Visiting a doctor about your mental health isn’t an effortless decision to make. It takes months or even years to come up with the decision of visiting a psychologist or psychiatrist and that is just the primary step. What kind of doctor should you see – would be the very next question.
Out of confusion, many people visit primary care doctors, and you could do that as well. If you feel the primary care doctor route isn’t for you, then you are going to face another choice, i.e. should you see a psychiatrist or a psychologist? How do you get to know who will be the right choice for you?
What’s the basic difference between a psychiatrist & a psychologist?
The three prime differences between a psychiatrist and a psychologist are:
- Psychiatrists are medical doctors, whereas psychologists are not.
- Psychiatrists manage treatment, diagnose illness, and provide a wide range of therapies for serious and complex mental illness. Psychologists focus on providing psychotherapy (i.e., talk therapy) to assist patients.
- Psychiatrists prescribe medication, whereas psychologists can’t.
Many individuals get psychologists and psychiatrists confused with one another. Both psychologists and psychiatrists understand how the brain functions, our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Both could treat mental illness with psychological treatments.
Notwithstanding, psychiatrists take part in medical school and become medical doctors before doing any specialist training in mental health. As they are doctors, psychiatrists infer the links between physical and mental issues.
When to visit a psychiatrist?
Although psychotherapy is getting into the root of the problem, you might still need additional help.
A psychiatrist could review your entire medical history with a medical background. Understanding the full scenario is essential as some mood disorders might be caused by physical standing, such as hormonal changes (thyroid or pregnancy disorder).
A psychiatrist learned how the body interacts with the mind. As a cause of mental illness, they can rule out physical disorders.
This is crucial since an individual might have a hyperactive thyroid, for instance, which can trigger anxiety, panic attacks, anorexia, or insomnia. A psychiatrist can look over thyroid blood tests or have a patient confab an endocrinologist if they presume the problem emanates from thyroid disease.
If depressive syndromes are considerably impacting your daily life and body, a psychiatrist could assist in determining whether medication will help. For example, ketamine infusion treatments have been found to be very effective in recent years. Indispensably, a psychiatrist can contemplate drug-drug interactions assuming you’re already taking medication for the other conditions.
When to visit a psychologist?
A psychologist does not hold an M.D. degree. They will observe patients and treat them accordingly through therapy or counseling.
Therapy is an approach of treatment that aids patients in re-evaluating their attitudes and feelings, creating progressing behavior. Psychologists are eminently trained professionals with proficiency in the fields of mental health assessment, human behavior, behavior change, and treatment & diagnosis.
Applying scientifically validated methods, a psychologist will work with patients to help them discern and isolate an issue, recommend prospective behavioral changes, and decide on the best course of action.
If you’re having a tough time deciding whom to pick, you could always have a talk with the doctor. You need to ask them where you should make the appointment. What is vital is that you decide to make a start.
Professional knowledge will inevitably help you mitigate your emotional problems. A licensed psychiatrist or a psychologist will positively help you get through it whatever you are dealing with. Their help will remarkably better your mental health.