That is when most seek help from mental health professionals (MHPs). Deciding which MHP to approach has always been confusing and challenging owing to lack of awareness, myths and stigma that prevails in the society.

Let’s try to understand the roles of different MHPs through an example from the maternity ward of a hospital.

It has just been 2 days since Mrs X delivered her first child. Though everyone around her were rejoicing the arrival of the new born, Mrs X doesn’t seem to experience the same happiness, instead she has been crying frequently, getting irritated on petty issues and is unable to sleep or eat well.

These symptoms are quite common among mothers who have just delivered, and they usually fade away with time. The need of the hour to help Mrs X would be to take adequate rest and get reassurance and support from her family members.

Now let us see what’s going on in the mind of another mother

Mrs Y is also experiencing the same symptoms as Mrs X but it has been more than 2 weeks and she also reports an overwhelming sense of fatigue and worthlessness. Despite taking good rest and having very supportive family members around her she continues to suffer.

To help Mrs Y it would be advisable to seek help of a professional, who could provide psychotherapy. Through psychotherapy she can find better ways to cope with her feelings, solve problems and respond to situations in a positive manner.

Let us  have a look at what Mrs Z had experienced.

Within a week of her delivery, Mrs Z started getting obsessive thoughts about her baby, was expressing suicidal thoughts, and had also tried to harm herself.

Now this is a condition which requires immediate treatment in form of medicines or other physical therapies to help save both the mother and the child. No form of reassurance or therapy alone at this stage would suffice.

From these scenarios, it is clear that the management of a patient is tailor-made and requires detailed evaluation by a professional. Mrs Y would require the support of a psychiatrist or a psychologist and Mrs Z would require a psychiatrist primarily. As a patient it would be difficult to decide which form of treatment would be most effective for them. It is also difficult for them to suspect if there is any other underlying medical condition that is causing or worsening the symtpoms.

To conclude, psychiatrists and psychologists work as a team and refer patients to each other depending on the necessity. So in case you know someone (could be you) who is going through mental discomfort, the best place to start is with someone you feel most comfortable.