What do psychologists and psychiatrists do?

Question

I mean, I sort of know what psychology is. It's the study of the mind, like personality disorders. I'd appreciate a further definition, though. And what do psychologists do? Like, they just analyze you? How would they do this? And once they analyze you, what do they do? What about psychiatrists?

Answer 1

Psychiatrists are medical doctors. They've gone to medical school and then spend three or four years studying in their specialty which is psychiatry. They can examine an individual and decide whether some or all of their presenting problem is biological. They can, and often do write prescriptions. They can do mental health counseling. They charge more because they can do different things.
Psychologists are not medical doctors. They have a Ph.D. in psychology. They often do psychological or projective testing. They can do mental health counseling.
Psychiatrists often work with schizophrenics because their mental health problem has so much to do with biology. And they can write and change prescriptions since schizophrenics almost always need medication.
Psychologists most often work with people whose problems are mainly behavioral and don't need heavy medication.

Answer 2

No matter what we are, we are individuals. By definition scientists are scientists first before any thing else and the purpose of psychologists and psychiatrists are basically the same: how to know the individual in their self as their self. Psychology is generally the research area for the science and psychiatry is its knowledge applied. The following is my understanding:

Help the patiant achieve these virtues:


'The Erikson life-stage virtues, in the order of the stages in which they may be acquired, are:

hope- Basic Trust vs. Mistrust
will- Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
purpose- Initiative vs. Guilt
competence- Industry vs. Inferiority
fidelity- Identity vs. Role Confusion
love (in intimate relationships, work and family)- Intimacy vs. Isolation
caring- Generativity vs. Stagnation
wisdom- Ego Integrity vs. Despair '

Demonstrate the necessity and value of the negative possiblities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Erickson

Assisst the patient overcome the negative consequences of social maladjustment:

'Erikson's psychosocial crisis stages

(syntonic v dystonic)
- Freudian psycho- sexual stages + Life stage / issues / relationships ~ Basic virtue > Maladaptation / malignancy (potential negative outcomes)

1. *Trust v Mistrust - Oral + Infant / mother / feeding and being comforted, teething, sleeping ~ Hope and Drive > Sensory Distortion / Withdrawal

2. *Autonomy v Shame & Doubt - Anal + Toddler / parents / bodily functions, toilet training, muscular control, walking ~ Willpower and Self-Control > Impulsivity / Compulsion

3. *Initiative v Guilt - Phallic + Preschool / family / exploration and discovery, adventure and play ~ Purpose and Direction > Ruthlessness / Inhibition

4. *Competency v Inferiority - Latency + Schoolchild / school, teachers, friends, neighborhood / achievement and accomplishment ~ Competence and Method > Narrow Virtuosity / Inertia

5. *Identity v Role Confusion - Puberty and Genitality + Adolescent / peers, groups, influences / resolving identity and direction, becoming a grown-up ~ Fidelity and Devotion > Fanaticism / Repudiation

6. *Intimacy v Isolation - (Genitality) + Young adult / lovers, friends, work connections / intimate relationships, work and social life ~ Love and Affiliation > Promiscuity / Exclusivity

7. *Generativity v Stagnation + Mid-adult / children, community / 'giving back', helping, contributing ~ Care and Production > Overextension / Rejectivity

8. *Integrity v Despair + Late adult / society, the world, life / meaning and purpose, life achievements ~ Wisdom and Renunciation > Presumption / Disdain Late adulthood is dominated by the multiplicity of social change which inevitably takes place during this stage of life. The loss of a marital partner, developments of unfamiliar single hood, ever changing relationships, dependent living situations and limited activities have a huge impact on the physical and psychological well being of an individual in the late adulthood stage. The degree to which an individual successfully navigated through his or her prior seven stages of life determines how the final stage is piloted. '

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Erickson#Scientific_Support_of_Erikson.27s_Theories

Answer 3

My psychiatrist gave me anti-depressants and my psychologist talked to me and encouraged me to talk to him. He never gave me solutions to my problems, but he made me see the way and what I should do. God Bless Dr. Cotton. I would never have gotten through my divorce without him.

Answer 4

Basically the difference is this:

-Psychologists give you suggestions to modify your behavior.

-Psychiatrists are licensed to give you drugs to modify you behavior.

Answer 5

One charges you a lot of money to sit and listen to your problems.
The other, charges you lots more money to sell you a prescription for a pill.

The both share one thing, they own shares if Pfizor

Answer 6

i believe... im not positive.
a phychologist is someone who diagnosis you with a problem/disorder what not. and a psychiatrists helps you with those disorders.