OVERVIEW

Psychiatry is the part of medicine that studies mental illness, or to elaborate it further, study of mental illness, emotional disturbance, and abnormal behaviour.

It has come a long way from sorcerers and soothsayers to its present state, and now good health is not staying physically healthy but mentally too. The present pandemic has brought this adage to the fore.

The cornerstone of Psychiatric diagnosis rests on information from family members, interview of the patient and his Mental Status Examination. Pathological and radiological tests are done, at times to help in diagnosis

Treatment modalities include, medicines & counselling.

Though mental illnesses are on the rise, worldwide, people do not come forward for to seek treatment, mostly due to the misconceptions & social stigma attached to it.

Common misconceptions are Psychiatric illnesses are not treatable, only sleeping pills are prescribed as treatment & it has to be taken lifelong.

Like any other branch of medicine, Psychiatry has its limitations, but as mentioned above, the discipline has come a long way, and now we can expect reasonably good improvement in patients condition if they follow Psychiatrists advice in letter & spirit.

FACILITIES

Kalinga Hospital, being the first tertiary care corporate hospital in our state, provides outpatient psychiatric services for