If you’ve ever experienced a mental health concern or a strenuous circumstance in your life, you may have considered outside help. Your mother may have suggested a psychiatrist, but your friend suggested a therapist. How do you know which one is for you? And how can you find someone you trust? Learning the difference between psychiatry and therapy can be detrimental to your mental health.
What is Psychiatry?
According to Psychology Today, “Psychiatry is a specialty of medicine that focuses on researching, understanding, diagnosing, and treating diseases of the brain and disorders of the mind and behavior.” Another way to look at psychiatry is its ability to diagnose and research medical conditions.
Many psychiatrists work in hospitals and research facilities where they focus on understanding the connection between physical and mental. Because of this, a psychiatrist must attend medical training and school before being certified. They are official medical doctors that focus on mental health.
To learn more about psychiatry, BetterHelp offers many online, medically-reviewed articles on this subject matter.
What is Therapy?
Therapy, also known as psychotherapy, is a place for people to discuss mental health concerns. According to Good Therapy, therapy is “the process of meeting with a therapist to resolve problematic behaviors, beliefs, feelings, relationship issues, and/or somatic responses (sensations in the body).”
A person’s experience with therapy may differ based on their concern and their therapist. A therapist is someone who receives a certification stating that they understand the process of diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. While you do not have to have a degree in psychology, many therapists take this path.
What’s the Difference Between Psychiatry and Therapy?
Education
A therapist may receive a psychology degree (though it is not necessary) and counseling certification. This allows them to freely diagnose and treat patients. However, psychiatrists must obtain a medical degree before diagnosing or treating patients.
Prescribing Medications
While a therapist can treat patients, they can not prescribe medications. If they believe that a patient requires medication, they must have it approved by qualified officials. A psychiatrist, on the other hand, can administer prescriptions. Due to their medical degree and background in the physicality of mental illness, psychiatrists are about to prescribe medications.
Mental Illnesses and Concerns That They Address
Psychiatrists mainly focus on mental illness that affects the brain or is caused by a brain anomaly. For example, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and depression. Therapists focus more on mental and emotional disruptions, such as anxiety, stress, trauma, eating disorders, addictions, etc.
Who Should You See: A Psychiatrist or A Therapist?
You Should See A Psychiatrist If You…
If you are experiencing disturbing physical symptoms that may be caused by a mental illness, you should consider seeing a psychiatrist. Symptoms such as these can include hallucinations, panic attacks, hearing voices, feelings of paranoia, etc. Any symptoms that disrupts your daily life should be addressed quickly.
You Should See A Therapist If You…
People who experience emotional or mental symptoms caused by a mental illness should see a therapist. Therapy is for those that need assistance addressing interpersonal relationships, past events, confusing emotions, big life changes, or a lack of support.
Take a look at your symptoms and mental illness, and let that be your guide. Remember that you don’t have to do this alone. Many medically certified professionals are here to help.
