Psychologist Or Psychiatrist? How To Figure Out Who To Go To?

When we have a bright thought “isn’t it time to go to a psychotherapist?”, we face two main problems: we know little about how to choose a specialist in this field, and at the same time, discussing mental problems and their treatment. We are already in doubt whether there really is some kind of illness or it’s all imaginary, and we still need to start talking about it with friends or calling doctors. 

Difficulties and the frightening uncertainty quickly become strong arguments in favor of “giving up and waiting to see what happens.” We will not lie that choosing a mental health doctor is a quick and easy process, but we will help make it less scary and confusing.

Psychologist, psychiatrist and psychotherapist – what is the difference?

Psychologist

A psychologist is not considered a doctor. He does not diagnose or prescribe medications. A psychologist will help you understand yourself: better understand your own desires and character, set goals and priorities, identify what worries or irritates you, and simply make your life better, easier and more enjoyable. Mentally healthy people who are temporarily in a difficult situation or experiencing some kind of crisis come to such specialists.

Psychotherapist

A psychotherapist is a doctor who specializes in psychiatry and has a certificate in psychotherapy, which a regular psychologist cannot obtain. You should go to this specialist if you notice that your health has worsened and your behavior has changed. For example, you have become more angry or tired more quickly, you sleep poorly, or you cannot eat at all. 

You should also go to a psychotherapist if you have experienced a serious shock in your life that you cannot cope with - the death or illness of a loved one, you have had a difficult breakup with a friend or partner, or you have become a victim of some kind of accident. As a rule, such situations seriously affect the psyche and health, so it is very important to stop the consequences. A psychotherapist can use psychological methods and prescribe medications if you cannot cope with the problem without medications.

Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a doctor who deals with mental disorders and pathologies. Their patients suffer from serious illnesses that can only be dealt with through long-term medication and therapy, and possibly even hospitalization. You are unlikely to get to a psychiatrist right away; usually, a psychotherapist refers you to one who believes that the patient has a more serious problem than he or she thought. 

If you think that you are facing mental health problems, such as psychosis, schizophrenia, epilepsy, bipolar disorder or a severe phobia, you can go to a psychiatrist. If you have suicidal thoughts, you can contact a psychotherapist. After a suicide attempt, patients are usually sent only to psychiatrists.

Decide what goals you are pursuing

You need a private psychiatric clinic and the help of its specialists if you have been experiencing emotions for a long time that make your life uncomfortable. 

It can be almost any strong feeling. As a rule, we are talking about unfounded attacks of anger, apathy, and anxiety. At the same time, you cannot get the annoying thoughts out of your head. As a result, you stop feeling joy from what used to bring you pleasure.

As a result, people suffering from constant discomfort decide to drown it out with alcohol, drugs, endless parties, or, on the contrary, withdraw into themselves. If you understand that you are losing control, you need to consult a mental health doctor.

During your first appointment with a specialist, don't expect to be told a magic secret on how to get back to normal. You will need to tell the specialist what problem you would like to solve. So before you go to the specialist, formulate for yourself what is troubling you. You can even establish a kind of priority.

Make sure that the psychiatrist has the necessary qualifications

Psychiatric care can only be provided by qualified specialists who have the appropriate education and license. A psychiatrist works with patients who have encountered such mental disorders that have led to changes at the organic level. In milder forms of disorders, help from a psychologist may be sufficient.

If you are faced with depression, you should first of all contact a psychotherapist. But if a clinical form of depression has been diagnosed, you need a private psychiatrist. After all, only a psychiatrist with experience working with such patients will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and choose the best treatment option. Note that, with such conditions, you cannot do without medication support.

Explore different options

We do not recommend contacting specialists whose advertisement you first saw in the subway. The best option is private psychiatric clinics, but here too you should study the various options to make a truly correct decision.

In order not to make a mistake, you should understand in advance what level of education you would like to see. Therefore, study in advance the information about both the clinic and the specific specialist you plan to contact.

Also compare the cost of services. Do not contact a specialist just because he offers the lowest prices. As a rule, this indicates that the psychiatrist has minimal experience.

Identify your red flags

Already during the first consultation, you will notice if there is something in the specialist's behavior that you do not like. These are called "red flags." The more of them there are, the more likely it is that this specialist is not right for you. Often, patients decide to change specialists precisely because of the antipathy that has arisen. After all, in such situations, effective treatment will not work.

