I'm Still Human: Understanding Depression With Kindness (Expanded Edition - 2021)

recognize severe depression and recommend you a psychiatrist for
more intensive treatment. On the other hand, psychiatrists often
work with clinical psychologists and counselors for the benefit of
patients, especially in terms of talk therapies.
Who to consult also depends on the available of services. Over all,
as of 2018, there are very few psychiatrists (about 400) and clinical
psychologists (about 150) in Malaysia. There are more registered
counselors (about 8000).
Due to limitation of resources, we can’t always have the best; but
we can always make the most of whatever is available.
Here’s a simple description of the overlapping roles of various
mental health professionals in Malaysia:
• Psychiatrist: a medical doctor who specializes in the
diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, e.g. depression,
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder.
• Clinical psychologist: a psychologist (with at least a master
degree in clinical psychology) who specializes in the
assessment and treatment of mental illness (including
depression).
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