Treatment of mental disorders has taken two main directions. At one end of the spectrum, psychiatrists were treating mental illness as a physical problem and developed new techniques such as lobotomy and electroshock therapy. At the other end of the spectrum, psychologists sought to understand mental illness through the study of human behavior. They explored ways to change people’s attitudes and behaviors. Psychotherapy was born out of these developments.
Although they might not agree on the root causes of mental disorders, psychologists accept the effectiveness of both physical therapies and psychological treatments together. As a result of this diffusion, psychiatrists also acknowledge the benefits of therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), an approach based on changing the thoughts and beliefs people hold about themselves and others, rather than trying to modify their behavior through medication, psychotherapy, or another method. While psychologists recognize the success of treatment involving drugs and psychotherapy, techniques are used to change behaviors or emotional states by influencing thinking processes.
