Psychiatrist or psychologist? Which one to go to in therapy?

Psychiatrist or psychologist? Who do I meet with? What is the difference between one and the other?

I intend that this is a short and concrete article that answers, neither more nor less, to the question in the title. So I'm just going to focus on the difference between the two professionals, which I understand is the most important and significant.

• Related article: "The 12 branches (or fields) of Psychology"

How to choose between a psychologist or a psychiatrist?

The cardinal difference lies in the tools that both professionals use to address the problem presented by the patient.

The main tool of the psychiatrist is the psychotropic, by means of which it tries to induce changes in brain chemistry, which in turn result in an improvement or relief of the symptoms that afflict the person.

In a complementary way, the main tool of the psychologist are the personal resources available to the patient who consults him. This professional pursues the same objective as the psychiatrist, but appealing to the strengths and abilities of the person to achieve changes in the way you think and behave.

But... which is better?

The answer is: both. As we have seen previously, they are not opposing approaches, but complementary, and there is considerable evidence that mixed treatments (combining both approaches) are generally more successful for a wide range of disorders.

The dichotomy or rivalry between psychiatrists and psychologists is a myth. With regrettable exceptions, both want the same for the patient and collaborate with each other towards that goal.

While the psychiatrist goes "from the inside out" (from the brain to the behavior), the psychologist goes "from the outside in" (from the behavior to the brain). These are two sides of the same coin.

Perhaps the reader friend may be thinking: “But how can a psychologist achieve structural changes in the brain of the patient? Don't screw me, that's only possible with a psychoactive drug! " If that's your case, you need to know that the brain changes permanently throughout our lives; in fact, it is life itself that makes it change.

When we learn to play the violin, our brain changes. When we learn a new language, our brain changes. When our partner leaves us for another, our brain changes. When the neighbor insults us because we played the music too loud, our brain changes.

And I'm being very serious, without metaphors or exaggerations. Thanks to the great permeability and capacity of the human brain to modify itself and adjust to the daily experiences and demands of the environment, we became the dominant species on the planet. So he already knows, the psychologist can do a lot for you in that regard.

Beyond psychotropic drugs

In line with the above, you should also know that while medication can be very beneficial, there is something that it cannot do for you: resolve conflicts that touch you in the lottery of life.

There are no pills to help us reconcile with a brother with whom we are estranged, for example. Or to help us choose a career to study. Or any other problem inherent in life itself that we must solve.

Psychotherapy helps us to think about what we want for ourselves and to implement the necessary steps to achieve it. No medication has yet been invented to which we can delegate these matters.

In closing, I leave you this question: What do you need if you want to learn to play the piano? The obvious answer is: A piano and a piano teacher. Well, the drug prescribed by the psychiatrist is the piano in this beautiful metaphor; and the psychologist is the teacher who teaches you to play it.