Choosing between a psychiatrist and a psychologist for ADHD

You’ve decided to get ADHD treatment, which is a great first step. But when navigating treatment options, you might not know whether to see a psychologist or psychiatrist for ADHD. Both providers have different strengths, and one might be more suited to addressing your specific challenges.

Here are some things to consider when deciding between a therapist/psychologist and psychiatrist for ADHD.

1. What ADHD symptoms are affecting you?

The ADHD experience is multifaceted, and some symptoms may bother you more than others. This could depend on which type of ADHD you have and how it affects your life. ADHD affects people differently, and how much it impacts your life can depend on many factors, including:

• Which symptoms affect you most
• How severe your symptoms are
• Factors in your home, school, social, or work environments 
• What tools or coping strategies you’ve developed 
• Your support system 

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means the symptoms are related to the ways certain parts of the brain develop differently in people with ADHD. For example, differences in some parts of the brain are associated with certain challenges, including:

• Difficulty focusing
• Trouble with organizing, prioritizing, and planning ahead
• Forgetfulness
• Impulsivity
• Emotional regulation challenges
• Restlessness
• Hyperactivity

If you’re experiencing these symptoms and they’re causing you a lot of difficulty in your day-to-day life, starting with psychiatry might be best for you. Medication, especially stimulant medication, is often the most effective treatment for adult ADHD. It can help you better manage your symptoms so you can use the strategies and techniques you learn in therapy. Medication can be helpful for inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity symptoms.

Various types of providers — including psychiatrists and psychiatrist mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) — can prescribe ADHD medication. Other medical providers — like primary care physicians — can also prescribe medication to help manage your ADHD symptoms. However, it might be best to see a psychiatrist or PMHNP because they have specific training in psychiatry. A psychologist or therapist can provide a diagnosis and other types of treatment, but they won’t be able to prescribe medication.

However, ADHD isn’t only difficult to live with because of the symptoms themselves. For example, many people with ADHD deal with stigma — both from others and themselves — that can lead to poor self-esteem and even co-occurring mental health conditions, like depression.

If these are the kind of symptoms and experiences that you’re looking to address, seeing a therapist or psychologist might be the better option.

The care you need, when you need it

Learn how Rula can support your mental health journey

Subscribe

I agree to receive emails from Rula and accept the terms outlined in Client Email Consent and Privacy Policy.

2. What kind of support are you looking for?

If you’re looking to lessen your symptoms as soon as possible, seeing a psychiatrist might be the better option. ADHD medications often start to work very quickly. And psychiatrists, not psychologists, can prescribe these medications for you.

On the other hand, therapists can help you learn new strategies to implement across your life to make living with ADHD more manageable. Some psychiatrists offer therapy, but others may focus only on medication management. If you want to learn about effective tools and strategies, seeing a therapist might be the better choice.

Also, keep in mind that if you’re looking for support in terms of an assessment and diagnosis, either a psychologist/therapist or a psychiatrist can help you. Both types of providers can make ADHD diagnoses. The important thing is to look for a provider who has expertise in ADHD specifically. 

In some cases, specialized testing, called neuropsychological testing, may be helpful in diagnosis. This is especially true when someone may have a learning disability (like dyslexia) or another mental health condition. Only a licensed psychologist can perform this testing.

3. What matters most in your care experience?

It’s also important to think about what you’re looking for in an ADHD treatment provider. It’s perfectly OK to have personal preferences, including about things like your practitioner’s gender, racial background, and values. Preferences might guide your decision when you’re looking through potential treatment providers.

You might have also already tried certain treatment methods — for example, ADHD medication — and decided that you want to understand your symptoms better or need to work on ways to manage them. Or maybe the reverse is true, and you’ve tried therapy for some time and have found that it’s not as effective at relieving your symptoms as you’d hoped. At the end of the day, having a strong and trusting relationship with your provider is key.

Combining therapy and psychiatry for ADHD

The truth is that you don’t need to choose between a therapist and psychiatric provider for ADHD. For many people, a combination of both works best. This is especially true if you live with co-occurring conditions, like depression.

You might benefit from both therapy and psychiatry if you’re dealing with core ADHD symptoms and also experiencing emotional challenges, like anxiety, shame, or low self-worth. Medication may help reduce or even eliminate some symptoms, while therapy can help you work through the real-life impacts that ADHD has had on your relationships, confidence, and daily functioning.

Combining both approaches can also help you learn and implement effective strategies. Therapy can teach you new skills, and medication can help give you the mental clarity to use them. If you’re interested in both therapy and medication, you can check with your insurance provider to confirm what your plan covers. You can also ask your therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist if they can refer you to someone they work with. Many people find it helpful when their providers are already in communication with one another.

Find care with Rula

Finding ADHD treatment that meets your needs is possible. You can choose to work with a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or both. The most important thing is taking that first step to get the care that fits your life, values, and goals.

At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best.

Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 15,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we’re here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.

Find a provider with Rula