Perspectives of phenomenological approach in psychiatry: the problem of patient’s understanding

The problem of understanding of patients in modern psychiatry is discussed. Nowadays patient’s subjective experience is almost entirely excluded from psychiatric manuals that brings risk of ignoring holistic patient’s experience. This experience can be shared by psychiatrist only in context of mutual trust. The latter as an approach to communication requires certain theoretical background which differs from the current one in modern psychiatry. The phenomenological approach is seen as promising for evolution of psychiatry because this approach was made in the 20^th century to descript pathological and everyday experience. We reveal importance of patient’s subjective experience to diagnostics and description of mental illnesses according to current literature in the field. We also suggest original research of need for understanding in Russian psychiatry professionals.