Abstract

The first part of this article discusses the basic concepts of the nature of the psyche and their relationship to the methodological principles of psychiatry. Modern psychiatry is facing a conceptual crisis that has been brought about by the accumulation of data, especially from the field of neuroscience. The essential element underlying the crisis is the problem of phenomenal consciousness. Subjective experience is an important area of study in psychiatry, but it can be challenging to fit within the natural scientific understanding of the world. Psychiatry, as a medical discipline, is on the periphery of the search for a solution to this problem, occurring within the fields of philosophy and neuroscience. However, there are no definite answers regarding the nature of phenomenal consciousness, mainly due to conceptual contradictions. Psychiatry does not have a single, consistent approach to phenomenal experience. This complexity is a reason for adopting a pluralistic approach that recognizes the different “styles” of thinking about mental health conditions.