We often see people pursuing the subject of psychology for their further studies. But many individuals often confuse themselves with the two terms psychologist and psychiatrist. While both psychologists and psychiatrists are seen to be working with patients to improve their mental well-being as well as their quality of life but in reality, they have very different roles. If you are interested in pursuing a career in any of the fields then you need to know about the difference between psychologists and a psychiatrist. You need to understand and explore which role is right and more suitable for you. If you are also confused and searching about the difference between psychologists and psychiatrists then you have landed on the right page. In this article, we have discussed everything about the difference between psychologists and a psychiatrist. So, keep on reading to explore more about the difference between psychologists and a psychiatrist.
What is psychology?
Psychology is a subject that mainly revolves around the scientific study of behavior as well as the mind. It includes the studies of the conscious as well as the unconscious phenomena that include thoughts and feelings. It is the study of the mind, emotions, and behavior.
What is psychiatry?
Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that specifically focuses on treating as well as diagnosing mental health disorders. It is a field that is especially devoted to the diagnosis, prevention as well as treatment of various mental conditions.
Who is a psychologist?
A psychologist mainly helps individuals to manage as well as overcome their problems by using several psychotherapies and treatments. They may also conduct various sets of tests to help with the assessment and the diagnosis. They seek to understand as well as explain the thoughts, behaviors, feelings, emotions, etc.
Who is a psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a person that has permission to prescribe the drugs used for the treatment of mental disorders. A psychiatrist also provides psychotherapy. Psychiatrists are mainly doctors who help their patients by identifying their mental illnesses. A psychiatrist assesses diagnoses as well as treats mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders. They understand both the mental and physical health conditions of an individual.
What is the difference between psychologists and psychiatrists?
1. Training
A psychologist must have at least 6 years of university training as well as proper supervised experience. They might even hold a Masters’s or Doctorate level qualification in psychology. Whereas, a psychiatrist are medical doctors with up to 11 years of training as well as experience. The procedure of becoming a psychiatrist is usually longer than becoming a psychologist.
2. Treatments Provided
A psychologist usually focuses on providing psychological treatments as well as psychotherapy. However, a psychiatrist treats people who are looking for medications and psychological treatments. A psychiatrist usually treats people who are suffering from bipolar disorder, suicidal thoughts, severe depression, schizophrenia, and much more. A psychiatrist also has permission to prescribe the drugs used for the treatment of mental disorders while a psychologist deals with behavioral therapy.
3. Differences in Practice
Both psychiatrists and psychologists can provide psychotherapy to their patients. However, a psychologist mostly talks to their patients or use behavioral therapy, humanistic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, psycho-dynamic therapy, etc. They may also conduct psychometric tests that help to evaluate an individual’s mental state as well as personal attributes. On the other hand, a psychiatrist mostly treats their patients by prescribing medications according to their illness. But they share a common goal which is to make people feel better.
4. Dealing With Mental Conditions
Psychologists mostly treat people with conditions that can be treated immediately or managed effectively through various psychological treatments. Whereas psychiatrists treat people who need help with more complex mental health issues such as severe anxiety, severe depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, psychotic behavior, and much more.
5. Dealing With Different Disorders
Psychologists don’t always work with mental disorders. Since psychology is the study of the human mind as well as behavior, this subject can be applied to virtually all fields. There are several sub-fields of psychology which include child psychology, sports psychology, clinical psychology, industrial psychology, clinical psychology, and much more, Hence, psychologists can specialize in any of the fields. Whereas psychiatrists are medical doctors working in a proper healthcare setting. Their specialization is mental health, and their work only revolves around that. However, they may specialize further in the field of mental health which covers a vast range of areas such as forensic psychiatry, child psychiatry, brain injury medicine, pain management, sleep medicine, and much more.
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