WHAT IS A MENTAL ILLNESS?
One in five people suffer from emotional problems sufficiently distressing to justify seeking professional help.
Their symptoms can range from relatively mild feelings of depression and anxiety to severe distress and dysfunction which threatens life itself.
Scientific, medical and social research is enabling a better understanding of the nature and cause of psychiatric illnesses and symptoms, and improved diagnosis and treatment are constantly being developed.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT AND WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?
For your first appointment we require you to bring a referral letter from a GP or Specialist. You will need to fill out a patient information form once you arrive. This will help Dr Abeya gain a better insight into your medical history.
Typically the first appointment lasts for about 45 minutes.
WHAT WILL IT COST ?
If you bring a Doctors referral letter you will receive a substantial rebate from Medicare making the out of pocket cost minimal. We suggest that you check with Medicare for the most current information on rebates. All appointments are payable on the day of appointment.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Typically psychiatric appointments last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. So if a patients does not turn up for an appointment the practice misses out not only in time but an opportunity to treat someone else .
We ask patients to give us a minimum of 48 hours notice if cancelling an appointment. An invoice for 50% of your expected fee will be issued if less than 48 hours notice is given. This is not Medicare claimable.
WHAT DOES TREATMENT INVOLVE?
Deciding on treatment would always involve a lengthy discussion between yourself and a treating doctor.
Psychiatric treatments are tested and researched in the same rigorous way as other medical treatments. A psychiatrist’s choice of a particular treatment is based on its proven effectiveness in treating the symptom or illness.
Treatment methods can be physical, psychological, involve medication, or may be a combination of these approaches. In some cases, an admission to hospital is required.
Psychotherapy is an important method of treatment in which the psychiatrist and patient discuss problems during regularly scheduled sessions to assist the patient understand the basis of their problems and to find a solution.
A wide range of medications is now available for use in psychiatric illnesses. Medications can now effectively remove symptoms, alter the course of illnesses and commonly return patients to a normal life.
In some instances, medications can be life saving, for example, in a case of a severe depressive illness. Psychiatrists are highly experienced in prescribing and monitoring these medications.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PSYCHOLOGIST AND PSYCHIATRIST?
A psychiatrist is a qualified medical doctor who has obtained additional qualifications to become a specialist in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illness and emotional problems.
Because they have both medical and psychiatric training, psychiatrists are able to view illness in an integrated way by taking into consideration the related aspects of body and mind.
Psychiatrists are trained to recognize and treat the effects of emotional disturbances on the body as a whole, as well as the effects of physical conditions on the mind.
This is important, as many emotional disturbances affect various parts of the body, and physical illnesses can certainly affect the mind. A psychiatrist’s medical and psychiatric training allows both the physical and emotional to be kept in perspective.
