Some Difference Between Psychologists & Psychiatrists

What is psychiatry?

Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that deals with mental health disorders. The Psychiatrists f is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness. Psychiatrists are doctors, who are specialised in the field and take a proper degree from medical school before entering into the field. Many psychiatrists get certified and become specialists in areas like child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, and addiction psychiatry. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication for mental health.

What is psychology?

Psychology is the study of mind and behaviour that help us to have insight into ourselves, and our actions. Psychologists are doctors, which means they might have done a PhD or a PsyD to get into the profession. To be a psychologist you need to have Masters and Doctorate degrees in psychology where they study biological, cognitive, and social influences on the behaviour of people that help them in their diagnosis. Psychologists help patients to overcome stress, heal from trauma, and manage mental health disorders in the face to face sessions through online counselling services. 

Should you see a psychologist or psychiatrist first?

Those who are going through mental illness should seek help but sometimes they are not sure of seeking it the right way or from the right person. Getting the right help is a great assistance in living a meaningful life. There are certain things to consider that can help you in making the decision about whether to see a psychologist or psychiatrist.

If you want to talk about an issue in a one-on-one session, a psychologist is the right person to see.

If you think that your symptoms have started troubling you to an extent that only medication can help then  a psychiatrist can help you with your  mental health disorder,

Differences Between Psychiatrists and Psychologists

1. Psychiatrists treat mental issues through medications while Psychologists make use of the therapies

The difference of approach between the two is the major difference between the two in treating mental disorders.

A Psychiatrist prescribes the medication to treat the patient after the diagnosis is done. They make a treatment plan to treat the patient that helps in managing symptoms here the major part is played by medications and psychotherapy.

On the contrary, Psychologists primarily make use of therapies to manage symptoms of mental illness that help the patients to overcome their issues.  The therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psycho-dynamic Therapy, Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), Gestalt Therapy, or Humanistic Therapy clp them in treating the patient. They also conduct psychometric tests that help in evaluating a person’s mental state that help in the treatment in the long run.

 2. Psychiatrists primarily deal with mental disorders but for Psychologists, it is just a branch

Psychiatrists are medical doctors so they generally work in hospitals, mental health clinics or private practice. Within the field of medicine, they specialize in mental health that can also include areas such as Forensic Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, Clinical Neurophysiology, Pain Management, Sleep Medicine, Brain Injury Medicine, etc.

On the other hand, Psychology can be applied to all fields: the study of the human mind and behaviour. The field of Psychology such as Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology, Child Psychology, Sports Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Educational Psychology, and more comes under psychology.

3.  Psychiatrists can prescribe medicine to their patients but Psychologists can not

Psychiatrists are doctors of medicine and have the legal right to prescribe medications to patients. Many disorders such as Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and many more need proper medications to get out of these.

Psychologists cannot prescribe medications to the patients. They conduct tests to diagnose the issues of the patients and treat them through therapy. In severe cases Psychologists refer to a Psychiatrists in case medication is needed. 

4.  Psychiatry requires a degree in Medicine while Psychology requires both UG & PG degree in Psychology

A Psychiatrist needs to complete his medical degree combined with a degree in Psychiatry as he is a physician. You need to complete your MBBS and then do your M.D. in Psychiatry. Thus, it requires a total of 7.5 years of study.

To build a career as a Psychologist, you need to have a Bachelor’s as well as a Master’s degree in Psychology. To practice as a Clinical Psychologist you need to complete your M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology. A total of 5 to 7 years of study can help you reach your goal.

5. Psychiatrists deal with psychological conditions while Psychologists deal with behavioural and developmental issues

Psychiatrists treat people with severe depression, psychotic behaviour, severe anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, etc. that are complex medical and psychological conditions.

On the other hand, Psychologists provide treatments related to behavioural problems, adjustment issues, learning difficulties, mild depression and anxiety.

 Above are the major differences between Psychiatrists and Psychologists. If you are dealing with mental illness or other challenges then there are many psychiatrists and clinical psychologist in India who can help you out in your problems and help you lead a normal life.