Psychiatry & Psychology

Psychiatry is the medical unit that cares for mental health — assessing, diagnosing and treating conditions such as depression, anxiety, and other psychological and emotional difficulties, with compassion and clinical expertise. At Acıbadem International, mental health is treated as an essential part of overall health, with psychiatric care provided thoughtfully and confidentially, and integrated with the wider hospital group when emotional wellbeing connects to physical illness. For people seeking support, that combination of expert, respectful care and an understanding that mental and physical health are linked is what makes psychiatric care here both effective and humane.

This page explains what the psychiatry unit covers, who it helps, how conditions are assessed, the approach to care, and how patients are supported with sensitivity and respect.

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please contact your local emergency services or a crisis helpline in your country straight away — these services can provide immediate support.

What the psychiatry unit covers

The unit provides assessment, diagnosis and treatment for a range of mental health conditions, with care tailored to the individual. Its main areas of work include:

• Depression and mood conditions.
• Anxiety and related conditions.
• Psychological support during physical illness — including serious diagnoses.
• Stress-related and adjustment difficulties.
• Assessment and management of other mental health conditions.
• Coordination with other specialties — where mental and physical health connect.

Because mental and physical health are closely linked, the unit works with the wider hospital group — supporting patients through serious illness alongside oncology, and cooperating with neurology and internal medicine where conditions overlap.

Who the unit helps

The unit supports people experiencing a range of mental health and emotional difficulties. Common reasons people seek care include:

• Persistent low mood or depression.
• Anxiety affecting daily life.
• Emotional difficulty coping with a physical illness or diagnosis.
• Stress, adjustment and life difficulties.
• Other mental health conditions needing assessment.

Many people seek help because emotional difficulties are affecting their daily life, work or relationships, while others need support through the strain of a physical illness. The unit’s role is to assess with care, understand the person’s situation, and provide appropriate, compassionate treatment.

How conditions are assessed

Mental health assessment is a careful, sensitive process, centred on understanding the person and their experience. Assessment involves:

• A thorough, compassionate conversation — understanding the person’s experience and concerns.
• Review of history and circumstances — building a full picture.
• Consideration of physical health — since the two are connected.
• A tailored treatment plan — agreed with the person.

Assessment is conducted with respect and confidentiality, and the resulting plan is developed together with the person. For those who wish, an initial discussion can begin remotely, and care is arranged in a way that respects privacy throughout.

The approach to care

The unit provides compassionate, individualized mental health care.

Treatment for depression and anxiety

Depression, anxiety and related conditions are assessed and treated with approaches tailored to the individual, which may include talking-based support, medical treatment, or a combination, always agreed with the person.

Support during physical illness

Serious illness can take a heavy emotional toll, and the unit provides psychological support to patients facing physical illness — for example alongside cancer care — helping them cope with the strain of diagnosis and treatment.

Stress, adjustment and life difficulties

The unit supports people through stress, adjustment difficulties and challenging life circumstances, with care suited to their situation.

Ongoing care and support

Mental health care often involves ongoing support, and the unit provides this with continuity and compassion. Specific approaches can be explored in the treatments library.

Mental health is part of overall health

One of the most important principles of the unit is that mental health is an essential part of overall health, not separate from it. Emotional wellbeing affects and is affected by physical health: a serious illness can bring real emotional strain, and mental health conditions can influence physical wellbeing. By treating mental health as part of whole-person care, and by being part of a large hospital group, the unit can support patients in a connected way — caring for emotional wellbeing alongside physical treatment where the two come together. This integrated, whole-person approach reflects a modern understanding of health, and it ensures that the emotional side of illness and life is given the attention it deserves.

Care delivered with compassion and respect

Seeking help for mental health takes courage, and the unit approaches every person with compassion, respect and confidentiality. Care begins with listening — understanding the person’s experience without judgment — and treatment is developed together with them, respecting their wishes and circumstances. The unit recognizes that mental health is deeply personal, and it places great importance on privacy and a supportive, non-judgmental environment. This compassionate approach is not separate from good psychiatric care but central to it, because feeling heard, respected and safe is the foundation on which effective mental health treatment is built.

Supporting patients through serious illness

A serious physical illness — a cancer diagnosis, a major operation, a long recovery — can be as challenging emotionally as it is physically, and the unit provides important support in these situations. Working alongside the relevant specialties within the hospital group, the unit helps patients cope with the strain of diagnosis, treatment and recovery, supporting their emotional wellbeing as part of their overall care. This psycho-oncology and psychological support role is a valuable part of comprehensive treatment, recognizing that caring for a patient means caring for the whole person, not just the illness. For patients facing serious illness, this support can make a meaningful difference to how they cope and recover.

