Living in New York City in today’s world, especially in the midst of COVID-19 your mental health needs to be top of mind. Living in such a large city- where do you start? Therapist, Life Coach, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, the opportunities are endless. This post will explain, what is a psychiatrist when to see a psychiatrist, and how to find a psychiatrist.  

What Is A Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that specializes in mental health disorders. They can diagnose and treat people with mental health issues, prescribe medication, and participate in psychotherapy. Psychiatrists treat mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, addictions, and substance abuse.   

When to See A Psychiatrist

Your mental health should always be top of mind when you are physically sick or injured: you go to the doctor. It should be no different when it comes to your mental health. If you are feeling anxious, or depressed, or just feel the need to talk with someone we recommend seeing a psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

How To Find A Psychiatrist:

 

Referrals

As with most other things, it is easiest to ask those who are closest to you for referrals when looking for a new specialist. Ask around, get some testimonials from your friends and family, and see who they recommend. When you get your list of names, it is then time to check out your online resources.

Online Research

Search Engines

If you are like most of us, you begin your search by typing in “psychiatrist near me†into Google, and we’re here to say that is a great start! This can be an easy way to find local psychiatrists, but there are more ways than you can get the scoop on the different psychiatry offices near you, especially in New York City! When you type in your search terms and click “maps†this allows you to see the psychiatry offices in the closest proximity to you.

Online Directories

There are many directories online that can be a helpful resource in the mental health industry. You can type in the specialist “psychiatrist†or “psychotherapist†and type in your zip code and then you will see the specialists in the area pop up to where you can learn more information, and most of the time even schedule an appointment directly from those websites. Online directories to checkout are vitals, healthgrades, and zocdoc.

Online Reviews

When you are looking in search engines or other online directories it gives you the unique opportunities to see how other people have interacted with your psychiatrist. Do they answer the phone when you call? How late are their appointments? What is their bedside manner? How is the rest of the office staff towards patients? These are all important questions that are most likely answered by your peers in reading their online reviews.

Check out Their Website

The website can give you the first visual clue about whether or not the psychiatry office will be a good fit for you. Check out the ‘About Me’ page to see what their core mission or values are. What specialties does the psychiatry practice treat? This is one of the best ways to dig a little deeper into your potential mental health provider.

Call the Psychiatrist Office

To weed through the different psychiatrist offices, you found doing your research on in New York City, we recommend giving them a call. During business hours if you call and get no answer, or a call back within a couple of hours, that can be truly telling about the office you will be trusting with your mental health. a

The Jeff Ditzell Psychiatry Difference

At Jeff Ditzell Psychiatry we take a modern 360 approach to mental health in New York. Not only do we take appointments until 11:00 at night and as early as 6:00 in the morning, but we also don’t take off on holidays or weekends in order to make sure that we are here when you need us! Many psychiatry offices are available to see patients for medications rather than also seeing them for therapy. We offer telepsychiatry, psychotherapy, family therapy, ketamine treatment for severe depression, and so much more. We encourage you to check out our website, social media pages, or even give us a call to see how we can help you on your mental health journey!