Perspectives of phenomenological approach in psychiatry: the problem of patient’s understanding

Abstract

The problem of understanding of patients in modern psychiatry is discussed. Nowadays patients subjective experience is almost entirely excluded from psychiatric manuals that brings risk of ignoring holistic patients experience. This experience can be shared by psychiatrist only in context of mutual trust. The latter as an approach to communication requires certain theoretical background which differs from the current one in modern psychiatry. The phenomenological approach is seen as promising for evolution of psychiatry because this approach was made in the 20th century to descript pathological and everyday experience. We reveal importance of patients subjective experience to diagnostics and description of mental illnesses according to current literature in the field. We also suggest original research of need for understanding in Russian psychiatry professionals.