A psychiatrist has a variety of treatment options available for PTSD, ranging from medication to therapy. It's crucial that people with post-traumatic stress disorder seek the help of a psychiatrist to treat symptoms. There are several different types of treatment providers who can diagnose and treat PTSD, such as psychiatrists and psychologists. Learn to distinguish between these two to determine which professional is right for you.
Like psychologists, psychiatrists also receive extensive training in the evaluation and treatment of various psychological disorders. Psychiatrists are people who have an MD (Doctor of Medicine) who has decided to specialize in the treatment of mental illnesses. Many psychiatrists, although definitely not all, can follow a biological or pathological model of mental illness. From there, many psychiatrists continue their training to obtain certification in specialty areas, such as child and adolescent psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, and addiction psychiatry.
If you're like most people seeking mental health help for the first time, you might not know if you should see a psychiatrist or a psychologist, or if there's a difference between the two. Psychiatrists are also trained in a variety of treatment modalities, including psychotherapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Psychologists have medical degrees because of their doctorate, but in most states they can't prescribe medications. When meeting with a psychologist, you should first ensure that they are licensed by the state in which you practice.
During that time, psychologists receive extensive training in the evaluation and treatment of various psychological disorders. But, in general, these are some things to consider to start making the decision to see a psychologist or psychiatrist first. Depending on the type of training received, each psychologist will have their own beliefs and ideas about the origins of psychological disorders and how to treat them. Psychiatrists are doctors, meaning that they attend medical school for four years and then spend at least five years in residency to learn about the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions.
Psychiatrists and other therapists are trained to be sensitive to what you can handle and how quickly you can undergo treatment. As mentioned above, both psychiatrists and psychologists are concerned with helping people optimize their mental well-being, and often both are trained in a variety of treatment modalities.
