Opinion: Amid the nation’s mental health crisis, we need more psychiatrists now

The psychiatry workforce is older than the general population of physicians and is overwhelmed. It's time to increase capacity for medical education and training residencies.

Every day, people call my office looking for help: A loved one has not left their bed in a week. A father is experiencing panic symptoms while preparing his children for school. A young woman is using substances in a way that feels dangerous to her.

These are not the worried well. They are people in crisis. Their conditions are complex and acute, and require the expertise of a psychiatrist who can talk with them, assess possible medical causes for their problems, manage withdrawal, prescribe medications when needed, and connect with other providers.

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