Technology and approach

Psychiatric care relies above all on the human relationship between the person and a skilled, compassionate clinician, supported by sound clinical assessment and treatment. The unit’s approach is built on careful, respectful assessment, individualized treatment agreed with the person, and continuity of support. Where mental and physical health connect, care is coordinated within the hospital group, so that the whole person is considered. The defining feature is compassionate, confidential, whole-person care, in which the person’s experience and wishes are central.

Your team

Your care is provided by experienced psychiatrists and mental health professionals, working with other specialties within the hospital group where emotional and physical health connect. The specialists involved are listed on the doctors page, and care is delivered across Acıbadem’s accredited hospitals, which maintain international quality and safety standards.

The patient journey

The unit is organized to make mental health care accessible, respectful and well supported.

1. Reaching out

You can begin by sharing your concerns and what you are experiencing, with privacy respected throughout. The team advises on how the unit can help, and an initial discussion can begin remotely where appropriate.

2. A clear, agreed plan

After assessment, a treatment plan is developed together with you, explained clearly and respecting your wishes and circumstances.

3. Supportive care

A dedicated coordinator can help with practical arrangements and interpreting, and care is provided with continuity and compassion, coordinated with other specialties where relevant.

4. Ongoing support

Mental health care often continues over time, and the unit provides a plan and support for this. To begin, you can request an online consultation.

Why patients choose Acıbadem for mental health care

Acıbadem International offers experienced psychiatrists, compassionate and confidential care, an understanding that mental health is part of overall health, and integration with the wider hospital group where emotional and physical health connect — all within accredited hospitals. For people seeking support, the combination of clinical expertise and a respectful, whole-person approach is what sets the experience apart. The unit cares for mental health with the compassion, respect and seriousness it deserves, with the depth of a leading medical system behind it.

What to expect and practical notes

Mental health care is highly personal, and what it involves depends on your situation and is agreed with you. Care begins with a respectful, confidential conversation and a plan developed together, and it often continues over time with ongoing support. The unit places great importance on privacy and a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Where emotional and physical health connect, care is coordinated within the hospital group. Throughout, your experience and wishes are central, and the focus is on supporting your wellbeing with compassion.

Coordinated, whole-person care

Mental and physical health are connected, and treatment within a large hospital group means emotional wellbeing can be cared for as part of whole-person health. The unit supports patients through serious physical illness alongside oncology, cooperates with neurology where conditions overlap, and works with internal medicine as part of comprehensive care. This means a person’s mental health is not treated in isolation but as part of their overall wellbeing, which reflects a modern, whole-person understanding of health and is especially valuable for those facing the emotional strain of physical illness.

Conditions we help with

The unit helps people with a wide range of mental health conditions, from those affecting many people at some point in life to more complex and long-term conditions. These include difficulties such as depression and anxiety, conditions affecting mood, and other mental health concerns that affect wellbeing and daily life. The unit approaches each person individually, taking time to understand their situation, since mental health is deeply personal and no two experiences are the same. Importantly, the unit treats mental health conditions as the genuine medical conditions they are — deserving of the same care, expertise and respect as physical conditions — rather than something to be minimized. For people seeking help, this serious, compassionate approach, combined with the resources of a large hospital group, provides reassurance that their wellbeing is in capable and caring hands.

Approaches to treatment and support

Mental health care draws on a range of approaches, and the right combination depends on the individual and their situation. Care may involve talking therapies, medical treatment where appropriate, and ongoing support, tailored to the person and adjusted over time. The unit takes a considered, individualized approach rather than applying a single method to everyone, and works with the person to find what helps them. Where a mental health condition connects to physical health — as it often does — the unit can draw on related specialties within the hospital group, including neurology and internal medicine. This breadth of approach, combined with a willingness to adjust care to the individual, reflects the understanding that good mental health care is personal, flexible and responsive to each person’s needs.

Confidentiality, trust and respect

Seeking help for mental health takes courage, and the unit places the greatest importance on providing care with confidentiality, trust and respect. People need to feel safe and not judged in order to talk openly, and the unit works to create that environment, treating each person with dignity and care. This respectful approach is not separate from treatment but central to it, because trust is the foundation of effective mental health care. For international patients, far from home and perhaps anxious about seeking help, this combination of professionalism, compassion and respect — together with interpreting and practical support in their language — is especially important. The unit understands that how care is delivered matters as much as what is delivered, particularly in such a personal and sensitive area of medicine.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if I am in crisis?

If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please contact your local emergency services or a crisis helpline in your country straight away, as these services can provide immediate support. The unit provides ongoing psychiatric care rather than emergency crisis response.

What conditions does the unit treat?

The unit assesses and treats conditions including depression, anxiety and other mental health and emotional difficulties, and provides psychological support to people facing physical illness.

Is my care confidential?

Yes. The unit places great importance on confidentiality and a respectful, non-judgmental environment, recognizing that mental health is deeply personal.

How is mental health assessed?

