Neurological disorders and psychiatric disorders often share symptoms like low mood, anxiety, irritability, problems concentrating, and memory lapses. Despite the similarities, the outcomes of these conditions are quite different, which emphasizes the importance of a timely and accurate diagnosis.
Neurological disorders impact a person’s nervous system, which consists of the brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves throughout the body. This condition can affect voluntary and involuntary bodily function depending on the specific type of disorder. Common neurological disorders include:
Conversely, psychiatric disorders affect thinking, feeling, and behaviour. This includes mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Mental health disorders can also cause physical effects in some but do not contribute to progressive degeneration like many neurological conditions.
When new symptoms arise, it is best to visit your primary care doctor for an examination and symptom assessment. From there, your physician may refer you to a specialist, such as a neurologist or psychiatrist. A neurologist can perform diagnostic exams to look for any physical defects in the body that can help with diagnosis, while a psychiatrist can perform a screening to determine if a person has the hallmarks of a mental health disorder.
While neurological disorders require specialized treatment, people with these disorders may also benefit from psychiatric assistance. The symptoms caused by neurological disorders can be quite challenging to cope with, and seeing a mental health professional can help a person adapt to their new illness.