Üsküdar University NP Feneryolu Medical Center Psychiatry Specialist Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver explained the causes of brain-related disorders and why patients need a psychiatrist.
Stating that psychiatric illnesses are brain-based diseases, experts warn that neglecting the problems may lead to bigger problems in the future. Stating that when psychiatric illnesses are left untreated, they cause loss of function, problems in society, unhappiness, division of families, disruption of people's academic and professional careers, experts pointed out the importance of timely intervention to problems.
Üsküdar University NP Feneryolu Medical Center Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver explained the causes of brain-related disorders and why patients need a psychiatrist.
Psychiatry finds solutions to brain problems
Reminding that psychiatry specialists are people who specialize in psychiatric diseases by specializing in psychiatry after graduating from medical school, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver said, "Psychiatric diseases are brain-based diseases. Of course, we should see the brain and the body as a whole. While the functions of the brain direct our behaviors, emotions, thoughts, understand them, and solve them, it fulfills them as a whole with the body. When there is a problem in these functions, there can be many reasons for this, genetic, biological, psychological, social, traumatic reasons that occur later. When this functioning is disrupted, psychiatric symptoms emerge. Therefore, the psychiatrist, who is a scientist, is the person who distinguishes the cause of the subjective pain experienced by the person; insomnia, loss of appetite, muscle aches, not enjoying life, reluctance to life, anger towards people."
Many problems stem from the brain
Stating that when there is a problem in the functions of our brain as an organ, it manifests itself as forgetfulness, distraction, difficulty in decision-making, sadness for no reason, joy for no reason, sleep disorder, appetite disorder, problems in bilateral relationships, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver pointed out the importance of recognizing these problems.
Psychiatric illnesses are difficult to recognize spontaneously
Stating that it is often difficult to recognize psychiatric illnesses spontaneously, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver said the following
"Since our brain is also the organ that determines whether we are sick or not, whether we have a problem or not, it is often not very easy for us to recognize psychiatric illnesses on our own. One can alienate oneself from the organ and say that there is a problem with my lung, but when one feels a little sad or when one's sleep is disturbed, one cannot say that there is something wrong with my brain, that I am sad for no reason. And some people, for example, often in cases of anxiety disorders or depression, they start blaming themselves. I am perceiving something wrong, I am doing something wrong, or I am defective, I am lazy, I am incompetent, I am ungrateful. In other words, they say that the person himself/herself has a defect and that's why he/she suffers from these problems, or that he/she has some problems because he/she is not loved."
Psychiatric illnesses are diseases of brain cells
Stating that psychiatry specialists diagnose and treat psychiatric diseases originating from the brain, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver said, "Mostly psychiatric diseases are diseases of the brain cells. There is an imbalance in some chemicals, there is a slowdown or acceleration in the connections between some cells, some brain regions work more and some work more slowly, and when this happens, we encounter psychiatric symptoms. In psychiatric practice, we first try to understand this problem."
Patient privacy is the honor of the psychiatrist
Stating that the identity and private information of patients cannot be shared neither in scientific, literary or any other environment without their consent, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver pointed out the importance of patient privacy and said, "This is a private place. Just as a pulmonologist makes a person take off their blouse and has to examine that person naked, we want people to undress their souls by asking them to tell their most intimate subjects. As such, this is something you have to take great care. It is the honor of a psychiatrist to keep this private information of people who open their most painful and most wounded and fragile side to us."
Psychiatric illnesses cause problems in society
Emphasizing that psychiatric diseases are very common diseases in the society, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Önen Ünsalver pointed out the importance of timely intervention to the problems and said the following "As the number of psychiatry specialists increases, we are now able to recognize these diseases more and more, and we see that when psychiatric diseases are not recognized and treated, they cause loss of function, problems in society, unhappiness, division of families, disruption of academic and professional careers. Just as you go to another medical doctor when you have a backache or headache, it is important for your health and the health of your loved ones that you visit a psychiatrist, who is also a medical doctor, with the same care."
