# psychiatrist vs psychologist



## IbizaParadise (Apr 7, 2009)

well after a year of suffering from anxiety symptoms i decided to go to see a doctor. I told my family doctor and he booked an appointment for me with a psychiatrist. Now i want to know the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Medication is not an option for me i just dont like puttin chemicals into my body. i just need someone to talk to and i need some to reassure me that i dont have anything physically wrong with me and im just suffering from anxiety as i tend to worry about having a serious kind of disease all the time. I have also been symptom free recently except having a constant Derealization and Depersonalization. I get few symptoms once in a while but not everyday. I just have constant Dp/DR. I just want to learn how to cop with this dreamy feeling i have and how to get over it. Is a psychiatrist a good option to talk to about my worries about my physical health and being scared that i might have MS or some other disease and also would he be able to help with the Depersonalization feeling i have? i dont want to go on medication i just need to talk to someone and tell them how the anxiety started and what natural ways i can do to cure my anxiety. This doctor works in the hospital and my family doctor said hes one of the best. i dont know.... :roll:


----------



## Surfingisfun001 (Sep 25, 2007)

psychiatrist = prescribe meds


----------



## peachy (Feb 9, 2008)

yeah, go to a psychologist.


----------



## IbizaParadise (Apr 7, 2009)

yea i told my family doctor that i dont want to take medications and he told me that the psychiatric is not gonna prescribe medication necessarily. So i dont really know he already booked an appointment and keeps telling me hes a good doctor and i should see him. Well if he gives me any kind of medication im not gonna take it, its not like hes gonna force me to take meds.


----------



## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

The only real difference between a psychiatrist and psychologist is that a psychiatrist can prescribe medications but a psychologist can't. I see a psychiatrist and i talk about my problems and everything with her as well as any med changes i need or whatever. A psychiatrist often won't give you any meds the first time they see you or even the first few times unles you have a very serious mental disorder such as major depression, schizophrenia or bipolar the one that i have along with anxiety.

I have been dp/dr and brain fog free for over 3 years thanks to clonazepam and it has pretty much killed my anxiety. So even though some people are scared shitles of putting drugs into their body they do work wonders for other people such as me. In fact i would have killed myself by now if not for the meds that im on.

But in no way does a psychiatrist automatically equal meds. Atleast not in canada since psychiatrists are covered by the government and most psychologists arent. It may be different in other countries but i think it's pretty much somewhat the same.


----------



## Deja_vu_256 (Apr 27, 2009)

My understanding is that while psychiatrists can prescribe drugs, they generally don't go much beyond evaluation and prescriptions - where as psychologists are generally the people you go for sum kind of talk therapy, usually you go for extended periods of time. it's not unusual for people to see a psychologist and have their psychologist communicate with a psychiatrist from whom you would be prescribed drugs (via appointment).


----------



## axxebond (Mar 4, 2011)

The difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist, a psychologist is especially depressed patient assistance counseling and psychotherapy. A psychiatrist may also perform psychotherapy. Psychiatrists are doctors by profession. After the completion of their postgraduate studies will be four years of residence in mental health, usually in the psychiatric department of a hospital.


----------



## sarahlopez (Mar 5, 2011)

I see a psychologist and I would be one too.I think the medication is good for the short term, long-term therapy, and a psychologist can refer you to a psychiatrist for medical purposes, but the drugs usually solves the problem, remove the symptoms only temporarily. that does not mean they're useless, but a combination therapy or just think it's better.


----------

