Psychiatrists and Psychologists: 

What's the Difference?

According to the Your Health in Mind website, there are three main differences between psychiatrists and psychologists:

1. Psychiatrists are medical doctors, psychologists are not.
2. Psychiatrists prescribe medication, psychologists can't.
3. Psychiatrists diagnose illness, manage treatment and provide a range of therapies for complex and serious mental illness. Psychologists focus on providing psychotherapy (talk therapy) to help patients.

It would seem many people get psychiatrists and psychologists confused with each other.

Both psychiatrists and psychologists understand how the brain works, our emotions, feelings and thoughts.  Both can treat mental illness with psychological treatments (talking therapies).

However, psychiatrists attend medical school and become medical doctors before doing specialist training in mental health – with up to 11 years of training.  Because they are doctors, psychiatrists understand the links between mental and physical problems.  They can also prescribe medications.

Further information can be found at Your Health in Mind.