The presence of different professional figures who apparently seem to deal with the same subject, the care of the mind, is often misleading. So it happens that for frankly psychological problems one ends up consulting, for example, a neurologist who does not deal with psychology; In these cases, the problem is not addressed and the person in question does not resolve their own difficulties.
The choice between a psychologist and a neurologist can sometimes seem confusing and, before choosing the professional you decide to trust, it is good to understand what the differences between neurology and psychologywhich we will delve into together in this Psychology-Online article.
What is neurology and its characteristics
Neurology is a medical discipline whose purpose is the analysis and research of the nervous system. One of the most notable characteristics of this specialty is that it is in continuous development; Its rapid advance means that more and more is known about brain function and how to treat diseases of the nervous system.
For its part, the neurologist is a doctor specialized in neurology, and deals with diagnosis and treatment of problems affecting the brain, spinal cord and nerves, but without resorting to surgery, the scope of action of the neurosurgeon.
What type of diseases does the neurologist treat? Many are more specialized in a particular area of neurology, for example, in the treatment of stroke, epilepsy, neuromuscular problems, sleep disorders, pain, tumors of the nervous system or typical problems of the elderly. The most common neurological diseases are:
- Epilepsy.
- Brain tumors.
- Neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia).
- Cerebrovascular diseases (such as ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke).
- Infectious diseases (such as encephalitis and meningitis).
- Myopathies and neuropathies.
What is psychology and its characteristics
To determine the difference between a psychologist and a neurologist, you first need to know what psychology is as a discipline. Among the characteristics of this discipline, the research of topics that address most vital conflicts that occur in people’s daily lives.
So, what does a psychologist do? The therapist’s functions are based on the evaluation of the concerns that his patients have to provide advice, in order to improve your well-being on an emotional and physical level. This is due to the personal growth that the individual experiences from the implementation of the different resources or tools that they learn in therapy.
One of the differences between neurology and psychology lies precisely in the different areas where a certain treatment is applied. That is, while neurology studies and tries to solve problems that affect the brain, spinal cord and nerves; A psychologist applies his treatment in the following cases:
- Anxiety disorder.
- Bipolar disorder.
- Post-traumatic stress disorders.
- sexual problems.
- Psychosomatic problems.
- Depressive disorders.
- Couple conflicts.
- Personality disorders.
What are the differences between neurology and psychology
Below, the four reasons why there are differences between neurology and psychology are listed and explained with examples:
The object of study
Neurology is the branch of medicine that deals with study and treatment of disorders of the nervous systemboth the central (the brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral (made up of all the other nervous elements, including the structures present in the eyes, ears and skin).
Psychology, on the other hand, is a science that deals with the processes of the mind, behavior and human relationships in order to promote the improvement of the quality of life. If you want to know more, we recommend reading our post about .
Pre-registration of medications
Another difference between neurology and psychology is that the neurologist is a doctor capable of prescribing medications as well as requiring and evaluating clinical examinations (electroencephalogram, CT, etc.).
The psychologistson the contrary, have degrees in psychology and, therefore, They cannot prescribe medications or give medical indications; but they can carry out interventions for prevention, diagnosis, habilitation-rehabilitation activities and support in the psychological field.
The brain and psyche
In psychological disorders, the brain organ functions well, but the person suffers and has symptoms of mental origin. That is to say, the brain and the psyche are two different things and, therefore, the way of addressing the problems that may arise in different fields will be different.
It’s more, the psyche It is based on the brain, but It is much broader and understands personality and everything that has to do with being yourself.
The treatment
As a result of their differences, both disciplines join forces to cover the treatment of a person who has a disorder in the nervous system and, therefore, also develops psychological complications.
That’s why, The neurologist collaborates with the psychological team when psychological and relational difficulties arise that can arise in people with alterations in the nervous system (anxiety and depression problems, for example).
If you liked this article about the differences between neurology and psychology, we recommend this other post about .
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Differences between neurology and psychologywe recommend that you enter our category.
Bibliography
- Rotondo, A. (2020). The difference between psychiatrist, neurologist and psychologist. Retrieved from: https://www.alessandrorotondo.com/blog/la-differenza-fra-psichiatra-neurologo-e-psicologo/