A person's primary care physician, friends, or family will usually be able to help him find a good psychiatrist. Otherwise, the names and phone numbers of local psychiatrists can be obtained from a local hospital. A person should also try finding a psychiatrist who specializes in his problem and who he feels comfortable opening up to. The cost of psychiatric care can be steep, so a person should also look for a psychiatrist who accepts his health insurance.
People who are interested in finding a psychiatrist should speak with their family doctors first. Most doctors are usually well connected, and they will often be able to provide a list of psychiatrists they know. Some insurance companies may also require a patient to get a referral to a mental health specialist before the company will pay for treatment.
Family and friends might also be great places to get recommendations when a person is trying to find a good psychiatrist. Some of these people may have seen psychiatrists who helped them through hard ties in their lives. This can be one of the best ways of finding a psychiatrist who is effective and compassionate.
Contacting a hospital is another excellent method of finding a psychiatrist. Most medical facilities have mental health departments with several mental health specialists. These departments will often be able to help a person find the right psychiatrist based on his specific needs and mental disorders.
Many psychiatrists specialize in specific mental disorders. Some may specialize in depression and anxiety disorders, for example, while others may specialize in eating disorders. There are also psychiatrists who specialize in post-traumatic stress syndrome, bipolar disorder, as well as a number of other mental disorders.
A person should also consider finding a psychiatrist with whom he is comfortable. Psychiatrists have different treatment methods and different personalities. One psychiatrist may rely more on psychotherapy, for instance, while another may rely more on psychiatric medication. It is also important for a person to feel comfortable talking openly with his psychiatrist, or his recovery will most likely take much longer.
Like most other medical treatment, psychiatric treatment is expensive. A person who is looking for a psychiatrist should try to find one who accepts his health insurance. If a person does not have health insurance, or his health insurance will not cover psychiatric care, he should look for a psychiatrist he can afford. Some psychiatrists may be willing to work with patients who are paying out of pocket, and low-income individuals may qualify for free or reduced-cost medical care.