Psychiatrists are specialised medical doctors, they assess a person's symptoms to diagnose what could be causing a person's mental health to deteriorate. They will look at a person's physical and mental health to get a full picture of the person, so they can give an accurate diagnosis.
The diagnosis a psychiatrist gives helps to identify the treatments (like talking therapies or medication) that are most likely to help with a person recovery.
Psychiatrists often prescribe and give advice about the types of medication that can help someone feel better.
Psychiatrists can also be trained in giving certain types of talking therapies, e.g. psychotherapy, but often psychologists will be the mental health professional that will provide therapies as they are trained in more detail to unpack a person’s thoughts and feelings.
Psychiatrists, like psychologists, can provide therapies, however psychiatrists can also diagnose someone with a mental health condition and support a person’s mental health by prescribing and giving advice about the types of medication that can help someone feel better.
In summary, psychologists provide therapies and are more interested in a person’s thoughts and feelings, whereas psychiatrists diagnose mental health conditions and know how medication can positively impact a person's recovery.
Both psychiatrists and psychologists are experts in mental health treatment.