Psychiatrists can prescribe medications because they are physicians.Psychologists cannot prescribe medications because they are not physicians.

Although both therapists and psychiatrists are mental health professionals, there are key differences between the two. Therapists, also called counselors or psychologists provide talk therapy to help patients manage their mental health conditions. Psychiatrists are physicians who can prescribe medication and may also provide talk therapy to patients.

The most common type of treatment for depression is antidepressant medication. Antidepressants are drugs that relieve symptoms of depression. They can take few weeks to work, and you may need to try more than one type of medication before you find the one that works for you.

A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. A psychiatrist can prescribe medication and may also provide psychotherapy (also called "talk therapy") and other treatments. Psychiatrists also provide Electroconvulsive therapy, Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy, Deep brain stimulation or Vagus nerve stimulation therapy depending upon the doctor’s training and expertise and patient's needs.

Psychiatrists use a variety of methods to make a diagnosis, including taking medical histories, performing mental status examination, physical examination, ordering and interpreting laboratory tests and neuroimaging studies, administering psychiatric rating scales, and interviewing the person's family and other people who have known him or her well.

While both psychiatrists and psychologists are mental health professionals, they are not the same. Psychiatrists are physicians who have completed medical school and residency training in psychiatry or a fellowship training in one of the sub-specialties. Psychologists are individuals who have a bachelors , masters or doctoral degree in counseling. Both psychiatrists and psychologists can treat mental health conditions, but only psychiatrists can prescribe medication.