In your city, you can select a psychiatrist without problems. After all, the market of offers is very wide. Therefore, try to find a specialist with whom you will be truly comfortable and you will be able to work through the problem you have encountered. 

Reasons to Refuse the Services of a Psychiatrist

Unfortunately, many specialists put the financial component first, not the patient's health. You should run away from such psychiatrists. Therefore, we recommend that you be wary if, during the first meeting, the specialist offers you to sign a contract for a very long period. You should not do this until you are 100% sure that you want to work with him in the future. It is considered normal practice to pay only for the upcoming session in advance.

Often, unscrupulous psychiatrists force a person to undergo therapy, assuring that if they refuse, all the results will be lost, and the condition will only worsen. Such statements should always be questioned.

As you can see, there are quite a few pitfalls. Therefore, if you need a psychiatrist in Kyiv, we recommend that you seek help from a specialized certified clinic that is ready to provide you with a wide choice of qualified specialists of different profiles.

How to find a good mental health doctor?

You will not find a universal description of a good mental health doctor, because the degree of your comfort and trust in the doctor depends primarily on your character, life experience and habits.

Tips for Choosing a mental health doctor

• Don't listen to your friends

It is believed that you should start looking for a good mental health doctor with recommendations from friends. Ask who went to which doctor and how much he helped them cope with the problem. In fact, this is not the best idea, because a psychotherapist should not work with several acquaintances. If your friend has already told the doctor something about you, this can affect the doctor's attitude to your problems.

• Choose trusted clinics

But you can listen to your friends when choosing a clinic. If they were satisfied with one doctor, most likely, there are other good specialists in the institution. Study the clinic's website, read reviews, and check how long the hospital has been operating. Keep in mind that almost all private institutions guarantee anonymity, unlike state ones.

• Pay attention to education and specialty

When choosing a doctor on the clinic's website or calling a candidate for your psychotherapist, pay attention to his or her education. The doctor must have a certificate in psychotherapy and a diploma in the specialization "psychiatry". Having an academic degree and title is also an excellent sign of experience. 

Psychotherapists often participate in conferences and symposiums, write books and scientific articles. You can find all this information about the doctor on the Internet. And be sure to inquire how long the specialist has been practicing teens or adult mental health therapy, to know for sure that he or she not only writes books, but also works with clients.

• Run if you are immediately prescribed pills

Yes, a psychotherapist can prescribe pills, but he or she should not do so at the very first meeting. Most antidepressants, neuroleptics, and psycholeptics are very strong drugs that can even make you feel worse for a while. A mental illness, unlike the flu, sore throat, and even venereal disease, cannot be diagnosed by examination and test results. 

You need to attend several sessions so that the psychotherapist understands exactly what problem you are facing and how serious the treatment is. Even the most experienced doctor will not be able to accurately determine the ideal antidepressant and dosage for you from the very first minutes.

• Take a closer look at the office

The setting and atmosphere are very important. You probably don’t want to be frank in a white and gray office with metal furniture and thick layers of dust. You should feel comfortable during the session. That’s why many therapists come to clients’ homes or see them at their place, rather than in a clinic. 

Some therapists suggest talking face to face - then you should be comfortable sitting in a chair. Other therapists suggest lying on a couch or sofa and avoiding eye contact if it’s confusing. Then, of course, you should be comfortable and pleasant lying in front of a stranger.

• Don't quit after the first session

If you haven't been given powerful doses of antidepressants and neuroleptics right from the start, don't rush to dump the doctor right after the first session. Several meetings to get an accurate diagnosis are necessary not only for him, but for you as well. Of course, at first it's hard to relax and trust the psychotherapist. 

Both you and he are carefully testing the waters and looking for the boundaries of trust. To make sure the doctor is right for you or if you need to go looking for another specialist, give each other at least one more chance. This way you'll be able to understand more precisely what exactly you didn't like.

• Don't get too close to the doctor

The therapist should suit you: you feel comfortable and at ease with him, you can trust him, he does not cause you rejection or other negative emotions. But he should never be your friend. And even more so, you cannot start an affair or a fling with the doctor. 

If the therapist allows himself excessive attempts to get closer in any sense of the word, immediately stop therapy, otherwise you will have to treat him three times harder later.