Difference between Psychologist and Psychiatrist?

holliday · Newbie Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 18

My son is having some troubles in school. Not with learning but with his behavior. He visited the principle of his school for three times during the past week. Of course, I went to school to talk to the principle, too, and he told me that my son should visit a psychologist. I am not familiar with the difference between psychologist and psychiatrist. Can you tell what is it?

eddi · Silver Member Joined: 02 Jun 2000 Posts: 281

Hello! The main difference is in the school that they are attending during their education. Psychiatry is closely related to medicine, and so forth their way of treating the patients is mostly treatments by medicaments. The psychologists are using psychotherapy, talk therapy. There are many types of psychotherapy, and the type of problem that your son has will determinate the way in his conversation with psychologist.

Guest · Guest

I am currently a clinical psychology major at my university. A psychiatrist is more medically based and uses medication as a way to deal with their clients. In other words, they mask the client's problem with medication rather than dealing with the problem. If you want to get rid of the source of your son's problems than a psychologist would be a wiser choice, but if you want your son to be medicated as a "quick fix" (it doesn't actually fix the problem, only makes him feel better while he is on the medication, which is by the way, very addictive) then a psychiatrist would be your better choice.

Guest · Guest

Some people can't be talked out of certain disorders and need a psychiatrist's help. I see a psychiatrist and he provides me the same type of talk therapy that a psychologist can but i'm not taking and medication with it. It's called recognitive therapy. Some people suffer mentaly and physically with symptoms such as anxiety, for example. Anxiety can be treated with medications that a psychiatrist can prescribe. A psychologist cannot prescribe medications because they are not medical doctors, though they can be called doctors (Dr.) because they are doctors of psychology and hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.) from a university or professional school.

Guest · Guest

The difference is:

Psychiatrist is a medical doctor (M.D.) and then specializes in psychiatry
A psychologist has a Ph.D. and is not medically trained.

Difference between Psychologist and Psychiatrist?

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