise/experience and more importantly on the patient choice (for a child the parent’s preference). The psychoeducation is crucial at this point as the patient need to be well informed in order to take her/his decision.

The Psychiatrist will then review the patient on a regular basis in order to monitor improvement, make changes to the pharmacological treatment when needed and continue his evaluation.

She/he can often request specific psychometric tests from clinical psychologists to complement his assessment. She/he can also refer to colleagues from other medical disciplines for their specialist opinion if necessary (e.g., cardiologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist) to rule out other conditions or medical explanations.