Most people are confused about which specialist they should contact for various psychological problems.
I hope my article will help you get rid of the confusion.
A psychiatristis a doctor with mandatory medical education who can diagnose a mental disorder and treat it with medication (that is, prescribe medications).
Mental illnesses treated by a psychiatrist are associated with disorders of mental functions (thinking, perception, etc.) and behavior (for example, increased aggressiveness, excitability).
The help of a psychiatrist is resorted to when the ability to adapt is impaired (a person cannot cope with daily tasks in family life or at work).
Data from the World Health Organization indicate that every 5 people on the planet suffer from mental disorders.
That’s why people with addictions (alcoholism, drug addiction) turn to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist also treats schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as other diseases associated with an imbalance in the biochemical balance in the body.
If the problem is not caused by organic disorders and occurs in a mild form, then you can contact a psychotherapist.
A psychotherapist can either have a medical education or simply master one of the methods of conversational therapy if he has a psychological education.
If we are talking about a normal psyche, then psychologists deal with psychological difficulties.
A psychologist can be a theorist (that is, a scientist-researcher) or can be a practitioner.
Psychological practitioners are usually called consultants. They help solve problems that do not require in-depth study.
Psychotherapy is aimed at deep work. A psychologist who engages in psychotherapy usually has, in addition to psychological education, also many years of psychotherapeutic education and practice (with intervisions and supervision), personal therapy (so that the problems of the psychotherapist himself do not affect the treatment of the client).
Despite the fact that a psychotherapist usually works using conversational methods, this work also has a scientific basis and is strictly regulated, unlike the services of fortune-tellers and all sorts of esoteric specialists.
The task of a psychotherapist is not only to help the client find a way out of the problem, but also to develop his personality.
The most important role in psychotherapy is played by the relationship between the client and the therapist, which is built on unconditional acceptance and trust.
At the same time, the psychotherapist strictly adheres to ethical principles - he does not sleep with the client, does not befriend him, and does not show violence.
Since there are a huge variety of methods and approaches in psychotherapy, it is important to choose exactly the one that will be effective for you and, of course, we must not forget that the psychotherapist himself is also suitable for you and you feel comfortable working with him.
Common requests for work in psychotherapy are fears, anxiety, stress, depression, trauma, relationships.
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Date of update: 04/18/2024 Mikhail Dickey - certified psychologist - psychotherapist - coach. Read about the author