Philosophy and Psychiatry: A Dynamic Duo

Inever entertained the thought of becoming a psychiatrist prior to going to medical school. However, I can clearly remember the moment I chose to enter the specialty. During my third-year medical school psychiatry clerkship, I realized how much philosophy, one of my passions in life, was inherent within psychiatry. I was completely enthralled with the vast array of philosophy that was interwoven within the constructs of psychiatry. Even now during my internship, I am struck by the importance of philosophy within a psychiatric education. Much of our psychiatric knowledge comes from philosophic ideas, and many philosophic examples can be used in psychiatry to help us think in ways that allow us to better understand and treat our patients. I truly believe that studying philosophy can help us learn about the origins of our field and our diagnostic methods, and can even aid us in the manner in which we approach the treatment of our patients.

Arguably, many of the first psychiatrists and psychologists were philosophers. Socrates was probably one of the first great psychotherapists in his use of the Socratic method to uncover people's reason and emotions. Heraclitus was attuned to the constant change and struggles that occur in each individual's life by stating, “Everything rests by changing.” And one cannot even begin to describe the contributions made by phenomenologists and existentialists toward the field of psychiatry. Much of our psychiatric knowledge and terminology originates from philosophical literature and thus much can be learned about the history of psychiatric thought by studying various philosophers.

The underpinnings of many of our diagnostic methods were obtained from philosophical methods of inquiry as well. In psychiatry, we study mental life and individual experiences. Because we study such abstract concepts, and the majority of our diagnostic criteria come from mental symptomatology, we should employ a science that is steeped in the mind. Philosophy is just such a science that aids us in the diagnosis of mental disorders. There is also a vast array of philosophical literature that describes what it means to be ill, which is still actively debated within psychiatry. Philosophy can thus serve in harmony with the basic sciences in the study and practice of psychiatry.

Because philosophers work within the realm of the mind, much information can be gleaned about mental life from philosophy. Additionally, many examples from philosophy can be used within psychotherapy. Philosophy is not just endless ramblings about logic and metaphysics. Rather, there are many beautiful depictions of what it means to be human and struggle within the human condition. Many philosophers have written fictional accounts of individuals who struggle with life circumstances, much as our patients do. These stories are also written in a way that conveys meaning to that individual's struggle. Hence not all philosophy is drab, but instead can be very illustrative and inspirational.

Philosophy also challenges us as psychiatrists to think in an abstract manner. As psychiatrists, we may find ourselves in situations that require us to think much differently from other medical specialists. As many of us learn during our intern year, the transition from general medicine to psychiatry can be difficult, as we may need to think more abstractly during our psychiatry rotations. Philosophy can be an excellent tool to practice this type of thinking. Philosophers describe mental life in much the same way as psychiatrists do, so the terminology is very similar. Not only will you find yourself thinking outside the box, but you will also have more descriptive tools. We have all come across a particular trait or characteristic of a patient that we cannot quite name or describe with the accuracy that we desire. Philosophy can help you formulate what you are thinking and feeling about your patient in a more concise and practical manner.

In summary, studying philosophy can be very useful to us as psychiatry residents. Philosophy can help us understand diagnostic methods, which remain an area of contention within psychiatry. By forcing us to think abstractly, philosophy can serve as a tool with which we can better derive our assessments and articulate them in a more succinct manner. Multiple literary examples that can be beneficial to our patients can also be gleaned from philosophy.

Finally, I sincerely believe that incorporating philosophy within psychiatric education will enable psychiatry residents to excel in their field by helping them to understand and better articulate psychiatric principles.▪