Psychiatrist or Psychologist - That Is The Question!

I've recently had a brush with mental health issues, and I have been quite confused as to how health professionals can help, and which kind was best suited to our issues.

With mental health issues on the rise all over the world (specifically in the 'developed world'), I thought I'd do a bit of research about the role of a psychiatrist versus a psychologist, and look for alternative therapies which are what we call holistic these days. Here's what I found - in a nutshell.

What is the difference between a Psychiatrist and a Psychologist?

Psychiatrists complete medical degrees before further specializing in psychiatry and therefore have a biological basis which allows them to integrate biological as well as psychological and social aspects of mental health. They are able to prescribe medications as well as understand the potential interactions between medical diseases and psychological effects.

Psychologists do further postgraduate study in psychological therapies after first completing an Arts or Science degree with psychology subjects. Psychologists are involved in providing specialized counselling called psychotherapy, doing cognitive assessments and in research. They do not prescribe medication. Generally psychiatrists and psychologists work closely together to provide a full range of psychological services." (1)

After consulting with both a psychologist and a psychiatrist, we are now on a second psychiatrist who specialises in depression in young people, and one who uses "cognitive behavioural therapy" or CBT.

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that emphasises the important role of our thinking processes in how we feel and what we do. There are some sub-therapies that come under this umbrella and I think you drill down and work out the best approach for the situation and the individual. CBT is the (relatively) faster way to recovery with 16 counselling sessions being the average number of visits. (2)

So that's good news. It's also drug-free which is even better news. For more information about CBT see the website below - it's full of helpful information.

Sources:

1. http://www.psychiatry.unimelb.edu.au/info/what_is_psych.html

2. http://www.nacbt.org/whatiscbt.htm

Toddler Mental Health

Our last Sunday's parochial paper ran an article revealing an increase in psychiatric evaluations on babies and children up to the age of four years old with feeding, sleeping or other "behavioural problems".

It cited statistics revealing that, of 200 national referrals in the 2007-08 financial year 43 were from Victoria, which increased to 180 between July 2008 - April 2009.

Apparently psychiatrists said they are helping to improve the relationship between parents and children and that issues in parent-child relationships must be resolved quickly as in any other relationship. A leading child mental health professional says it's not so much that the kids are mentally ill, but that parents are really struggling with sleep and behaviours.

There is a concern in the community and in community groups however, that normal childhood behaviours are being misunderstood and over-diagnosed and this practice is leading to increase in medication.

Where was ADD and ADHD when I was a child 25 years ago? Why are these "disorders" so prevalent today? It's such an emotive topic and a large one with no absolute answers as all children and families are different.

But I can't help feeling that western society has been totally slung off on a tangent thanks to "modern psychology", from the likes of Spock and Freud among many others. These people touted their theories many decades ago, but their questionable legacies live on into our times. Where to from here?