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The difference between psychologists and psychiatrists is often ignored
and misunderstood due to lack of awareness.
The terms "psychologist" and "psychiatrist" are often used interchangeably to
describe anyone who provides therapy services, but the two professions and the
services they provide differ ranges from education, their approach, course of
treatment and practice.
Difference in Treatment
Psychiatrist
o
Psychiatrists are medical doctors.
o
They can prescribe medication for mental
illness.
o
Their treatment plans involve medication
and its management.
o
Assess both the mental and physical
aspects of psychological problems.
o
Psychiatrists use a variety of treatments
– including various forms of psychotherapy, medications such as(
Antidepressants Antipsychotic medications, Sedatives and anxiolytic, Hypnotics,
Mood stabilizers, Stimulants etc).
o
Psychiatrists utilize Mental Status Exam
(MSE) a clinical assessment to diagnose a patient’s behavioral and cognitive
functioning.
o
They also provide psychosocially
interventions and other treatments. (such as electroconvulsive therapy or
(ECT)” involves applying electrical currents to the brain” depending on the
needs of each patient, most often used to treat severe depression that has not
responded to other treatments.
Psychologist
o
Psychologists are not medical doctors,
cannot prescribe medication.
o
But a few states allow prescribing a limited number of psychiatric medications if they’ve taken a course or
holding a post-doctoral master's degree in clinical psychopharmacology.
o
Psychologists use therapeutic treatment
which involves psychotherapies, counseling, behavior management, clinical
assessments and psychological testing, while depending on the severity of the
client symptoms, the psychologist may refer the client to a psychiatrist for the
prescription of medication.
o
Psychologists utilize the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to diagnose people who are
experiencing symptoms of psychological illness.
o
Administer and evaluate psychological
tests such as personality tests, clinical interviews, behavioral assessments,
and IQ test etc.
o Cognitive-behavioral treatment “involves efforts to change thinking pattern and behavior” in some cases (CBT) is supposed to be more effective than pharmacological treatments.
Difference in Education
Psychiatrist
o
A psychiatrist is a trained medical doctor
with a specialization in psychiatry. They complete MBBS and further do
specialization in psychiatry.
o
They have specific training in the
assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness.
o
Psychiatrists study focuses on biology and
neurochemistry.
o
Psychiatrists are qualified to assess both
the mental and physical aspects of psychological problems.
Psychologist
o
Psychologist completes their Bachelors and
further, they may also hold Masters or Doctorate level qualification in
psychology. If they have a Doctorate (PhD) a psychologist can call themselves
“Dr” but they are not medical doctors.
o
Clinical Psychologists have also special
training in the diagnosis, assessment and psychological treatment of mental
illness.
o
Psychologist study focuses on human
thought, behavior, development, personality, emotion etc.
o
Psychologist can specialize in a number of
areas, such as mental health, education, and occupational psychology. In
healthcare, psychologist specializes in clinical, counseling, forensic or
health psychology.
Both Play Important Roles in Mental Health
Treatment
o
The psychologist and psychiatrist may work
together, very often, they work in collaboration with one another to provide
the best possible treatment for an individual, with the psychologist offering
behavioral interventions and the psychiatrist providing or adjusting
medication. The type of approach needed often depends on the severity of the
symptoms.
o
According to research, patients differ as
to what is preferred— psychotherapy alone or in combination with
medication—which, therefore, can affect what professionals they see.
o
While psychologists and psychiatrists may
have some overlapping responsibilities, such as conducting psychotherapy
and performing research.
o
Some research suggests that combining CBT
and medications may be more effective than medication alone in the treatment of
some conditions.
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