Communication with a psychiatric patient includes maintaining a specific type of relationship, which primarily involves exchange of information (messages) between a psychiatrist (or a person working with a psychiatric patient) and psychiatric patient. Adequate communication is essential for providing appropriate therapy and help to a psychiatric patient. In order to achieve an adequate level of communication, a psychiatrist should be familiar with most common psychopathologic phenomena that interfere with communication and have adequate knowledge and communication skills to circumvent communication difficulties. Communication skills are essential in psychiatric work and all professionals working with psychiatric patients have to practice and improve these skills. Communication between a psychiatrist and psychiatric patient consists of diagnostic communication and psychotherapeutic communication. In addition to barriers in communication with a psychotic patient, this article describes the methods of overcoming these barriers and their importance. Communication is fundamental to ensuring patient’s compliance and trust, which makes the basis of effective treatment and improving patient well-being

Key words:
communication; diagnosis; psychiatric patient; psychiatry; psychopathologic phenomena; therapy