A psychiatrist/provider is a person who completed medical school/advanced nurse practitioner school and specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health, including substance use disorders.
Psychiatrists/providers are qualified to assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychological disturbance. A psychiatrist/provider has completed medical school/advanced nurse practitioner school (is an M.D. or D.O., PA, NP) and in addition most providers have additional years of training in psychiatry.
People seek psychiatric help for many reasons. The problems can be sudden such as a panic attack, or frightening hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, or hearing “voices.” Or they may be more long-term, such as feelings of sadness and hopelessness or anxious feelings that never seem to lift, causing everyday life to feel distorted or out of control.