Not sure if you need a psychologist or psychiatrist? Many people get confused about these two types of mental health experts. At first glance, they might seem the same. Both work in offices, both help with mental health, and both want to help you improve your mental well-being.
Some think all mental health experts can prescribe medicine, while others think they all only provide talk therapy, but neither is true. Think of it like this: you wouldn’t see a foot doctor for a tooth problem. The same goes for mental health; different experts help in different ways. Knowing the difference can help you get personalized psychiatry or psychological help faster, as well as manage your expectations.
Psychiatry vs. Psychology: Educational Background
The main difference between psychology and psychiatry starts with school. Both experts would have trained for many years, but they take very different paths and focuses.
How long does it take to become a psychiatrist? Let’s look at a rough 12-year timeline:
- Four years of college
- Four years of regular medical school, including psychiatrist schooling, where they learn about the whole body, not just the mind.
- Four years of psychiatry residency, which includes working in hospitals and learning about mental health problems and medicines.
So, how do you become a psychologist? Let’s look at how different the path looks:
- Four years of college
- Five to seven years at a special psychology school, where they learn deep details about how people think, feel, and act. They spend lots of time learning different types of therapy, how to give mental health tests, and researching.
What Is Psychology?
Psychology’s definition is that it’s a branch of medical care focused on preventing, diagnosing, and treating mental health conditions. It helps us understand why people act and feel the way they do.
Psychologists can’t prescribe medicine in most states. So, what do psychologists do? They use talk therapy to help people feel better and handle stress. They can also give tests to find out if someone has conditions like depression or anxiety.
Types of Psychologists
- Clinical Psychologists: Help people with mental health problems
- Counseling Psychologists: Help with everyday life issues
- School Psychologists: Help students cope better in school
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologists: Help make workplaces better
- Research Psychologists: Study how people think and act
What Is Psychiatry?
When looking for a definition for psychiatry, it’s best to keep it simple: it’s a type of medical care that focuses on mental health. You may be wondering if a psychiatrist counts as a physician since they also attend medical school. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who know how both the mind and body work together.
Since they’re doctors, psychiatrists can write prescriptions. Your next curiosity may be, “Do psychiatrists do the same stuff as therapists?” Not really. While some do therapy, many focus on giving and checking medicines and their effects. They do, however, work with other professionals like therapists or nurse practitioners of psychiatry to ensure you have the right range of care.
Types of Psychiatrists
- Regular Psychiatrists: Help adults with mental health
- Child Psychiatrists: Help kids and teens
- Elder Psychiatrists: Help older adults
- Addiction Psychiatrists: Help with drug and alcohol problems
- Legal Psychiatrists: Work with courts and lawyers
When to See a Psychologist vs. a Psychiatrist
Your needs will help you choose between a psychologist and a psychiatrist. You might benefit more from a psychologist’s psychotherapy methods if you:
- Want to talk about life problems
- Need help with relationships
- Want to learn better ways to handle stress
- Need testing for mental health issues
- Feel sad or worried but can still do daily tasks
With psychiatry today, there are different avenues that this medication-based treatment approach can offer. Psychiatrists can help if you:
- Feel very bad and might need medicine
- Have serious mental health problems
- Think about hurting yourself
- Need medicine for mental health
- Want a doctor’s view of your mental health
With nurse practitioner psychiatry, you can also receive necessary medication and help. You might be more likely to try NP psychiatry if you need an urgent appointment and regular psychiatrists are booked or your mental health is stable, but you need medicine refills. Nurse practitioners who specialize in psychiatry function in the same role as psychiatrists. But they often focus on more holistic care, including providing more time for therapeutic support and lifestyle interventions.
Blending Psychology and Psychiatry Today for Mental Wellness
The best help is often found when seeing both experts since they complement each other and provide holistic healing. You might get medicine from a psychiatrist while talking to a therapist each week. These days, you can experience in-person or online psychiatry and talk therapy, making it easier to get help.
Whether you need an even blend of both mental health support types or only one, the most crucial part is taking that first step. At Arcara, our nurse practitioners specialize in psychiatry, ensuring a thorough psychological evaluation to help find the mental health solution that’s best for you. Reach out to us to learn how we can help you rediscover your joy.
