Should You See A Psychologist Or Psychiatrist?
During the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine, many people have been struggling with mental health challenges. Consequently, many people have been searching for mental health professionals to help them with what they are going through. If you find yourself among those who are needing a bit of help, you may be wondering if you need a psychiatrist or a psychologist. In an effort to help, here is a bit more information on both of these professions and what they have to offer.
Psychiatry
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has been trained in mental health. This training allows them to diagnose problems and then prescribe medications that can help with those challenges. If you have mental health challenges in your family such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or major depressive disorder, you may want to see a psychiatrist since these disorders are hereditary. People who think that they may have a diagnosable mental health challenge should seek out a psychiatrist.
While psychiatrists are medical doctors, they do much more than just prescribe medications. Most will still offer different types of talk therapy and can be extremely effective in helping their patients overcome difficult mental health challenges. Studies have shown that talk therapy and medications together are one of the most effective treatments for mental health challenges.
Psychology
A psychologist is a mental health professional who has a master's or doctorate degree in psychology. Their schooling will have taught them many different talk therapy techniques, all of which can be extremely helpful in helping individuals to overcome emotional and mental challenges. People with diagnosed disorders can benefit from talk therapy, even though they will likely also be on medication. For individuals who are just going through a tough time and do not necessarily have a disorder, regular visits with a psychologist can help them to work through whatever they are experiencing. Psychologists are more common than psychiatrists and are usually a bit easier to get in to see.
In conclusion, if you are feeling that medication may be what you need to help even out your moods, you will likely want to see a psychiatrist. If you are just needing someone to talk to and work through your problems, a psychologist will likely suit you better. Either way, you should get an appointment as soon as possible in order to get into a better state of mind.
Reach out to a local mental health clinic for more information. Good luck on your journey.
