Guides for patients and families
Short, plain answers to the questions people ask before they book, from the signs of anxiety and depression to what a first consultation involves. Each guide says when to get help and where to turn in a crisis.
All guides
Is it anxiety or stress?
Stress is a response to a pressure and usually eases when the pressure passes. Anxiety keeps going without a clear cause, or long after the cause has…
Read guideWhen should you see a psychiatrist?
See a psychiatrist when low mood, worry or other changes last two weeks or more, or when they get in the way of work, study, sleep or relationships…
Read guidePsychiatrist, psychologist or counsellor: who should you see?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can diagnose and prescribe. A clinical psychologist is trained to assess and treat conditions with therapy. A…
Read guideYour first online psychiatry consultation: what happens
You start with a free pre-consultation call, then meet your psychiatrist by video. They already know your history, so the session focuses on how you…
Read guideExam stress or something more?
Stress before an exam is normal. Worry, low mood or withdrawal that lasts two weeks or more, or that affects sleep and daily life, is a sign to talk…
Read guideHow to support someone who feels hopeless
Take it seriously, stay with them and help them reach support. If they may be in danger, call Tele-MANAS on 14416 or 112 straight away.
Read guideTrouble sleeping: when does it need help?
Insomnia disorder means trouble falling or staying asleep, or waking too early, three nights a week or more for three months or longer, with…
Read guideBaby blues or postpartum depression?
The baby blues bring tearfulness and mood swings in the first days and pass within about two weeks. Low mood that lasts longer, or is severe, may be…
Read guideIs online psychiatry legal in India?
Yes. India's Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, issued in 2020, allow registered medical practitioners to consult patients by video, phone or message…
Read guideYour rights under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017
The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 gives people with mental illness in India the right to access care, to confidentiality, to equal treatment with…
Read guideHow common are mental health problems in India?
About 1 in 10 adults in India (10.6%) had a mental disorder at the time of the National Mental Health Survey, 2015-16. Many of them were not…
Read guideDoes online therapy work?
For many people, yes. Research comparing video therapy with in-person therapy for depression has found similar results. CBT, a first-line talk…
Read guideHow to talk to your family about mental health
Choose a calm moment, say what you have noticed in plain words, and ask for one specific thing, such as coming with you to a consultation. Many…
Read guideHow families can support someone in treatment
Families help most by listening without judging, supporting the treatment plan and looking after their own wellbeing. For an adult, the person in…
Read guideCommon myths about psychiatric medicines
Many beliefs about psychiatric medicines are wrong. Common antidepressants are not addictive, medicines do not change who you are, and not everyone…
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