What's The Difference Between A Psychologist & A Psychiatrist?

Nearly 30% of the world’s entire population suffers from some kind of mental illness; mild or severe. While mental disorders continue to remain in the shadows of other diseases in the manner that not many people openly talk about them, the fact is medical treatment is essential to cure these mental illnesses.

So, who can cure it? Many people might remember some famous movie scenes, where a character talks to an expert to get rid of mental ailments. So who are these people that these characters talk to? To clear the air, these are either psychologists or psychiatrists who help patients in recovering.

But, who should you consult? Which of these two would be suited for you? While many people believe that there is not much difference between the two practitioners, the reality is they are very different. Their education and approach towards treatment are starkly different. So, let’s find out how are they different and who would you be better off consulting.

How They’re Alike

To get things straight and out of the way, let’s see how these two medical practitioners are similar. The common practice that both adopt is talking to a patient out of their problem. They talk to you, listen to you and aid you in getting out of your illness. However, all similarities end just there. Now, let’s see what sets them apart. We’ll also discuss who you should consult depending on the type of treatment you require.

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Psychologists vs Psychiatrists

Education

Let’s begin with the fundamental difference, education. The education that a psychologist and a psychiatrist receive is very different. Psychiatrists are certified medical doctors who have graduated from a medical school. Psychologists, on the other hand, don’t come from a staunch medical background. They study academics in human behavior and the functioning of the brain on a psychological level and try to figure out the interaction of humans in a social set up. As a result, psychiatrists are authorized to prescribe you medications- the greatest difference between the two.

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Approach

Because of different educational backgrounds, the way that these two practitioners go about in treating a certain ailment is also different. While psychologists focus majorly on your behavioral patterns and the way you react to certain situations, psychiatrists follow, what in medical terms is called as, diagnosis of exclusion. That is before they think that you’re depressed, they’ll look for any particular vitamin deficiency in your body. To sum it up, a psychologist’s approach could be concluded as a more social treatment while a psychiatrist's approach could be called a more clinical and biological one.

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When Should You Call A Psychologist?

Okay, now that we know that psychologists and psychiatrists function on different levels, it is certain that either will be more suited to different kinds of ailments. While it is hard to generalize these ailments, we can always find common grounds on when it would be better to consult who. Psychologists should generally be consulted when the severity of one’s mental illness is considerably low. Also, there are many people who don’t like to have a lot of medication and psychologists would suit them better too. Psychologists are also recommended to people who feel that they can easily get addicted to certain medications and that could have a serious impact on the chemistry of their body. Ultimately though, it is a personal choice.

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 When Should You Call A Psychiatrist?

Because psychiatrists are more inclined towards the clinical side of things, they are well-versed in the biology of things. One of the biggest advantages of visiting a psychiatrist over a psychologist is that they have the formal education and training to understand and evaluate underlying medical problems in patients. Psychiatrists are highly recommended to patients suffering from severe kinds of mental ailments like schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorders. To make things more digestible, here’s the final word; if your disease is not that severe then going to a psychologist could help you. However, if you absolutely need medical attention, then a psychiatrist is your safest bet. The Psychiatrist has a know-how of the medical side of things and can prescribe you medication, should you need it.

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And Finally…

Just get help. You need to take the first step to treat your illness. You can consult your general physician and tell him about everything that you’re facing. Chances are he might tell you who you should consult, a psychologist or a psychiatrist. The biggest treatment, especially of mental health problems is to be able to talk about openly. There are people who can help you. You just need to open up and consult either a psychiatrist or a psychologist at the earliest if you’re in need of any medical attention. Happy life!

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