Psychology and Psychiatry are professions that complement one another in the study, identification and treatment of mental health problems. They cover large areas of research in the complex web of human behaviour, both normal and abnormal. Psychology and Pseudoscience
The studies of these two fields rely greatly on observatory and statistic data, with a lot of research and interviews done based on scientific theories and analysis of the human mind. Psychiatry and Pseudoscience
Unlike science based medicine, psychiatry and pseudoscience have failed to find biological markers with which to identify a mental illness despite 100 years of extensive research. They also are unique in not having a defined pathology or etiology for any disorder. It has no cures. Not one for the 300+ recognised 'illnesses'. This is because the 'mind' is not considered within science to be a physical object and therefore the very concept of 'mental' health, or 'diseases' of the mind is not scientifically valid and diagnosises are based off only on scientific theories. Differences
Psychology and Psychiatry The basic difference between a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist is in the nature of their training. Psychologists are university trained in Psychology programs that focus on the connections between the brain and behavior, research techniques, and methods of treating behavior problems. A Psychiatrist, on the other hand, is a Medical Doctor or M.D. who has specialized in both the study of the physical brain and psychology and how these interact to create the human personality. The nature of their training permits psychiatrists to prescribe medication as a means of helping a client to deal with their problems. Psychology and Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is literally, a fake body of knowledge. True science relies on the scientific method, the process of observing and collecting evidence to test a hypothesis and formulate a theory. A “hard” science, such as biology, collects this evidence through true experiments, in which independent variables are manipulated by the experimenter in order to cause a change in a dependent variable. Psychology is typically regarded as “soft” science, because many of the variables are not directly observable. Psychology is a science of the mind; variables include emotions and behaviour. Psychology uses experimental methods to study human behaviour and thought processes, and that is what makes psychology a “soft” science. Psychiatry and Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is a body of knowledge, methodology, belief or practice that is claimed to be scientific or made appear to be, but does not adhere to the scientific methods. Psychiatry is a field of mental medicine aiming to study, prevent, and treat mental disorders in humans. It has been described as an intermediary between the world from a social context and the world from the perspective of those who are mentally ill.
