Psychotherapy challenges for a young psychiatrist in a developing country

Abstract

In the past century, psychotherapy methods have been improving along with pharmacotherapy methods. Today's psychotherapy treatments are more effective, faster and highly accessible. Psychotherapy is getting more favor by patients and therapists than pharmacotherapy due to its long-term effectiveness and less side effects. However, for a young and recent graduate psychiatrist who works in small city of a developing country, psychotherapy involves more concerns. Here, there is still a social stigma attached to visiting a psychiatrist, even for a very simple adjustment disorder. Also we have an ineffective insurance system and many people are not able to pay the treatment costs. Moreover, psychological mindedness is rare and many people believe that the symptoms like obsession, depression, and anxiety in a person are intentional and have to be solved by his own, with no need to visit a therapist. Also, most of the times, religious and ethnic beliefs, along with existing micro cultures are interfering with psychiatrist's treatments.