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Ever since I decided to chase a career in psychiatry, I've been dipping my foot in psychology a little just so if someone should ask the difference I'd be able to tell them a few things. What I got to find out is just how similar they are. I always thought psychiatry was all about schizophrenia and people who were severely affected by mental health issues. But many times, doctors and psychologists either share this space or work hand in hand
I am not going to lie, the thought of giving someone advice about their life and maybe somehow figuring out my life really keeps me moving in this direction but it really is not all about that. Talk therapy is way more than giving advice, in fact, it really is more of figuring out what you want to do about a situation...in a way that gives every part of your peace.
Similar Origins
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Both fields deal with mental health and share similar beginnings. In both fields, you'll hear similar names getting thrown around. The most popular thrown around name is Sigmund Freud
Sig is the father of psychoanalysis and although he didn't like to be called a psychiatrist, He did a little bit of psychiatry stuff. For example, when he would prescribe for his friend who was depressed. He also tried the same prescription when he felt depressed.
Much of what we know about modern brain function is because of the mistakes of the past. Sig's prescription later allowed the death of his friend and to date, no one prescribes that medication.
The medication Fraud had for depression was in everything back then anyway. It was a friendly neighbourhood drug that is well known now to be dangerous. Cocaine!!
Things we do differently
The most important difference is in the use of medication. Both fields are interested in how the mind works but we go about it differently.
To be a psychiatrist you have through years of the trained as a medical doctor and then specialise in psychiatry. To be a psychologist you need to take courses in psychology and specialise in clinical psychology to start seeing patients.
Doctors understand pharmacology and drug action better among the two specialties so psychiatrists prescribe medication while psychologists can't. On the other hand, psychologists are better trained in talk therapy than psychiatrists and will do a more thorough job seeing as that is what they are better specialised for.
Doing talk therapy means that you spend more time with each patient. Psychiatrists typically have a longer waiting room full of patients and most of the discussions are centred around how they feel in response to certain drugs whereas a psychologist will try to dig deeper and it is similar to those sessions that TV propagates every so often. Check out this cool page about fictional psychologists.
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Where I trained and Where I'm training
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Where I trained at the University of Portharcourt I was thought psychiatry by a few of the best and well known in the country. Among the big names is Prof PC Stanley. For the purposes of discussing mental health and feelings, the PC in his name does not stand for Politically Correct.
Ever since I got to Anambra and expressed my willingness to learn, I have had all the consultants here ask me if I know him.
Many of my lecturers and fun to be around but he always seemed so much like a father in the game.
At the time of doing our ward posting in psychiatry, I was having a 3 months resit for the exams of the formal class so I did not join my class in the rotation.
I never knew psychiatrists refer patients to psychologists until now.
Right now, I am in a university where they don't have wards for psychiatry patients but they have a clinic. I visited the clinic and I saw some patients with the consultants there.
I enjoyed working with Dr Onu the main consultant in the hospital...He showed me hospitality and told me he would help me with whatever I needed to study for my primaries in psychiatry.
We saw 1 patient who was dealing with drug abuse or drug abuse was dealing with him. He had been suspended from his university because of his use of illicit substances.
Dr Onu referred him to a psychologist for 4 sessions of CBT. He said after that session he could certify him for the university.
The other case I saw was Had to have been Paranoid schizophrenia. I didn't stick around till the end of the session but that was the only diagnosis I had in mind while listening to the complaints of the patient. I might be wrong because the patient didn't have other signs of schizophrenia but the thought that the Local Government Chairman is after your life definitely points to some mark paranoia.
That's the most I can take for this short introduction to psychiatry by me.
I hope you enjoyed reading this and you got something new.
Key points
- Psychiatry and Psychology are similar, they share origins.
- Psychiatrists prescribe drugs and Psychologist do not.
- Psychologists are better trained for talk therapy than psychiatrists.
Case Presentation
I will be summarising a case presentation by Dr Aziz Mohammad from slide share.
His case presentation is about a young man who presented to his hospital with complaints of:
- Social withdrawal of 1-month duration
- Suspicion, aggression, sleeplessness and not eating of 3 days duration.
He has no past psychiatric history
On Examination, His general condition was stable, on restraints and resisted examination.
Deep tendon reflexes were brisk on all 4 limbs.
Investigations done were Full blood count, Chest X-ray (I don't know why though), Magnetic Resonance Imagining, Hepatitis B surface antigen and Hepatitis C viral antibody and Serum electrolytes urea and creatinine. Values were all within the normal range. RBG was 78mg/dl
An assessment of Acute Transient psychotic disorder was made.
He was admitted to the psychiatric ward and immediately tranquillized.
He was placed on Intravenous Fluid (%5 Dextros Water), Intramuscular Antisphychotics (5mg*2 Haloperidon twice daily) and Intravenous anxiolytics (10 mg Diazepam) and the patient's relatives were cancelled on the diagnosis.
Finally, a consult was sent to the medical team to review the patient.