Issues with anxiety are the number one mental health condition that is treated and diagnosed. 20% of the population is dealing with anxiety at any given time and 30% of the population will deal with anxiety at some point in their lives.
Is a Psychiatrist the Same as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner?
Psychiatrists are specialized medical doctors who are trained in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health issues. Like all medical doctors, they went to medical school to earn their MD credentials. In many areas of medicine there are a variety of other medical practitioners that see patients with all the same issues as a medical doctor would. These include Physician Assistants (PA) and Nurse Practitioners (NP). In most cases, PA’s and NP’s have obtained master’s degrees in their fields in order to practice and treat patients. They often work in clinical facilities where they are able to consult with an MD on a case if needed. Psychiatric nurse practitioners have either a master’s degree or a doctorate (DNP). In both cases, like a psychiatrist, they have obtained specialized training in treating mental health issues, putting them well above traditional general practitioner levels.
Can My Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Treat My Anxiety Disorder?
Psychiatric nurse practitioners are highly skilled and qualified to treat anxiety disorders. Like a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioners have prescriptive authority as authorized by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is the most common type of anxiety and is very responsive to most antidepressants. Panic disorder, as the name implies, involves being afflicted with panic attacks. In the short term, benzodiazepines may be needed to provide immediate relief from panic attacks as they are very fast acting medications designed to suppress the central nervous system. Often antidepressants are prescribed for longer term management of anxiety including panic attacks, thereby reducing the need and dependence on sedatives like benzodiazepines. Other medication class such as beta blockers like Propranolol or antihistamines such as Hydroxyzine can be effective with some forms of anxiety on an as needed basis such as social anxiety or performance anxiety. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), another type of anxiety, is often more responsive to certain medications that psychiatric nurse practitioners are knowledgeable about. In all cases, a psychiatric nurse practitioner is able to treat and write all the medications noted here. They also possess the expertise to find the write combination of medications for each person’s unique set of circumstances.
If you are interested in meeting with our child and adolescent psychiatric provider, or one of our adult psychiatric providers, feel free to contact IPC so you can schedule an appointment to help you complete an assessment, obtain a diagnosis and discuss treatment options. Please call us now at 763-416-4167, or request an appointment on our website: WWW.IPC-MN.COM so we can sit down with you and complete a thorough assessment and help you develop a plan of action that will work for you. Life is too short to be unhappy. Find the peace of mind you deserve.
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