What doctor prescribes antidepressants

Medical research has brought newer antidepressants to the forefront, which are generally safer and easier to prescribe than the previous generations of antidepressants. With the newer medications also comes more educational material for family practitioners, which is crucial considering it is family doctors who treat a majority of the people who seek help for depression.

Receiving a proper diagnosis is one key to successful treatment of depression. Depression is not a one-size-fits-all condition, so symptoms often vary widely from patient to patient. Without proper training, the physical symptoms become the focus of treatment, while the depression lurks undiagnosed.

Some general practitioners are uncomfortable dealing with depression and mental illness, so when a patient presents with physical issues related to depression, those issues may be taken at face value.

Figuring out whether depression is the underlying cause of physical symptoms may not occur if the right questions are not asked. If you suspect your symptoms may be related to depression, ask your doctor if they can help or if they would prefer to refer you to a specialist.

Because depression is multifaceted, it does take more time than what many general practitioners have during the day to provide sufficient care for many mental health issues, including depression.

Doctors need time to ask the right questions to determine if patients are depressed. Comments 0. Top Stories. Judges in Arbery, Rittenhouse cases frustrated as they work to maintain fair trials 2 hours ago. Nov 10, AM.

Missing Hawaii girl's adoptive parents arrested and charged with murder Nov 11, AM. Expert at Rittenhouse trial zeroes in on just a few minutes 13 minutes ago. ABC News Live. Psychologists are professionals who are prepared at the doctoral level in most states. In some states they can write prescriptions. However, their main focus is psychotherapy or talk therapy.

They hold advanced degrees in the science of behavior, thoughts, and emotions. After getting their degrees, they must go through an internship to learn how to perform advanced psychological testing and therapy.

Similar to physicians, they must be licensed in their state of practice in order to provide care. They help patients learn how to cope with mental health problems and day-to-day life issues in a healthy way.

They are trained to help individuals with emotional situations. Although social workers have less schooling than psychologists, they can be just as helpful. Psychologists and psychiatrists have a lot in common, but they also have some key differences. Depression isn't a simple condition with a known cause.

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Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Ruling Out Other Conditions. Doctor vs. Mental Health Professional. Psychiatrist as a First Choice. The Path to Healing. Symptoms of Depression Clinical depression, also called major depression, can have a range of ongoing symptoms.

Depression Treatment. What's the Difference Between a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist? Depression Discussion Guide Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor's appointment. Download PDF. General Practitioner MD Can diagnose depression and medical conditions causing or contributing to it Can prescribe medication for depression Cannot provide psychotherapy.

Psychiatrist MD Can diagnose specific mental health conditions Psychiatrist can prescribe and fine-tune antidepressant medications Can provide psychotherapy. What Is the Chemistry Behind Depression? Verywell Mind's Online Therapy Awards, presenting the best providers across 20 important categories. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up.