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Defining the Science of Psychiatry

What is psychiatry? The words ‘psychiatry' and ‘psychology' are often used interchangeably, but this word usage is not necessarily accurate. While psychology is a field that seeks to understand the human mind in general, psychiatry is a field interested in the human mind, specifically. To restate that, a psychologist works under the principles of normal human thought. A psychiatrist is interested more in the abnormal. Psychiatrists are also more likely to be treating disorders than to be explaining typical thoughts and behaviors. A psychiatrist must be a medical doctor, while a psychologist is more of a counselor.

Drawing a Few More Lines

We've established the major difference between psychiatry and psychology. It is a difference of specifics and specialties. To create a clearer picture, we can illustrate the differences further through some imagination. If you found yourself struggling with everyday tasks for reasons that you could not identify, you would visit the psychologist. The psychologist would use his knowledge of typical human behavior to attempt to help you return to normal life. If your behavior was simply not typical, the psychologist would refer you to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist would then be the person that could diagnose and treat any illness or condition. Oftentimes it is the person whose behavior cannot be explained that needs the expertise of a psychiatrist. A visit to the psychologist will be less formal than a visit to the psychiatrist. A bill from a psychologist will be much smaller than one from a psychiatrist. The reason again is that your psychiatrist is more highly trained and more highly specialized in diagnosing and treating abnormal conditions, rather than just understanding normal conditions.

Diagnosis and Treatments

Unhappiness, restlessness and lack of motivation are problems common to man. As each person seeks to fulfill his own needs and desires, there are naturally road blocks and reactions to those road blocks. A psychologist understands these typical feelings and behaviors and can help the normal patient talk through his struggles. When psychological or emotional problems become extreme or inexplicable, it is time for the help of a psychiatrist. Only a trained psychiatrist can diagnose mental illness. Oftentimes, treatments include medication. Only a psychiatrist can prescribe medication for mental illness. As the condition or illness develops or diminishes, continued counsel from a psychiatrist can aid in the appropriate continued treatment. If the treatments help reduce or explain symptoms, a patient may return to the care of a psychologist, only seeing the psychiatrist every once in awhile.

Psychiatry is the study of abnormal human behavior. A psychiatrist is a trained physician interested in diagnosing and treating mental illness. Not all mental illnesses are curable, but nearly all of them are treatable to some extent. Psychiatry has made significant developments over the centuries along with traditional medicine. What used to be uncomfortable and unbearable topics are now treatable and defined conditions. Psychiatry is different from psychology, but the two sciences work together by differentiating the abnormal from the normal. The end result is better living for millions of people.