Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist

April 5, 2018 by rbtate06

Psychology help and solutions to psychiatric problems and mental health.

Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist, which one, you might be asking yourself? Depending on what kind of treatment you are looking for, it varies. So let’s break down on why we would need to seek help mental help.

First and foremost always seek medical attention ASAP if you feel suicidal or want to take your own life. PLEASE CALL: 1 -800-273-8255 OPEN 24/7

Having a mental health condition is no different than having an ailment or condition that is persistent and needs a Dr’s care. So why do we treat it so differently?

I think a lot of times we are in denial that there is something wrong. Confuse feeling blue as depression. Or what will people think of me if I do tell someone or seek treatment? There is still a stigma surrounding mental health issues. With everything that is going on in our world with an uprise in suicides, you would think everybody should be discussing it more.

 We’ve made some progress but so much more needs to be done! With so much social media coverage out there we really need to start targeting how and where to get help. We all need to be advocates for mental health and make treatment more available all across the board. This is nothing to be ashamed of.

I’m not just an advocate for mental health treatment, I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks myself. I was in a serious accident when I was a teen and the result from it I was diagnosed with PTSD. That was very many years ago. There are still times that I struggle and I have to learn to focus on what I’m feeling and if I need to talk with someone I reach out.

It took me a great number of years to even tell anyone what I was feeling. I felt so isolated and thought people would think I was crazy. Anxiety and Panic attacks can be so paralyzing and can take over hours and days of your life. You become a prisoner of your own mind and body. It can be a very vicious cycle.

My life is better now that I know what some of my triggers are. There have been times it just happens and I don’t know why. But I have developed some behavioral therapy exercises that help immensely. My hope is, with more people talking and keeping this dialogue on mental health issues, it will save peoples lives.

Here is just a brief explanation of what Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist differences are:

A psychologist is a good place to start if you are having recurring issues such as.

Life has become challenging

Loss of Loved one or someone you cared about

Depression

Anxiety

Family and Relationship Issues

Addictions

Phobias

I really think the most general question most people have is not knowing what the differences are between a psychologist, psychiatrist and a therapist.

Goal Of A Therapist

A Therapist goal is to help patients make decisions, clarify their feelings and to help solve problems. This is very good for being able to talk openly about issues you may be having. A therapist can usually see both sides of a situation and help find solutions.

The Role Of A Psychologists

 A Psychologist that is licensed is qualified to do counseling and psychotherapy, perform psychological testing, and provide treatment for mental disorders. They are not are not medical doctors. Which means that they can’t write prescriptions or do medical procedures. A lot of psychologists work together with a psychiatrist or medical doctor who provides the medical treatment for mental illness while the psychologist provides the psychotherapy.

What Does A Psychiatrist Do

A Psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating mental illness. A psychiatrist is trained to know the differences between mental health issues from underlying medical conditions that could cause psychiatric symptoms. Psychiatrist monitors the effects of mental illness and physical conditions in the body. As a doctor, they are licensed to write prescriptions.

Mental Health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues can be treated effectively with certain drugs. Psychiatrist focuses a lot on medical treatment and management. Sometimes medication prescribed is enough but also counseling may be added if needed.