Contents:
- Medical Video: The Difference between a Psychiatrist and Psychologist
- What are the differences between psychologists and psychiatrists?
- Is that a psychiatrist?
- Is that a psychologist?
- Psychologists and psychiatrists work together to provide the best therapy
- Where to consult if you experience mental health problems?
Medical Video: The Difference between a Psychiatrist and Psychologist
Today there are still many people who cannot distinguish between psychologists and psychiatrists. The reason is that they consider that psychologists and psychiatrists are the same two types of work, because they are both related to psychiatric problems. TI rarely, this is what makes many people often confused between psychologists and psychiatrists when they want to consult their mental health problems.
What are the differences between psychologists and psychiatrists?
Psychologists and psychiatrists are both in charge of helping people who have mental health disorders. But in fact these two professions have differences! See the full explanation in the following article.
Is that a psychiatrist?
Psychiatrists are actually specialties from medical science. So the person who is going to become a psychiatrist must go to S1 medical school first. After finishing school and getting a general practitioner degree, a psychiatrist will continue to undergo a four-year residency training specializing in the field of psychiatry.
As a psychiatrist, a psychiatrist knows everything about diagnosis and treatment that can be done for each psychological condition in every patient who tends to be complicated, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. After graduating from the residency period, the psychiatrist will later become a doctor and Sp.KJ (Mental Health Specialist)
In developed countries, psychiatrists legally and clinically are the main professionals responsible for the overall care of patients' mental health. That's why psychiatrists are responsible for diagnosing a patient's mental disorders and determining the treatment to be done, because their expertise focuses on chemical imbalances in the human brain. For this reason, psychiatrists can prescribe and treat drugs (pharmacotherapy), brain stimulation therapy, physical and laboratory examinations according to the needs of patients.
Is that a psychologist?
Psychologists do not enter medical school, but receive education from psychology. To become a psychologist, a person must complete an undergraduate education in the psychology faculty first. After that, it can only continue the professional program to learn practice becoming a psychologist.
Psychology work closest to psychiatrists is clinical psychology that handles psychiatric cases, diagnoses patients' psychological symptoms, and conducts psychotherapy as a form of treatment.
That is why psychologists are competent to carry out a series of psychological tests that will later be interpreted as answers to the problems experienced by patients, for example; IQ tests, interest in talent, personality tests and so on. A psychologist cannot prescribe drugs but focuses on psychosocial therapy for the patient's behavior, thoughts, and emotions.
Psychologists and psychiatrists work together to provide the best therapy
Based on the explanation above, basically psychologists and psychiatrists both explore the psychology and all things related to human development, such as the way the brain works, emotions, feelings and thoughts. Besides that, kedua these professions also have the same concentration of practice, in the form of efforts to handle, prevent, diagnose, and provide therapy.
Psychologists and psychiatrists work together to coordinate with each other in providing the best therapy for patients. Psychologists often do therapy for patients every week for psychosocial counseling. As with psychologists, psychiatrists also often treat patients every week or monthly for psychotherapy or psychopharmacology. This depends on the case or problem faced by each patient and the clinical needs of the patient.
Where to consult if you experience mental health problems?
If you complain about mental health problems, whether because of depression or anxiety, you should consult a general practitioner first. Because the general practitioner will make an initial diagnosis regarding the conditions that might be needed to help identify the mental health problems that you are facing.
In addition, the general practitioner will provide a psychiatrist or psychologist recommendation that suits you, based on the specific situation and type of treatment you might need. You don't need to be embarrassed to seek help. Like physical health, mental health is an important part of your life so you can live happily.
