A search for depression Singapore is usually a search for the next appointment. Who can help depends on the kind of visit. A GP, a polyclinic doctor, a psychiatrist, a psychologist and a counsellor are not the same booking, and a public team is not the same as a private clinic.
The pages below are from the Ministry of Health, HealthHub, MindSG, mindline.sg, the Institute of Mental Health and Samaritans of Singapore. This guide does not diagnose anyone, and it does not recommend a treatment.
If you or someone with you may act on thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call 995 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. Samaritans of Singapore answers 1767 at all hours, and WhatsApp CareText at 9151 1767. The Ministry of Health also lists national mindline 1771 for round-the-clock mental health support. This page is general information. It is not an assessment.
Quick answer
For a medical appointment that is not an emergency, MOH describes GP clinics and polyclinics for mild to moderate mental health conditions. Specialist assessment sits with acute hospitals and IMH. Counselling and psychotherapy are listed with community teams, and with private providers you contact yourself. HealthHub says not to self-diagnose.
Helplines are in Singapore's mental health helplines, and again under crisis help below. Other ClinicGeek reading is under mental health.
When people look for help
HealthHub's page, contributed by Tan Tock Seng Hospital and last reviewed on 23 December 2025, says sadness after a loss, a failed exam or a breakup can be ordinary. Prolonged sadness that affects daily life is a reason to seek professional medical help, especially with thoughts of death or suicide. Do not self-diagnose or self-manage without a medical professional.
Signs it lists include loss of interest in usual activities, changes in weight, appetite or sleep, restlessness, tiredness, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, trouble concentrating, and frequent thoughts of death or suicide. Those are reasons to book, not a diagnosis from this page.
MindSG says its depression self-assessment is not a medical diagnosis. If a result worries you, it points to a healthcare professional, a counsellor, or national mindline.
GP, psychiatrist, psychologist or counsellor
MOH splits the work by service. Ask the clinic who will actually see you.
| Who | What official pages say | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| GP or polyclinic doctor | Partner GPs are trained to identify, diagnose and treat mental health conditions in the community. Polyclinic teams assess, diagnose and treat mild to moderate conditions, and provide follow-up. | A GP clinic or polyclinic. General practitioner clinics on ClinicGeek are a directory, not a referral. |
| Psychiatrist | Specialist services at acute hospitals and IMH provide clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and referrals, including inpatient care at IMH. | Ask the GP or polyclinic about a specialist visit. Remote appointments are covered in telepsychiatry in Singapore. |
| Psychologist | MOH names psychologists in polyclinic mental health teams, with family physicians, nurses and medical social workers. | Ask the polyclinic, or compare psychologist listings and confirm the qualification. |
| Counsellor or therapist | COMIT and Youth Integrated Teams list counselling and psychotherapy. CHAT assesses youth aged 16 to 30. | A community team, or a private clinic. Comparing clinics is in the psychotherapy clinic FAQ. |
A GP or polyclinic doctor can look at sleep, appetite, other illnesses and mood together, then refer on. MOH says polyclinic teams are supported by psychiatrists from partnering hospitals or IMH. Inpatient psychiatric care is listed only at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, National University Hospital, Changi General Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, Sengkang Hospital, and IMH. Which service fits is a clinical decision.
A psychologist, in that public description, is on a polyclinic team or is a private practitioner you check yourself. Counselling and psychotherapy are what MOH lists at COMIT (age 18 and above) and Youth Integrated Teams (ages 12 to 25). Ask which title you are booking. Art therapy in Singapore is a separate psychotherapy booking that uses creative work. It does not replace a medical assessment.
If you cannot tell which door fits, use the step MOH publishes first: 1771, WhatsApp 6669 1771, or the chat on the MOH mental health services page.
Public options
Polyclinics. MOH says polyclinics offer assessment, diagnosis, treatment of mild to moderate conditions, and follow-up. The public guide lists which polyclinics provide mental health services, and marks a few for dementia only or mental health only. Check that list, then ask whether your slot is a general consultation or the mental health team.
Institute of Mental Health. MOH says IMH provides assessment, diagnosis and treatment across age groups, including rehabilitative services, inpatient care, and shared care with community teams. NHG Health describes the 24-hour Emergency Services as urgent assessment for severe emotional distress, with more acute cases seen first. Outpatient rules are on the appointments page. This guide does not quote that desk's phone number.
Community teams. MOH describes:
- CREST, run by social service agencies, offers screening and psychosocial support. CREST is for adults 18 and above. CREST-Youth is for ages 12 to 25.
- COMIT, for adults 18 and above, offers assessment, counselling or psychotherapy, and psychosocial intervention.
- Youth Integrated Teams cover ages 12 to 25 with the same kinds of support.
- CHAT offers mental health assessment and consultation for youth aged 16 to 30.
mindline.sg also describes community outreach teams for ages 12 and above, and CHAT for ages 16 to 30. Ask 1771 which team covers your address. Booking steps change, so use the live MOH or mindline page.
Private clinics
Private GPs, psychologists, counsellors and psychiatrists also see people for low mood. Psychotherapy services and psychologists on ClinicGeek are places to call, not a judgement that the practitioner suits you.
Ask who you will see, their qualification, whether the first visit is an assessment or a therapy session, whether they can refer you to a GP or psychiatrist, the fee in Singapore dollars, and whether it is in person or online. The longer shortlist is the psychotherapy clinic FAQ.
What a first appointment can involve
MindSG says a healthcare professional assessing depression asks about past medical and psychiatric history, family history, current symptoms, and the effect on daily life. With consent, they may speak with a family member. A questionnaire, examination or blood tests may be used. This page cannot do that interview.
Say how long the low mood has lasted, what has changed at work, school or home, and which clinics or medicines you already use. Ask what this provider can and cannot do, what to do if you feel unsafe before the next visit, and write the next step down. Any care decision stays with the person who assessed you.
Subsidies, and private fees
MOH says every Singaporean can use CHAS subsidies at participating CHAS GP clinics in the Mental Health General Practitioner Partnership for Chronic Disease Management Programme mental illnesses: major depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. MediSave can cover the remaining out-of-pocket amount after subsidies. Whether a visit qualifies depends on the scheme and the clinic.
Ask a private clinic for its current fee. None of the pages above publish one price for every clinic. For subsidised IMH care, follow the appointments page rather than a forwarded message.
If it is a crisis
Call 995 if there is an immediate risk of harm. SOS tells people in that position to call 995 or go to a GP, polyclinic, or accident and emergency department. Its hotline is 1767, 24 hours. WhatsApp CareText is 9151 1767, also 24 hours. SOS says trained volunteers staff the line and do not give professional advice.
MOH also says to seek immediate psychiatric help at any hospital emergency department. National mindline remains 1771 and WhatsApp 6669 1771, via mindline.sg. IMH Emergency Services is the 24-hour urgent service NHG Health describes for severe emotional distress. What each listening line will not do is in mental health helplines in Singapore.
References
- Mental health services, Ministry of Health. Last updated 21 August 2025.
- For the public, Ministry of Health. Last updated 3 July 2026.
- How to identify and deal with depression, HealthHub. Last reviewed 23 December 2025.
- Understanding depression (adults), MindSG on HealthHub.
- mindline.sg. Community outreach teams and CHAT.
- Our services, Samaritans of Singapore. 1767, CareText 9151 1767, and 995 when risk is immediate.
- IMH Emergency Services, NHG Health.
- IMH appointments and referrals, NHG Health.
