On many occasions, when a person begins to have a mental illness, they do not know who to turn to, the psychologist /, the or the psychiatrist or if both are compatible. It is a fairly common question that can hinder the initiation of treatment for the person, or, starting it, many times you start on the wrong side, thus not obtaining the help that is would need.
Next, in Psychology-Online, you will see what a psychologist does, as well as a psychiatrist and the main differences between both so that, in this way, you can get a better idea of who to go to and what to expect when you go to have your first session. This information can also help you take the step and reduce the completely common nerves when starting a psychological or psychiatric treatment. Let's see 7 differences between a psychologist and a psychiatrist and also the similarities between psychology and psychiatry.
The psychologist is the professional who is dedicated to investigation of human behavior and / or the solution of problems related to human behavior
The functions of a psychologist could be summarized as follows:
- Orientation. Guiding patients in a group or individual way once their problems have been evaluated in order to help them to deal with them by reinforcing the patient's strengths and improving the points weak.
- advisory. Evaluate the different individuals of a certain company in order to provide them with the most suitable position for their characteristics and interests.
- Prevention. Promotion and implementation of healthy habits in order to prevent future damage.
- Education. Students are taught to learn by showing them the best method of study, planning and organization, making schedules, etc.
- Promote cognitive well-being. Work on the different skills related to memory, learning, attention among others in order to improve them or to prevent or delay their deterioration in the case of diseases such as the Alzheimer's.
A psychiatrist is a physician who focuses on the study and treatment of mental illness. Its function is to provide adequate medication for the patient's situation, which is periodically reviewed in order to regulate the amount of medication.
On some occasions, many psychiatrists decide to specialize in some of the therapies in order to provide some added support to the patient in their review sessions. situation. In addition, you can be a psychologist and a psychiatrist at the same time.
We have already seen that psychologists and psychiatrists deal with behavior and the mind, albeit in different ways. What is the difference between psychology and psychiatry? Next we will see the differences and similarities between a psychologist and a psychiatrist:
1. The formation
The first difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist is that a psychiatrist is a doctor and has due to carry out a career in medicine, however, a psychologist is a separate discipline so it is not considered doctor. This, in turn, allows the psychiatrist to prescribe medication while the psychologist does not have such authority.
2. The strategies used in the treatment
The psychologist helps the person to understand the reasons for their actions, her emotions and feelings and provides the tools you need to solve the problems that appear on your lifetime. For his part, the psychiatrist provides relief from the discomfort suffered in adverse situations through psychotropic drugs.
3. Focus
The psychiatrist usually has a biological approach to the situation, that is, they focus on the levels of the different chemicals in our brain and, through medication, the regulates. A psychologist, for his part, has a broader approach in which he takes into account, in addition to biology, the context in which the person is, her experiences, among others.
4. The seriousness of the issues they address
Although it is true that both can treat mild cases and severe cases, it is more common for the psychiatrist to become necessary once the situation becomes more serious and urgent to solve. In this article you will find the signs that indicate when to go to the psychologist.
5. The duration of the sessions
Another difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist is the duration of the sessions. Although it may vary depending on the circumstances, it is common for a session with a psychiatrist to last no more than 15 or 20 minutes, while with a minimum psychologist it is necessary half an hour, being the usual 45 minutes or an hour.
6. The frequency of the sessions
Another difference between the psychologist and the psychiatrist is the frequency of the sessions. It is necessary to carry out a treatment more often with the psychologist, being the ideal at the beginning of once a week. For his part, in the psychiatrist, it would not be necessary so often. This will depend on the situation, but it is not usual for it to be more than once a month.
7. Depth of interventions
Due to the longer time that can be spent with the patient and the need for him to know the problem in a more comprehensive way, the problems are usually discussed more with the psychologist or psychologist. This can get to collect information about the patient's childhood in order to treat him in the best possible way. A psychiatrist, at a general level, only reports on the patient's mood and her behaviors in recent weeks in order to readjust the medication.
In this article you will find other aspects and differences between psychology and psychiatry and other signs that will help you know if you need a psychologist or a psychiatrist.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
