Psychiatrists and Psychologists

Although both disciplines overlap in some areas of intervention and in their main objectives (mental health), the most essential differences lie in their training and the nature of their approach to psychological problems:

The Psychiatrist studies Medicine and specializes in mental illnesses to diagnose and treat them, seeking to balance the brain’s biochemistry. They address mental illness from its organic, physiological aspect, prescribing medication or other types of medical treatment required for this purpose.

Additionally, they are trained to understand the simultaneous importance of biological, psychological, and social factors in the genesis and manifestation of psychopathological syndromes, as well as in their diagnosis and psychiatric approach.

They also have knowledge about the evolution of symptomatic conditions, syndromes, and mental illnesses, providing ongoing follow-up which, in the case of psychiatrists trained in psychotherapy, is accompanied by psychotherapeutic interventions.

The Psychologist studies Psychology and specializes in Clinical or Health Psychology, according to the scope of their work. Neither can prescribe medication; technically speaking, their task is the prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of psychological disorders/problems, aiming to modify the brain's malfunctioning areas.

Using a coherent theoretical framework, with its corresponding tools and trained skills, they perform a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s situation, considering socio-cultural factors and other intra- and interpersonal variables that influence the problem, and develop a psychotherapeutic plan (objectives-strategies-techniques) to achieve the patient’s emotional and psychological well-being.

It is worth highlighting that a significant part of the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic processes comes from the quality of the therapeutic relationship between Psychologist and client, as it provides a space of safety, acceptance, and emotional stability, allowing work on the person’s limiting areas with motivation and confidence.

These definitions do not imply that the two disciplines are mutually exclusive: neither does the psychologist ignore the patient’s organic aspects in their treatments, nor does the psychiatrist neglect psychological factors.

On the contrary, they are complementary, and in many cases, the joint work of the psychiatrist and psychologist is necessary to offer the patient with mental illness comprehensive and quality treatment for their disorder.

Bibliography:

• Gluck, P. F. (2018). Modelo biopsicosocial-evolutivo en psiquiatría. ARS MEDICA Revista de Ciencias Médicas, 24(2), 86-91.

• Labrador, F. J., Vallejo, M. Á., Matellanes, M., Echeburúa, E., Bados, A., & Fernández-Montalvo, J. (2003). La eficacia de los tratamientos psicológicos. Infocop, nº 84, 2003.