Bangalore is a haven for mental health centres since NIMHANS, a national centre is based in Bangalore. NIMHANS attracts best mental health employees from all over the country for their training. Those specialists subsequently either continue working in NIMHANS or set up their own practice or join existing centres. There is also a significant number of expats who have returned from Australia, Canada, USA, UK or New Zealand as there are many good medical colleges in Karnataka and these graduates migrate globally and return to serve in India. They choose to set up their practise in the vibrant metropolitan city of Bangalore.
Best is an overrated superlative. There are many dedicated professionals in Bangalore. However, I observe there is a certain cynicism about corporate billing and caring practices among my clients. A good hospital administration will address these issues for a more meaningful experience to every client attending a specialist. However, a sound knowledge and experience in Psychiatry, good background medical knowledge, ability to communicate in many languages, calm temperament, ability to listen, ability to politely challenge a clients views, empathy, working within the limits of a client; are some of the good qualities of a good Psychiatrist.
A clinic is for outpatient non-emergency appointments only. If the client is likely to need hospital admission, they should directly go to psychiatric hospitals. Here, emergency care, ambulance support for transfer from home, emergency management of an agitated patient with onsite medications, 24hr shift of mental healthcare staff etc will be available. In a clinic, non urgent clients can be assessed, working usually only during the day or early evening hours, and the specialist’s valuable opinion will be delivered as a discussion and prescription. Mental health medicines are not routinely stocked in pharmacies except for pharmacies based in multispeciality hospitals. Even the pharmacies in multispecialty hospitals stock a limited range of mental health medications and hence a specialised mental health hospital would have a more equipped pharmacy stock. However, a responsive pharmacy that will home deliver your medicines in a day or two is a good option. A good psychiatric clinic should aim for reasonable ambience, minimal waiting time for the patient, toilet and accessibility, good communication with the client before/during/after a consultation, provide value for money, and have the long term health interests of their patients at heart.
Medically trained doctor psychologists are known as psychotherapists. Psychologically trained professionals who are not Medical doctors are known as psychologists. Counselling is a simpler form of diving into emotional problems and difficulties provided by counsellors. Therapy is a more structured and deeper reasoned treatment process provided by psychologists and psychotherapists. Integrating medical, psychiatric and psychological dimensions to talking treatment can only be offered by Psychotherapists. So, in a way, psychotherapists are the best therapists. If location is a problem, video consult can be done for counselling and therapy. However, meeting in person if location avails is a better option so that even body language can be integrated into the therapeutic process.
A psychiatrist who has some knowledge and or experience in Neurology, Neuroscience and Neurosurgery would ideally be the best neuropsychiatrist. Mental health problems arising in the context of epilepsy, movement disorders, other medical conditions, traffic accidents, stroke, brain tumours are best seen by a neuropsychiatrist. Sleep disorders also need this specialty.
I would suggest you look up their services provided, the number of years of their experience in different fields of psychiatry, their work exposure in real world cities, and the practitioners ability to guide and connect all your requirements. Vis-à-vis is ideal but with advances in telemedicine, follow up and therapy should be mostly possible by audio or video consult.