Psychiatry is the branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Just like any other medical specialty, Psychiatrists are doctors first and specialists second. Psychiatry thus is just a medical career and shares with other medical disciplines the authority to prescribe drugs and recommended treatments. Psychiatrists are skilled doctors who help people cope with their mental health problems and ensure they make progress towards a solution after other help has failed. People who have mental health problems are often unhappy, disturbed, dissatisfied, and sometimes considered to be a burden. They also have feelings that suggest they are different from the rest of the world and find it difficult to trust many people around them. The Psychiatrist is one person who can make a difference and can give hope at the most difficult of times. Psychiatrists can make a huge contribution in treating a person and also improving the quality of life of that person, reducing stress, and improving the social condition of the person.
On the other hand, Psychology is the science of human and animal behavior; it includes the application of this science to human problems. As the definition suggests it is often used to solve real-life problems. Just like a physician or engineer develops his/her skills and uses scientific knowledge and solve problems, psychologists have been trained, in the artistry, or knack, of applying psychology in clinical practice.
It is the balance of both Psychiatry and Psychology, along with the help of Psychiatrists and Psychologists that one effectively treats a mental health problem. As it stands ours is a country with a lack of medical facilities and a lot of stigma towards mental health illness. It is considered a big taboo to discuss it. We need to eliminate this issue in our country and also start awareness campaigns about mental health illnesses. It is the need of the hour that all resources are utilised and an all-out attack is launched to fight mental health problems to improve the quality of life of people and reduce the burden on our society.