Assessment is a careful, compassionate process centred on understanding you and your experience, including a thorough conversation and a review of your history and circumstances, with a treatment plan developed together with you.

What does treatment involve?

Treatment is tailored to the individual and may include talking-based support, medical treatment, or a combination, always agreed with you and respecting your wishes.

Can you support me through a serious physical illness?

Yes. The unit provides psychological support to people facing physical illness, such as a cancer diagnosis, helping them cope with the emotional strain of diagnosis, treatment and recovery, alongside the relevant specialists.

Is mental health treated as part of overall health?

Yes. The unit treats mental health as an essential part of whole-person health, caring for emotional wellbeing alongside physical health where the two come together.

Will my wishes be respected?

Yes. Care is developed together with you, respecting your wishes and circumstances, because feeling heard and respected is central to effective mental health care.

Can an initial discussion begin remotely?

Where appropriate, yes. An initial discussion can begin remotely, with privacy respected throughout, and care arranged in a way that suits your situation.

Does care continue over time?

Often, yes. Mental health care frequently involves ongoing support, and the unit provides a plan and continuity of care with compassion.

Will my care be coordinated with other specialties?

Where mental and physical health connect, yes. The unit coordinates with oncology, neurology, internal medicine and other specialties within the hospital group, so your wellbeing is cared for as part of your overall health.

Can I receive care in my own language?

Yes. A coordinator can arrange interpreting and support you through the practical steps of your care, so that you can engage with treatment comfortably.

Is seeking help a sign of weakness?

No. Seeking help for mental health takes courage and is a positive step, and the unit approaches every person with compassion and respect, without judgment.

Will I be supported with compassion?

Yes. Compassion, respect and a supportive, non-judgmental environment are central to how the unit delivers care, because they are the foundation of effective mental health treatment.

Is care delivered to high standards?

Yes. Care is provided by experienced psychiatrists and mental health professionals in accredited hospitals that maintain international quality and safety standards.

Can I seek help confidentially?

Yes. The unit places the greatest importance on confidentiality, trust and respect, working to create a safe environment in which you can talk openly without judgment.

What conditions do you help with?

The unit helps with a wide range of mental health conditions, from common difficulties such as depression and anxiety to more complex and long-term conditions, approaching each person individually.

What treatment approaches are available?

Care may involve talking therapies, medical treatment where appropriate, and ongoing support, tailored to the individual and adjusted over time, rather than a single method applied to everyone.

Is mental health treated seriously here?

Yes. The unit treats mental health conditions as the genuine medical conditions they are, deserving the same care, expertise and respect as physical conditions.

Can mental and physical health be cared for together?

Yes. Where a mental health condition connects to physical health, the unit draws on related specialties within the hospital group, so the whole person is cared for.

Is support available during serious physical illness?

Yes. The unit provides support for patients facing serious illness, recognizing the emotional impact of conditions such as cancer, as part of whole-person care.

Can I receive care in my own language?

Yes. The international patient coordinator arranges interpreting and supports you through your care with sensitivity, which is especially important in such a personal area of medicine.

Will I be treated with compassion and respect?

Yes. Care is delivered with compassion, dignity and respect, because trust is the foundation of effective mental health care, and how care is delivered matters as much as what is delivered.

Does the wider hospital group support mental health care?

Yes. Because mental and physical health are connected, being part of a large hospital group means the unit can draw on related specialties such as neurology and internal medicine, so that your wellbeing is cared for as part of your whole health rather than in isolation.

Will a companion be supported during my visit?

Yes. The international patient coordinator helps with practical arrangements so a trusted companion can accompany you if you wish, which can be a source of support when seeking help for mental health.

Will my care be adjusted to what helps me?

Yes. The unit takes an individualized approach, working with you to find what helps and adjusting your care over time, rather than applying a single fixed method, because good mental health care is personal and responsive.

Is it normal to feel hesitant about seeking help?

Yes, and the unit understands this. Seeking help takes courage, and the unit aims to make it as safe and comfortable as possible, treating you with respect and confidentiality so that you can talk openly without judgment.

Will I receive ongoing support if I need it?

Yes. The unit provides ongoing support tailored to the individual and adjusted over time, recognizing that mental health care is often a continuing process, and works with you to find what helps and to maintain it.

Is help available for the emotional impact of illness?

Yes. The unit supports patients facing serious physical illness, such as cancer, recognizing the real emotional impact such conditions have, as part of caring for the whole person within the hospital group.

How can I begin if I am abroad?

You can begin by sharing your situation for a confidential initial review, and the unit will advise on how care could be provided, with interpreting and practical support arranged, so that seeking help from abroad feels safe and manageable.

This page provides general health information about the services of this unit and is not a substitute for personal medical advice. This is a sensitive topic; if you are struggling, please reach out to a qualified professional or, in an emergency, your local crisis services. Any assessment and treatment plan is determined after individual evaluation by a qualified specialist.