Quick-Reference Guide – Psychology for Everyone

Who should I see?

Use this table as a starting point when you are not sure which door to knock on first.

If your situation is…	A good first step	Why
Ongoing stress, grief, or a rough patch in life	Counsellor, psychologist, or your family doctor	Talk-based support is often enough
Worry, fear, or panic that is hard to control	Family doctor, then a psychologist or therapist	CBT and similar therapies work well for anxiety
Low mood for more than two weeks	Family doctor, psychologist, or psychiatrist	Therapy, medicine, or both may help
Hearing voices, seeing things, or strong unusual beliefs	Psychiatrist or urgent medical assessment	Needs a medical evaluation and often medicine
Mood swings with periods of very high energy	Psychiatrist	Bipolar disorder usually needs medical treatment
Trouble paying attention or sitting still since childhood	Psychologist, pediatrician, or psychiatrist	A full assessment is needed for ADHD
Memory loss or confusion in an older person	Family doctor, then a neurologist or geriatric specialist	Many causes, some of them reversible
Problems with alcohol or drugs	Family doctor, addiction service, or psychiatrist	Withdrawal can be dangerous without supervision
Thoughts of suicide or self-harm	Emergency services or the nearest hospital	Immediate safety comes first
You are unsure	Your family doctor	A safe, easy place to start

The professionals at a glance

Titles and training differ between countries, but these are the usual roles.

Professional	Medical doctor?	Can prescribe?	Typical focus
Psychiatrist	Yes	Yes	Diagnosis, medicine, severe or complex illness
Clinical psychologist	No	Usually no	Assessment, psychological testing, therapy
Counselling psychologist	No	No	Emotional, work, and relationship issues
Psychotherapist	Varies	No	Longer-term talk therapy
Counsellor	No	No	Guidance and support for life problems
Psychiatric nurse	No	Sometimes	Ongoing care, medicine monitoring, support
Social worker	No	No	Practical help, family and community resources
Occupational therapist	No	No	Daily living, work, and coping skills
Neurologist	Yes	Yes	Diseases of the brain and nerves
Peer support worker	No	No	Sharing lived experience and hope

Common conditions at a glance

Each condition below is described in more detail in Volume 2.

Condition	Core experience	Usual first treatments
Generalised anxiety	Constant, hard-to-control worry with tension	CBT, relaxation skills, sometimes medicine
Panic disorder	Sudden waves of intense fear with body symptoms	CBT, breathing skills, sometimes medicine
Social anxiety	Fear of being judged in social situations	CBT with gradual exposure, sometimes medicine
Phobia	Intense fear of a specific object or situation	Exposure therapy
OCD	Unwanted thoughts and repeated rituals	CBT with exposure and response prevention, medicine
PTSD	Re-experiencing, avoidance, and alertness after trauma	Trauma-focused therapy, sometimes medicine
Depression	Low mood or lost interest with changes in sleep and energy	Therapy, medicine, or both, plus activity and support
Bipolar disorder	Episodes of depression and of elevated or irritable mood	Mood stabilisers and other medicines, therapy
ADHD	Ongoing inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity	Education, skills coaching, sometimes medicine
Autism	Differences in communication, social interaction, and sensory experience	Support, adjustments, and skills-based help
Schizophrenia	Psychosis plus changes in motivation and thinking	Antipsychotic medicine, therapy, family and community support
Eating disorders	Harmful patterns around food, weight, and body image	Specialist therapy and medical monitoring
Substance use disorder	Continued use despite harm and difficulty stopping	Medical support, therapy, mutual-help groups
Insomnia	Ongoing trouble sleeping with daytime effects	CBT for insomnia, sleep habits, medical review

Therapies at a glance

Many therapies overlap, and a good therapist often blends several of them.

Therapy	Main idea	Often used for
CBT	Change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours	Anxiety, depression, OCD, insomnia
Behavioural activation	Rebuild rewarding, meaningful activities	Depression
ACT	Accept difficult feelings and act on values	Anxiety, depression, chronic pain
DBT	Skills for emotions, distress, and relationships	Intense emotions, self-harm urges
Psychodynamic	Explore past experiences and hidden patterns	Long-standing relationship and identity issues
Interpersonal therapy	Improve relationships and role changes	Depression
EMDR and trauma-focused CBT	Process traumatic memories safely	PTSD and trauma
Family therapy	Improve communication and support at home	Youth problems, psychosis, relationship conflict
Group therapy	Learn and heal with others who share an experience	Many conditions
Mindfulness-based programmes	Train attention and acceptance	Recurrent depression, stress

Medicine groups at a glance

This table describes groups of medicines in general terms. It does not list doses and does not replace a prescriber’s advice.

Group	Used mainly for	Good to know
Antidepressants	Depression, anxiety, OCD	Often take several weeks to work; do not stop suddenly
Anti-anxiety medicines	Short-term relief of severe anxiety	Some can cause dependence and are used with care
Mood stabilisers	Bipolar disorder	May need regular blood tests
Antipsychotics	Psychosis, bipolar disorder, severe agitation	Side effects such as weight gain and drowsiness need monitoring
Stimulant and non-stimulant ADHD medicines	ADHD	Require careful prescribing and review
Sleep medicines	Short-term sleep problems	Not a long-term answer; sleep habits matter more
Medicines for addiction	Alcohol, opioid, and nicotine dependence	Work best alongside counselling and support

Warning signs at a glance

Contact a professional soon if you notice any of these for more than about two weeks, or sooner if they are severe:

Persistent sadness, emptiness, or irritability
Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
Big changes in sleep or appetite
Constant worry, fear, or panic
Withdrawing from friends, family, work, or school
Feeling worthless, guilty, or hopeless
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Using alcohol or drugs to cope
Strange experiences, such as hearing voices or feeling watched
Thoughts of harming yourself or others

This book is for education and general awareness. It does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a qualified professional. If anyone is in danger, contact your local emergency services.