Mental illness is ubiquitous and increasingly recognized as a growing problem throughout the world. The purpose of these chapters are to describe the magnitude of the problem of mental illness, both globally and in terms of specific mental-health-related visits encountered in emergency department (ED) settings. While emergency departments may not be the optimal location to manage the growing burden of mental illness, they generally constitute the only 24/7 access for the preponderance of patients in crisis. Studies have shown that providers lack the expertise to care for these patients. These providers include emergency physicians, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and mental health workers. This text is intended to fill this knowledge gap. The second edition is updated, timely and focused to address this need by providing practical input from physicians experienced with adult emergency psychiatric patients. It covers the pre-hospital setting and advising on evidence-based practice; from collaborating with psychiatric colleagues to establishing a psychiatric service in your ED. Potential dilemmas when treating pregnant, geriatric or homeless patients with mental illness are discussed in detail, along with the more challenging behavioral diagnoses such as substance abuse, factitious and personality disorders, delirium, dementia, and PTSD. This go-to, comprehensive volume is invaluable for psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric and emergency department nurses, trainee and experienced emergency physicians, and other mental health workers. weiterlesen