Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. A medical doctor specializing in psychiatry is a psychiatrist.

Mental disorders can include various affective, behavioral, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities.

Psychiatric assessments typically start with a mental status examination and the compilation of a case history. Psychological tests and physical examinations may be conducted. Treatment includes a variety of options, including psychoactive medication, psychotherapy and a wide range of other techniques. Treatment may be delivered on an inpatient or outpatient basis, depending on the severity of functional impairment or on other aspects of the disorder in question.

Physicians at UF Health Shands Hospital offer a variety of programs to treat a full range of mental health and substance abuse problems. Numerous inpatient and outpatient clinics and locations are available where University of Florida physicians provide direct care for children, adolescents and adults.