Are Psychiatric Disorders Medical Disorders?

I can see the difference as you describe it, but I also see that at least in some cases they are treated with medication, and are, therefore, medical as well. I think we are lacking in a differentiation for them that really is accurate. Some chemical imbalances cause psychiatric disorders. I guess that mental disorders that are not treated medically are not medical disorders.

Medicine is a wide term and encompasses many things - including Psychiatry. I see it this way - there are two typical ways that people can acquire psychiatric disorders - one relates to complete thoughts only - nothing else involved here. How you perceive, interpret things and that perception and interpretation is supposed to be wrong as per the norms prevalent. This is completely and only psychiatric disorder. Other aspect - for instance - you took some medications and they caused/triggered the disorder. Now such cases are not completely psychological but a result of something that went wrong - on my example, it was medications, on others, it may be hormones or even other things. If these can be cured via medicines, they should fall under the Medical Disorders. note: I am not a medic or even anywhere related to psychiatry, I am just putting across my view. I would be interested to know more, though.

Sometimes it's good to know what kind of person you are but all those mental illnesses and labels and exams can be a hindrance. It's like you get to be judged by what you say and do once you declare you have such and such mental illness. In this day and age I don't think anyone is "normal" anymore. Like who is normal these days anyway? I'd rather not know what's wrong with my mind but I like taking personality tests when I feel like it.

That seems to tread a fine line actually. Mental disorders I would say would be Tourettes or maybe Autism. Psychological disorders are more on the lines of depression. But both are related to the brain. At least that's how I see it.

I think it all depends on what caused the mental challenge, if it is due to a malfunction of proper hormones getting to the proper destinations then that should be medical, a friend of mine has severe depression due to a lack of hormones that regulate behavior.

I take meds for anxiety... sometimes it works, sometimes they don't. Maybe I should look into the difference!!

I kind of understand your differentiation between different disorders but I think that any illness or disorder is medical, at least under 'medical' as an umbrella term, even if they have different effects and diagnostic processes.

Well, I was given tests for psychiatric disorders. It was a written test so there is a test. Fibromyalgia is a medical disorder but there are really no tests to back the illness up. There is the tender points test but that is hardly as scientific as an x-ray or blood test. Also, all psychiatrists are medical doctors. They have to be medical doctors first and then they choose a specialty field like obstetrics or, in this case, psychiatry. So for those reasons I believe psychological disorders are medical.

Hi Zola. I believe the two are often intertwined. I do think that in a lot of cases, the two can be separated, due to the fact that a chemical imbalance in the brain (physical) may cause a psychiatric disorder(mental). But indeed they can be distinctly separate as well. Its a tough question.

unless there is a neurotransmitter problem then that could probably consider a medical disorder? I am not sure but this is what I think.