psychiatry

Word family

• psychiatrist
  nounB2
• psychiatric
  adjectiveB2
• psychiatrically
  adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four fields are often confused because they all deal with the mind. Psychiatry is a branch of medicine — psychiatrists are medical doctors (MDs) who can prescribe medication. Psychology is the broader scientific study of thought and behaviour; psychologists usually hold a PhD or master's degree and provide therapy but cannot prescribe medicine in most places. Psychotherapy is a treatment method — a 'talking therapy' — that can be offered by either a psychiatrist or a psychologist. Psychoanalysis is a specific, in-depth form of psychotherapy developed by Freud that explores unconscious conflicts. For example, a patient with severe depression might see a psychiatrist for medication and a psychologist for weekly talk therapy — but only the psychiatrist would adjust the drug prescription.

Common collocations

Etymology

From modern Latin 'psychiatria', created in the early 1800s from Greek 'psyche' (mind, soul, breath) and 'iatreia' (healing, medical treatment). The term replaced older labels like 'mad-doctor' and 'alienist' as the field gained scientific standing. The word entered English usage around the mid-19th century.