“Should I see a psychologist or psychiatrist for alcohol addiction?”

Thank you for your brave question and admission. You should begin with a psychotherapy practice specialized in the treatment of substance use. Unfortunately, our practice is not specialized in substance abuse, but you should be able to find resources here: https://www.samhsa.gov/.

Alcohol addiction can be psychologically and physically dangerous, and you may need to be medically detoxed, given the risk of seizure (and even death!) for people at certain levels of addiction. Having a psychiatrist would be more of an adjunct to your main treatment program which is done by a psychotherapy practice (that may include psychologists). Alcohol addiction is often best treated in temporary residential settings (what you might know as "rehab"), and I would encourage you not to be scared! Going to a rehab facility is like a big dose of care that hopefully nourishes you for a long time.

I am sorry you are going through this, and I wish you all the best in your journey.

It depends on the severity of your alcohol addiction. If mild symptoms, you need to find a psychologist who is well trained and specializes in treating substance abuse disorder because not all psychologists are equally trained in substance abuse treatment. If your level is severe, you are likely needed to see both psychiatrist (for medication to help you with craving/withdrawal; FYI withdrawal from alcohol can be life threatening and should be done in under a close medical supervision) and psychologist (to learn CBT for early recovery skills and relapse prevention). Good luck and hope this info helps!

To deal with alcohol addiction, it may be helpful to see either a psychologist or a psychiatrist, and quite possibly both. You should also consult with an internist, as there are numerous medical implications to alcohol addiction and the process of withdrawal and recovery. In addition, participation in a 12-step program is often recommended. Whatever step you decide to take first is less important than taking the first step in getting help.

Psychiatrist will help with meds and cravings and use meds that way.

You should reach out to AAA or celebrate recovery for help: maybe a therapist for underlying issues of depression/ mood disorder and or anxiety or life issues.

Hope that helps.

Both would be very helpful. Try starting with a therapist then adding some medications can also be very helpful.

Psychiatrist.

You need both, one to address medication, and another to address addiction issues. Having said that, you should definitely be in regular AA meetings.

First see this link...
https://www.northpointrecovery.com/blog/psychiatrist-vs-psychologist-vs-therapist-real-differences/
then consider
https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/how-to-find-and-choose-the-right-addiction-therapist-0723155