In my 18 years of observe as a psychiatrist, I’ve witnessed many physician colleagues referring or sending their kin to a neurologist for an emotional or psychological concern. If that is the state of affairs amongst medical doctors, then you may think about the plight of a typical individual. Getting acceptable assist is important and vital. Many widespread individuals need a “mind physician” however the idea of a mind physician is vaguely understood in society. To know “mind physician” we have to perceive the mind itself. The mind is a posh organ with varied buildings that work collectively to manage quite a few features. Folks additionally assume the “thoughts” is vital for all mind operate. However the query is, the place is the thoughts? Can we see it?
The thoughts rests within the mind. It’s a part of the very nervous system which the mind is made up of. Nerve cells and neurons are the vital items of this nervous system. There are roughly 100 billion neurons in a mature grownup mind. So let’s perceive the nervous system and the thoughts.
Operate of the nervous system:
1. Physique actions and coordination.
2. Consciousness.
3. Speech.
4. Management of sleep-wake cycle.
5. Management of involuntary physique features like heartbeat and respiration.
Operate of the thoughts:
1. Pondering.
2. Feelings / feeling.
3. Behaviour.
4. Motivation.
5. Intelligence.
6. Notion.
7. Reminiscence.
8. Judgment.
9. Conscience.
When you focus intimately, you’ll observe that the features of nervous system are:
1. Measurable, observable and demonstrable.
2. Concrete features.
3. They’re just like the {hardware} of the mind.
However for those who have a look at features of thoughts, they’re
1. Skilled however can’t be measured like how a lot motivation? How indignant or unhappy? The reply will probably be “very” or “much less” — it will probably’t be concretely measured.
2. They’re summary.
3. They’re just like the software program of the mind.
So, all of the features of thoughts manifest by considering (thought), feeling (feelings), actions (behaviour). These three are very dynamic. Therefore it’s usually obscure what began first — thought, feeling or motion.
Thus, neurologists cope with the illnesses which might be measurable and demonstrable, and might be detected by an MRI or CT scan of the mind, whereas psychiatrists cope with illnesses of feelings, ideas and behavior which aren’t noticed on MRIs or CT scans.
Neurological illnesses can have varied causes, and so they usually end result from complicated interactions of genetic, environmental and life-style components. Some widespread causes embrace:
1. Infections like meningitis or encephalitis.
2. Trauma: head harm or trauma to spinal twine.
3. Autoimmune issues: like a number of sclerosis.
4. Metabolic issues: like diabetes or electrolyte imbalance or bodily dysfunction inflicting neurological problems.
5. Vascular causes: disruption of blood circulation to the mind inflicting stroke or neurolgical injury.
6. Poisonous publicity: sure chemical compounds and toxins or medicine.
7. Tumours: irregular progress in mind.
8. Degeneration of mind: as age will increase, sure mind degeneration occurs.
All of the above causes have particular causes, might be measured or detected by investigations, and might be handled to a sure extent.
Psychological issues, also called psychological or psychiatric issues, can have quite a lot of causes, usually involving a posh interaction of organic, psychological and environmental components. We’re in an early state of understanding neurochemical interaction. Psychological, private, familial and environmental components play a vital function.
Some widespread contributors embrace:
1. Genetic components: household historical past usually contributes to earlier onset of sickness.
2. Trauma: bodily or sexual abuse, witnessing traumatic incidences in childhood precipitates psychological sickness. Once more the quantity of this trauma can’t be measured. It’s the notion and that means of this trauma to the actual person that issues.
3. Environmental components: violence, poverty, misconceptions are vital components that set off illnesses, in addition to grow to be a hindrance in therapy.
4. Psychological components: Persona traits, coping kinds, and cognitive patterns can affect susceptibility to sure issues.
5. Substance Abuse: Dependancy to any substance can precipitate psychological sickness, or itself trigger the sickness.
6. Medical sickness: Varied diseases can have an effect on psychology, and on the neurochemicals within the mind.
7. Social isolation: Lack of social assist or feeling of isolation can contribute to psychological well being points.
8. Social and cultural components: Cultural expectations, discrimination and societal pressures can have an effect on psychological well-being.
A psychiatrist is educated to know biology as he’s a primary graduate in medical sciences, with an MBBS diploma. Psychiatry post-graduation helps him to know social, environmental, private and cultural components contributing to psychological sickness. Whereas a neurologist is a medical physician who understands mind construction and the nervous system. He’s educated to establish and deal with nervous illnesses arising from vascular, metabolic, degenerative and poisonous issues in addition to these associated to trauma to mind construction. Therefore any observable and measurable illnesses like stroke, paralysis, and infections like meningitis, encephalitis will probably be handled by a neurologist. An sickness like melancholy, nervousness dysfunction, schizophrenia, temper dysfunction will probably be handled by a psychiatrist. Stress, misery and motivational-related psychological facets are additionally taken care of by a psychiatrist. Illnesses of school-related points corresponding to faculty phobia, examination nervousness and studying issues are addressed by a psychiatrist.
Nevertheless, simply giving some medicines is not going to suffice in treating a psychiatric sickness. It could possibly make the individual symptom-free, however we psychiatrists need the individual to be disease-free. We would like the individual to operate to his utmost potential. This goals to assist the individual’s growth by addressing private, social and environmental components.
(Dr Shailesh Umate is a marketing consultant psychiatrist, sexologist and dependancy specialist, whose mission is spreading consciousness about psychological well being and well-being)
