It is a good thing that we have all become quite more aware of the importance of mental health. People are becoming increasingly interested in maintaining their own psychological wellbeing, and they are less and less embarrassed and afraid to ask for help. And, given that awareness is on the rise, it is only logical that we should all also get a bit more educated on the type of help we can get, and where we can get it.
To cut to the chase, people often don’t understand the difference between psychologists and psychiatrists, meaning that they don’t really know who to turn to when they feel they need help. So, what we are going to do right now is explain what both of those professionals do, hoping to make the psychologist vs. psychiatrist difference clear, and hoping to, thus, help you figure out which one of these professionals you have to contact for your specific issues. It is true that these fields overlap at times, and that both of these experts are often involved in the treatment of the same patients, but you have to understand the differences in order to also shape your expectations and be clear on what you can get from one and the other.
What Is a Psychologist?
Without any further ado, thus, let us start shedding light on these two professions, in an effort to help you get your facts straight. And, let us begin with the psychologist. What do these professionals actually do, and what is their education?
Well, to become a psychologist, you need to have at least a Bachelor’s degree in the field, which you get after studying it for 4 years. Of course, most great professionals don’t stop there. Instead, they go on to complete doctoral programs in the field, lasting anywhere between 5 and 7 years. Of course, they go through supervised practice during that time as well, and they have to pass various state exams to get licensed.
Psychologists are quite knowledgeable on human behavior, as you may have understood already, given the extensive education programs they go through. They can do psychological counselling, helping people resolve certain crises in their lives, and generally improve their own well-being. Furthermore, if they choose to do so, they can devote their careers to research, thus contributing to the field of psychology and human behavior in various different ways, developing new theories and testing them.
Read about some different kinds of psychologists: https://www.verywellmind.com/types-of-psychologists-and-what-they-do-2795627
Now, these professionals could choose to further deepen their knowledge and get skilled at psychotherapy, which requires even more education. Depending on the psychotherapy approach they choose, their journey towards becoming one can last at least 4 years, but often even more. After finishing those studies, they become skilled and licensed psychotherapists, and people often go to them for any kinds of issues they may have, from anxiety and depression to, say, eating disorders, or anything else you can think of. Psychotherapists are trained to do talk therapy and help people understand themselves better, as well as find the right solutions to get rid of their symptoms and to generally lead a better life.
What Is a Psychiatrist?
Psychiatrists also go through extensive training and education. But, of a different kind. To cut right to the chase, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who went on to specialize in this particular field, aiming at treating and even preventing mental illnesses. After finishing medical school, they have to go through residency, lasting 4 years as well, and then, once again, get licensed to perform this kind of work.
Apart from the education, the main difference is that psychiatrists, unlike psychologists, can prescribe medication. That should be perfectly logical, given that they have gone through medical school first. So, they are the ones you go to when you need meds for any of your mental health issues, and a great psychologist will often refer you to these pros if they feel it necessary to do so. Go here to better understand the role of these pros.
Now, it is important for you to understand that psychiatrists can become psychotherapists as well. Psychotherapy is a separate profession that takes years of training and education, so it is not reserved solely for psychologists. It is not even reserved solely for psychiatrists. But, since it is a similar field, in the sense that it deals with mental health as well, you should understand it better as well. Basically, not every psychologist or psychiatrist is a psychotherapist, and vice versa, but they can be, if they went through additional training.
Which One Do You Need?
So, which one of these pros do you need? The truth is that, even if you don’t know, the professional you visit will be able to assess that. A psychologist will refer you to a psychiatrist if necessary and vice versa. And, of course, a psychotherapist will do the same. Thus, the most important thing to do is take that first step towards getting help.