Should I choose a psychologist or psychiatrist?

Both areas of specialization are related to mental health. Mostly they work together. The difference is that psychiatrists have medical training. For this reason, the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric problems of physical origin are planned by psychiatrists. In cases requiring the use of drugs, the authority to prescribe is reserved for psychiatrists. For this reason, if a client who consults a psychologist with any mental distress needs to take medication, he or she is sent to a psychiatrist by the specialist. Psychologists investigate the causes of emotional and behavioral problems and provide a solution to the problem using various psychotherapy methods. Mental problems may be based on a physiological reason related to the brain. Sometimes it may be due to a dysfunctional, faulty thought. In such cases, patients think that there is no option to save them from the troubled situation and they feel helpless. It is a therapy process to show a person in this situation that they have different perspectives, to realize their dysfunctional thinking and to help them gain the courage to make some behavioral changes to solve the problem. Psychologists use a variety of therapy techniques to achieve this result. Sometimes patients may need both psychotherapy and medication. In such cases, the treatment of a client given the medication by a psychiatrist may be continued by the psychologist, or a psychiatrist who performs psychotherapy may apply both treatments together.