Title: Psychologist's Role in Mental Health
Headings: Is a Psychologist a Doctor?
Is a Psychologist a Doctor?
Training for Psychologists
Most Psychologists Cannot Prescribe Medications
What Psychologists Do
The Role of Psychiatrists
Other Doctors Can Prescribe Psychiatric Medications

Content: A psychiatrist is an M.D., which makes them qualified to provide prescriptions. These professionals are also trained in how to provide psychotherapy, although more and more psychiatrists are opting to concentrate on the medical aspects of treatment, preferring to instead refer their patients to another mental health professional to address the psychological aspects of their illness. Differences Between Psychologists and Psychiatrists
Other Doctors Can Prescribe Psychiatric Medications
Other physicians, such as your family doctor, may also prescribe psychiatric medications and this can be a good option for many, especially if your case is not complicated and responds well to treatment with an antidepressant . Seeing your personal physician is also a good idea in order to rule out any other potential causes for your symptoms, including certain medical illnesses like hypothyroidism and medication side effects. Both psychotherapy and medications are able to help people with depression; and, often, people will do well with just psychotherapy alone or with medications alone. Other times, a combination of both will give the best results. In cases where a person's depression has been difficult to treat or medications are not a good option, treatments such as ECT or TMS may provide better results. 2 ﻿
How to Talk to Your Doctor About Depression
Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback!