Key facts

  • Anxiety and depression are common and treatable, and reaching out early makes a real difference.
  • Singapore has a round-the-clock national helpline, national mindline 1771, alongside SOS on 1767 and the IMH helpline on 6389 2222.
  • A GP or polyclinic doctor is a sensible, private first stop; you do not have to start with the most specialised service.
  • Only a professional can diagnose anxiety or depression, but persistent low mood, lost interest, or hard-to-control worry that gets in the way of daily life is a reason to talk to someone.
  • Antidepressants such as SSRIs are prescription medicines used under a doctor’s care; they are started gradually, take a few weeks to work, and should not be started or stopped on your own.
  • Some anxiety and sleep medicines are controlled and are prescribed and reviewed by a doctor, not self-sourced.
  • For an ongoing treatment, continuity matters: follow your doctor’s plan and bring any changes or concerns back to them.

Where can I get support now?

You can call or message a Singapore mental-health service at any time. These contacts are available around the clock:

  • national mindline 1771: call or message for round-the-clock mental health support.
  • Samaritans of Singapore (SOS): 24-hour helpline on 1767, or CareText on WhatsApp at 9151 1767.
  • Institute of Mental Health (IMH) 24-hour helpline: 6389 2222.
  • In a medical emergency, or if someone is in immediate danger, call 995.

You can contact a helpline before a crisis. For immediate danger, use 995.

Where can I get mental health help in Singapore?

Start by telling someone. A GP or a polyclinic doctor is a sensible, private first stop, and national mindline 1771 is there any time for support and for help finding the right service. You do not need to start with the most specialised option.

A GP or polyclinic doctor can listen, assess what is going on, and guide you to the right next step. The national mindline 1771 is there for support and for help finding the right service. For self-help tools and information on reaching out, HealthHub’s MindSG gathers resources in one place, and mindline.sg lists helplines and counselling services. For more specialised care, the Institute of Mental Health and various hospital and community services offer assessment and treatment. The common thread is that the first step is almost always simply telling someone. Everything else follows from there.

Singapore has invested heavily in making support easier to reach and less daunting. In 2025 the Ministry of Health launched the national mindline 1771, a round-the-clock national helpline offering a safe, confidential space to seek help without fear of stigma. That such a service exists, and is promoted nationally, reflects how mainstream looking after your mental health has rightly become.

How do I recognise anxiety or depression?

The key signal is persistence and impact: feelings that stick around and get in the way of daily life, work or relationships. Only a professional can actually diagnose these conditions.

Depression tends to involve a persistent low mood, loss of interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy, changes in sleep and appetite, low energy, and difficulty concentrating, lasting weeks rather than days. Anxiety tends to involve excessive, hard-to-control worry, restlessness, tension and physical symptoms like a racing heart. Anxiety and depression are among the most common health conditions in the world. The World Health Organization describes depression as a widespread condition, different from ordinary sadness or short-lived low mood, that affects how you feel, think and function, and that is treatable. The same is true of anxiety. These are not character flaws or things to simply push through alone. If that sounds familiar, it is worth talking to someone rather than waiting for it to pass on its own.

What does treatment for anxiety or depression involve?

Treatment is effective and usually tailored to you. For many people talking therapies are central, and for moderate to severe difficulties a doctor may also discuss medicine, which is used under medical care.

For many people, talking therapies, structured conversations with a trained professional, are central, and for milder difficulties they may be all that is needed. Lifestyle matters too: sleep, activity, connection with others and reducing alcohol all genuinely help.

For moderate to severe depression or anxiety, a doctor may also discuss medicine. The commonly used antidepressants include a group called SSRIs, such as sertraline, escitalopram and fluoxetine, within the wider mental health range. These can be very helpful, but they are very much a medicine to use under a doctor’s care: they are started gradually, take a few weeks to work, are reviewed over time, and should not be started or stopped abruptly on your own. Some anxiety and sleep medicines are controlled and are prescribed and reviewed by a doctor rather than self-sourced. Whether medicine is right, and which one, is a decision made with a doctor who knows your situation, which is why we do not give doses here. The point is never to self-medicate, but to get the right support.

What can I do while getting help?

Keep contact with people you trust and follow the plan made with your clinician. Sleep, activity and less alcohol can support recovery, but do not replace treatment. HealthHub’s MindSG describes withdrawal from social contact and loss of interest in usual activities as signs someone may need support.

If you notice those changes in a friend, ask how they are and listen. You can share 1771 or offer to sit with them while they contact a GP or helpline.

Do and don’t

Do:

  • Reach out early: a GP, a polyclinic doctor or national mindline 1771 is a sensible first step.
  • Save the helpline numbers above in your phone, for yourself or for someone you are worried about.
  • Talk to a doctor about whether medicine is right for you, and follow the plan they set.
  • Keep taking a prescribed antidepressant as directed, and raise any side effects or concerns with your doctor.
  • Support treatment with sleep, activity, connection and going easy on alcohol.
  • Ask how someone is, listen, and gently point them towards support.

Don’t:

  • Wait for a low mood or persistent worry to simply pass if it is getting in the way of daily life.
  • Start or stop an antidepressant on your own, or change the dose without your doctor.
  • Self-source antidepressants, anxiety or sleep medicines without a prescription and a doctor’s oversight.
  • Treat lifestyle changes as a replacement for professional help when it is needed.
  • Assume you must reach a crisis point before a helpline is “for you”.

Frequently asked questions

Is national mindline 1771 free and confidential? It is Singapore’s round-the-clock national mental health helpline, offering a safe, confidential space to seek support without fear of stigma. You can call or message any time; there is no threshold you need to reach first.

Do I need a referral to get mental health help in Singapore? No. A GP or polyclinic doctor is a sensible first stop and can assess you and guide you to the right next step, and national mindline 1771 is there for support and to help you find a service. More specialised care, such as the Institute of Mental Health, follows from there.

Can I get antidepressants without seeing a doctor? Antidepressants are prescription medicines used under a doctor’s care. Whether one is right for you, and which one, is a decision made with a doctor who reviews your progress over time, so they are not something to self-source. If you are already on treatment, keep your own doctor in the loop for every refill.

This guide is general information, not medical advice, and it is not a substitute for professional help. If you are struggling, please reach out to a doctor or one of the helplines above.