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Why is Psychiatry Important?
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Only a minority of medical students become psychiatrists, however:
Psychiatric symptoms are common
- Around 260 per 1000 people per year suffer from psychiatric symptoms
- Around 230 per 1000 patients presenting to GP’s have psychiatric symptoms
- Up to 38% of patients in general medical out-patient clinics have psychiatric disorders and no discernible physical illness.
Psychiatric disorders are common e.g. (point prevalence, unless otherwise stated)
- Childhood disorders 10-20%
- Depression 7%
- Anxiety 7%
- Schizophrenia 1% life time risk
- Dementia 10% of over 65 year olds
- Personality disorders 2-20%
Psychiatric illness can occur secondary to physical conditions
- Medical illnesses:
- endocrine disorders e.g. hypothyroidism, Cushing’s
- neurological disorders e.g. Parkinson’s Disease, MS, CVA
- infections
- malignant disease
- as a reaction to any serious illness
- Childbirth
Psychiatric illness can occur secondary to physical treatments
- Steroids
- OCP
- Antihypertensives, calcium channel antagonists, beta-blockers
- Anti-Parkinsonian treatments
Psychiatric illness is often missed
- Less than half of patients presenting to GP’s with psychiatric symptoms are diagnosed
- 50% of patients with psychiatric disorders present with physical symptoms
Psychiatric illness can be fatal
- Between 4000 and 8000 suicides occur each year and around 90% have psychiatric symptoms
- Having a mood disorder increases risk of suicide 30 times; 15% of depressives die by suicide
- Up to 10% of schizophrenics and alcoholics die by suicide.
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