About us

The teaching of Psychiatry at the Medical Faculty of Kharkiv University began much earlier than at other universities in Ukraine. Initially, it was a course of mental illness, which was read during 1834-1844 by the founder of psychiatry in the Slavic countries, author of the first Psychiatry Textbook “Mental illness, set out in accordance with the principles of the current doctrine of psychiatry in general and private, theoretical and practical content” (1834) P.O. Butkovsky, who was one of the first to introduce the term “psychiatry”.

The Department of Nervous and Mental Diseases was founded in 1877 by professor P.I. Kovalevsky, then began publishing the first psychiatric journal “Archives of Psychiatry, Neuropathology and Forensic Pathopsychology”, and in 1910 published the first scientific collection on various aspects of psychiatric care.

During 1894–1917 the Head of the Department was professor A.Ya. Anfimov, author of a number of world-famous works about psychological research methods.

From 1917 to 1923 the Department was headed by professor K.I. Platonov – a student of M.M. Bekhterev, a well-known specialist in the field of neurology and psychotherapy, author of the monograph “Word as a therapeutic and physiological factor”, about the substantiation of theoretical concepts of psychotherapy, which has not lost its significance until now.

During 1923–1944, the Head of the Department was Academician V.P. Protopopov, author of world-renowned research in the field of pathophysiology of schizophrenia and TIR, founder of the Pavlovsky School of Psychiatry. V.P. Protopopov described autonomic disorders in TIR, known as the “Protopopov’s triad.”

In 1931, the Faculty of Psychoneurology was opened at the Kharkiv Medical Institute, which in 1932 was reorganized into an independent institute of psychoneurological personnel, which was part of the All-Ukrainian Academy. The institute trained psychiatrists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, pediatric neurologists and psychiatrists, forensic psychiatrists, neurologists. In 1936 the institute became a faculty created in the same year of the 2nd KMI. After the transition of VP Protopopov to work at the Academy of Sciences of the USSR in Kyiv, the department was headed by his student Professor E.O. Popov, later a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences. E.О. Popov developed a theory of the phase-inhibitory origin of hallucinations.

From 1951 to 1970 the Department was headed by Honored Worker of Science and Technology, professor N.P. Тatarenko. At this time, the first textbook in Ukraine “Psychiatry” in Ukrainian was published, a laboratory of pathophysiology of higher nervous activity was organized.

During 1970–1991, the Department was headed by professor M.E. Bacherikov, who paid great attention to improving the clinical work and pedagogical activities of the department, improving the quality of teaching medical psychology, psychiatry and narcology.

From 1991 to 2009 Department was headed by professor V.L. Gavenko – Academician of the Polish Academy of Medical Sciences and the World Academy of Medicine by Albert Schweizer, holder of the Gold Medal by Albert Schweizer, founder of the scientific school of comprehensive study of painful mental changes, disorders and states of social maladaptation in young people.

Since 2009 and until now the Department is headed by Doctor of Medicine, Professor, Academician, Vice-President of the National Academy of Sciences of Higher Education of Ukraine H.M. Kozhyna.

