Depression treatment with a therapist who takes your low mood seriously

With psychological therapy, medication, or both, depending on severity. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and behavioural activation have the strongest evidence among therapies. For moderate to severe depression, antidepressants prescribed by a psychiatrist are often added. Mild to moderate depression is frequently treated with therapy alone.

A psychologist provides therapy and cannot prescribe. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe antidepressants. Many people start with a psychologist; if the depression is severe, or therapy alone is not enough, the psychologist will refer you to a psychiatrist. Both together is common and works well.

CBT for depression works on the link between what you think, what you do and how you feel. Depression installs a set of automatic thoughts, that you are a burden, that nothing will change, that there is no point, and then shrinks your life to match. CBT teaches you to catch those thoughts, test them against evidence, and act in ways that give the mood a chance to lift. It is structured, practical, and usually 8 to 16 sessions.

Often, yes. For mild to moderate depression, therapy alone is a recommended first-line treatment. For severe depression, or when there are risks to your safety, medication is usually advised alongside therapy. Your psychologist will give you an honest read on where you are and will not push either way.

Yes. Online CBT for depression has been studied extensively and produces outcomes comparable to in-person treatment. For someone whose depression makes leaving the house hard, being able to start from your own room is not a compromise. It is often the reason therapy happens at all.

Duration and reach. A bad patch lifts within days and does not touch everything. Depression lasts two weeks or more and pulls down mood, sleep, energy, interest and concentration together. The free PHQ-9 depression test gives you a validated score in two minutes; 10 or above is the usual point to talk to a professional.

Please reach out now rather than waiting for an appointment. Tele-MANAS on 14416 is India's free, 24-hour mental health helpline and works in Malayalam. Our crisis helpline page lists other options, including ones you can text. Once you are safe, therapy is exactly the right next step, and your psychologist will build a safety plan with you in the first session.

Yes. All our psychologists speak Malayalam and English. Many people find that depression is easier to describe in their mother tongue, where the words for it already exist. Sessions are online from Kerala, the rest of India, or the Gulf. See online counselling in Malayalam.

An individual session is ₹1,499, or from ₹1,049 per session with a multi-session plan. Each session is 50 minutes. You pay after your session. View all plans, or compare therapy costs in India.