In the journey of life, we face a lot of difficulties. And many things affect our mental health. Loneliness, childhood trauma, family problems, poverty, and long-term stress affect our mental health badly. To some extent, our physical health is dependent on our mental health. Mental health is a sensitive issue, and not many people can share their problems or past traumas with others. And to improve our mental health, there are many psychologists and psychiatrists.
Difference between Psychologist And Psychiatrist
Everyone’s mental health is different, as well as the problems also. We can’t judge a person by looking at their outer appearance because we don’t know what a person is going through by just looking at them. And most people can’t open up or share their problems because of the fear of getting judged. So there are many psychologists and psychiatrists in the world who can help people who want to cope with their problems. Even though both psychologists and psychiatrists deal with mental health, there are some differences between them.
- Psychiatrists are medical doctors, whereas psychologists are not.
- Psychiatrists can prescribe medication, but psychologists can’t.
- Psychiatrists treat mental health using many therapies and medicines, whereas psychologists help patients by providing talk therapy.
Role of a Psychiatrist
To become a good psychiatrist, one has to attend medical school to obtain their degree in the physical brain.
- A good psychiatrist deals with neurology, forensic psychology, and chemical dependency, in simpler words. A psychiatrist is a trained doctor for mental health. With the help of psychotherapy, medication, and neuromodulation, psychiatrists can diagnose behavioral, emotional, and mental disorders and behaviors.
- After diagnosing, a psychiatrist can treat your mental issue by prescribing proper medicines or activities. With diagnosing, a psychiatrist considers whether the problem is due to a chemical imbalance and observes the body’s physical reaction to the symptoms. Depression and anxiety are the most common problem, and these two problems can be treated using medication.
Role of a Psychologist
In the case of a psychologist, a person has to study connections between the brain and behavior.
- A good psychologist is also aware of the methods to solve behavioral problems. Even though psychologists study psychology, not medicine, they can still identify conditions regarding mental health. The main focus of a psychologist is on the patient’s emotional state and thoughts.
- They try to assess a patient’s mental health by talking to them, listening to their stories attentively. Psychologists treat mental orders by providing counseling or psychotherapy. The main disadvantage of going to a psychologist is that they won’t be able to prescribe medications. Even they cannot perform medical procedures.
It is obvious to feel confused about whether to go to a psychologist or a psychiatrist. If you want to talk about your problems to a person or want to work through them using a person’s help, you should go to psychologists because providing talk therapy is their job. However, if you are more into psychiatric medication for your mental health disorder, going to a psychiatrist will be your ideal choice.
