Psychiatry is an area of medicine involving the study of diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. A person's mental health is influenced by a combination of factors that are both specific to an individual as well as related to interactions with society, community, and family. There are several components to mental well-being including a healthy self-esteem, communication skills and the development of resilience.

Mental health problems should not be perceived as weaknesses that a person can simply overcome, as they can be highly problematic and disabling conditions and affect a large proportion of the population worldwide. Mental health issues need to be addressed and treated before they cause severe disruption to families, relationships and communities.

Psychiatrists use several forms of treatment in managing mental health illness including psychotherapy, medications such as antipsychotics, mood stabilizers and antidepressants. Psychotherapy may include cognitive behavior therapy, family therapy or group counselling. Hospitalization may also be needed in severe cases.

Psychiatry is one of the oldest branches of medicine but the field has developed significantly since the advent of neuroscience. Standardized guidelines for diagnosis and treating mental health disorders are present in the various editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental health disorders.