The Department of Psychiatry, Narcology, Medical Psychology and Social Work is the main support department of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine . The following disciplines are taught here: “Medical Psychology” – in the 3rd year of all faculties; “Psychiatry, narcology” – in the 4th year of all faculties; “Basics of sexology and sexopathology” – an elective course; “Basics of prophylaxis of tobacco smoking, alcoholism, narcomania and toxicomania ” – an elective course, “Basics of psychoanalysis” – an elective course; “Introduction to the specialty “Social Work”,”Social Psychology”,”Social Pedagogy”,”General and Age Psychology”, “Personality Psychology”– in the 1st year of studying in “Social Work” specialty; “Medical and social foundations of health”, “Social policy”, “Methods of social work”, “Fundamentals of medical knowledge”, “Fundamentals of psychocorrection and psychoconsultation”, “Social work with different groups of clients.”, “Practice of social work”, “Socio-psychological prevention of deviant behavior”, “Clinical psychology”, “Propaedeutics of psychiatry”, “Addiction”, “Practical psychology in social work”, “Suicidology”, “Medical and psychological counseling” – in the 2nd year of study in the specialty Social work”; “Fundamentals of Social Rehabilitation”, “Psychology” – for the 2nd year of study in the specialty “Human Health”; “Nursing in Psychiatry and Addiction”, “Mental Health” – in the 1st and 2nd year of study in the specialty “Nursing” bachelor’s degree; “Psychiatry”, “Conflictology” – in the 1st and 2nd year of study in the specialty “Nursing” master’s degree.
In the Department regularly conducted: doctor’s thematic improvement in cycles – “Diagnosis and prevention of suicidal behavior”, “Current features of psychiatry and narcology in general medical practice”, “Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of post-traumatic stress disorder”, “Current features of psychoeducation in medical practice”.
In recent years, 10 monographs, 9 textbooks and 15 academic tutorials have been published for medical students, interns and general practitioners, including the national textbook “Psychiatry and Narcology”, “Child Psychiatry”, a textbook for International students “Psychiatry”, textbook “Psychiatry and Narcology in General Medical Practice”.

Directions of scientific research
Department is a scientific and methodological center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine on psychoeducation.
Our Department conducts research “To develop a system for prevention and rehabilitation of non-psychotic mental disorders for hostilities victims” (№ state registration 0119U002902); “To investigate the state of mental health of servicewomen, veterans of Anti-Terrorist Operation / Joint Forces Operation (spectrum of mental disorders, factors of formation, diagnosis, rehabilitation)” (№ state registration 0120U102596).

Cooperation with other institutions
Cooperation agreements have been concluded with the Institute of Neurology, Psychiatry and Narcology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Special Educational Complex of I-II Degrees №2, Kharkiv Secondary School of I-III Degrees №143, Kharkiv Gymnasium №23, Kharkiv Secondary School of I-III degrees №142, Kharkiv comprehensive school of I-III degrees №124, Zaporizhia State Medical University, Donetsk National Medical University, Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, State Institution “Institute of Child and Adolescent Health of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”, Odessa Regional Medical Center for Mental Health, Chernivtsi Regional Psychiatric Hospital, Luhansk State Medical University (Rubizhne), Kharkiv Specialized School of I-III Grades №3 of Kharkiv City Council of Kharkiv Region, State Institution “Luhansk Regional Narcological Dispensary” (Lysychansk), Territorial Medical Association “Psychiatry”, Sumy State Higher State Educational Establishment of Ukraine “Bukovinian State Medical University”, Vinnytsia National Medical University, Communal Non-profit Enterprise of the Kharkiv Regional Council “Regional Psychiatric Hospital №1”, Communal Non-profit Enterprise of the Kharkiv Regional Council “Regional Narcological Dispensary”, Communal Non-profit Enterprise of the Kharkiv Regional Council “Regional Medical Clinical Center of Urology and Nephrology named after V.I. Shapoval”, “Regional Clinical Narcological Hospital”, Professional Hypnosis Training Institute, International Center for Humanistic Technologies ASTRALITUS BT (Hungary), Military Medical Clinical Center of the Southern Region of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Military Medical Clinical Center of the Western Region of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Public Organization “Medical and social problems of vulnerable categories of the population”, Kharkiv comprehensive school of I-III degrees №139 of Kharkiv city council of Kharkiv region, Day center “Compass”of Kharkiv city charitable foundation “Blago”, Center of psychological rehabilitation “Reaklinik”, Military medical clinical center Northern region of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Center for Psychological Rehabilitation “Vertical”, National Military Medical Clinical Center “Main Military Clinical Hospital”, Center for Mental Health “Restart”, Municipal Institution of the Kharkiv Regional Council “Kharkiv Humanitarian and Pedagogical Academy”.

The therapeutic and diagnostic work is performed at the Kharkiv Regional Clinical Psychiatric Hospital №3 (the main base of the department), Military medical clinical center of the Northern region of Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (additional base of the department), Communal Non-profit Enterprise of the Kharkiv Regional Council “Regional Narcological Dispensary” (additional base of the department)