What's the differnece between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?

Question

thanks for answering

Answer 1

My dad is a psychiatrist. He went to medical school on top of all the schooling that psychologists went through and can write a prescription. He works with the population that have more serious problems like schizophrenia, bi-polar, etc. Some are hospitalized (in-patient), but most are 1 hour office visits (out-patient). Almost all are on some medication prescribed by my dad or another MD, even if it's just for depression.

Psychologists cannot prescribe medications, and usually deal with emotional problems, not mental/chemical imbalances.

My dad, and all his co-workers, are American, and are not odd. My dad is the most wonderful dad and grandpa that anyone could have.

Answer 2

The main difference is that a psychiatrist goes to medical school and is able to prescribe medication. A psychologist is not able to prescribe medication (at least for now...efforts are being made to change that a bit), and receives a PhD or PsyD from a psychology grad school program.
More specifically, nowadays psychiatrists pretty much do nothing more than diagnose a patient with a certain psychiatric disorder and prescribe medication to help it. They used to do therapy (speak with the patients about the problems, work with them to find ways to better their situations, things like that), and now rarely do any sort of therapeutic work.
Psychologists, on the other hand, do therapeutic work. There are quite a few approaches to therapy so it's hard to say all psychologists approach it in the same way...though generally, psychologists work with the patient to understand the issues bothering them at that point in their lives, and work with them to find ways to help ease some of the complications, and make them easier to handle.

Answer 3

Psychologist usually does not prescribe medications like a psychiatrist which is an MD.

People who go to psychiatists usually have some major issues requiring hospitalization, medications, etc.

Counselors are people that have less schooling, but that doesn't mean they don't have the ability to help you. Some counselors are very good at what they do in "talk therapy".

Psychiatrists charge the most per hour, next is psychologists, next counselors.

Answer 4

Besides the MD versus Ph.D. distinction, psychiatrist are usually very odd people and often from foreign countries.

Psychologists also have much more training in psychology- i.e., bacholer, masters and doctoral studies in psychology. Whereas a psychiatrist has a pre-med undergraduate degree and then medical school training.

Psychologists are therapy oriented- so you meet with one for fifty minutes. Appointments with psychiatrists are typically for med reviews and only take about 10 minutes.

Answer 5

A psychologist deals the the study of the mind. How the mind works, analyzing, conditioning, predictable responses, understanding of responses. His main tool are observations and testing and consultation. A psychiatrist has a set of symptoms to work with. His information is more 2nd hand information (he gets his information from others opinions and observations.) His main tools are consultations and medications

Answer 6

I've heard that a psychiatrist prescribes medicine and a psychologist provides types of therapy, but I don't know if this is right.

Answer 7

A psychiatrist can also prescribe medication and a psychologist can't.

Answer 8

A psychologist tries to determine what people are about, a psychiatrist makes money out of that. ;-)

Answer 9

psychiatrist and prescribe medicine, psychologist can't

Answer 10

psychologist = PhD
psychiatrist = M.D.