Psychiatry- New Concepts

Psychiatry is a young branch of medicine. There used to be misconceptions about this medical specialty among the lay public, and even doctors. By practicing psychiatry as another Branch of Medicine, as a neuroscience, it has been possible now to dispel many of these misconceptions and Stigma.

Psychiatric Consultation in a Policlinic Setting

The Department of Psychiatry at Peejays Policlinic, Cochin, Kerala perceives psychiatry as the application of neurosciences to a person’s day-to-day problems. Therefore, there is no stigma or fear in a modern-day psychiatric consultation in the dignified privacy of a super-specialty policlinic. Psychiatric disorders are the same as physical disorders.

Mind & Body

Today, using the latest technology, we know that the mind is generated by the brain. Special scans of live brain cells can show how sadness, memory or learning problems are produced by chemical changes in the brain.

Our policlinic is equipped with a state of the art digital electroencephalograph. This computerized machine serves as a tool to explore brain activity and for brain mapping. This is useful to identify variations in brain function associated with different types of neurological disorders such as epilepsy, dementia, autism, developmental and other neurological disorders.

Psychosomatic Medicine

The same neurochemicals producing emotions such as sadness or anger are also responsible for several functions in the body. Therefore, when there is ongoing stress, these emotions begin to produce bodily symptoms. These bodily symptoms are real, and should be treated as in any other illness.

Psychosomatic illness can result and can be perpetuated by problems with relationships, stress or other non-physical causes, often influenced by external factors or individuals. In such disorders, the bodily symptoms have underlying psychological causes which may include many symptoms as given below.

Physical Symptoms & The Mind

Sleep problems | Fatigue, Tiredness | Headache, Backache | Chest pain, Muscle pains | Somatoform symptoms| Fibromyalgia | Giddiness, Unsteadiness | Palpitations | Breathlessness, Choking in the Chest | Butterflies in the Stomach | Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Abdominal pains | Sexual Dysfunctions | Eating Disorders etc.

If these physical symptoms, after investigation by the respective specialist, do not represent a physical disease, then they may constitute Psychosomatic Disorders –    physical symptoms precipitated by the Mind.

Learning and Emotions in Children

Any developmental delay or later dysregulation can cause Learning Disorders or Disabilities, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, Rett syndrome, Asperger’s syndrome, Speech and Language disorders etc, as well as behavior and emotional disorders in children.

Academic, schooling and emotional problems of children receive special attention in our clinic.