Hi, today we discuss which mental health professional you should see... a psychologist or a psychiatrist.
Basically, this typically depends on the mental health issue you are experiencing (assuming you have a mental health issue) and the degree to which your level of functioning deteriorates as a direct consequence of the issue. For instance, if you are mildly or moderately depressed without thoughts to suicide or self-harm, a psychologist may be able to help you by finding out what the issues are and help you using psychological interventions. However, if you are severely depressed with thoughts to suicide or self-harm (plus experiencing psychotic symptoms), a psychiatrist may be able to prescribe some medication to moderate the depression before psychological interventions can begin.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialise in the treatment of mental health issues. Thus, they are knowledgeable about the medical and pharmacological aspects of treating mental health issues. Some of them are also trained to deliver psychotherapy. On the other hand, clinical psychologists are psychologists who also specialise in the treatment of mental health issues through thorough clinical assessment and psychological interventions.
Most people think that psychiatrists are better than psychologists. There is some truth to this but it is not entirely true. There are some mental health issues that a psychiatrist is simply better trained to deal with such as schizophrenia because pharmacological interventions are needed especially when the person is very unwell. However, there are other mental health issues that a psychologist is better trained to deal with such as general anxiety.
Hope this helps!
