Counselling, therapy and psychiatric medicines explained

What happens in counselling and psychotherapy, how psychiatric medicines work, common myths about them, and how to choose the right help.

Chapters on this topic

Chapter 14: Counselling and Psychotherapy

A room is not a method : Therapy is collaborative work with goals. It is not chatting with a friend.

• 14.1 What are counselling and psychotherapy?
• 14.2 How therapy works
• 14.3 Common types
• 14.4 What to expect
• 14.5 How to choose a therapist
• 14.6 Myths
• 14.7 Culture, faith, values, and online work
• 14.8 When therapy alone is not enough
• 14.9 Which therapy is best for what?
• 14.10 How long does it take?
• 14.11 What therapists do and do not do
• 14.12 Getting the most out of therapy
• 14.13 Self-help and guided self-help
• 14.14 A simple story
• 14.15 One companion verse

Chapter 15: Medicines and Medical Treatment

Chemistry as care, not a verdict : Medicines support recovery. They are not magic and not a character flaw.

• 15.1 Why medicines are used
• 15.2 Who can prescribe
• 15.3 Antidepressants
• 15.4 Anti-anxiety medicines
• 15.5 Mood stabilisers
• 15.6 Antipsychotics
• 15.7 Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), sleep, and substance-use medicines
• 15.8 How they work, side effects, special groups
• 15.9 Myths
• 15.10 Working with your doctor
• 15.11 When hospital treatment is needed
• 15.12 Stopping medicines safely
• 15.13 Overdose and emergencies
• 15.14 Evidence and honesty
• 15.15 Alternatives and add-ons
• 15.16 A simple story
• 15.17 One companion verse

Stories from real life (11)

• The Waiting Room – Priya, 26, a software tester in Pune, has avoided therapy for a year. She fears being called mad, being judged, and having to spill…
• Two Kitchens, One Quarrel – Hamid and Salma have been married six years, living with his parents in Hyderabad. Every small matter becomes a fight: who cooks, how money…
• When Words Alone Were Not Enough – Luca, 41, a chef in Rome, has had panic attacks for three years. His heart pounds, his chest tightens and he fears he will…
• Neha, Age 29 – Neha, twenty-nine, was always exhausted. On the outside she was the perfect friend, daughter and employee: always smiling, always agreeing, never saying no. Inside,…
• Day Ten of the Little White Tablet – Sunita, 38, a teacher in Jaipur, began a prescribed medicine for depression ten days ago. She feels slightly nauseous and sleepy, and nothing seems…
• Neha Asks About the Baby – Neha, 31, has lived with bipolar disorder for eight years, steadied by a regular medicine and her doctor's plan. She and her husband Rishi…
• The Boy Who Could Finally Finish His Homework – Aarav, 9, in Bengaluru, cannot sit still. He loses his books, interrupts, and his homework takes three hours of tears. His teacher says he…
• Mr Fernandes and the Sleeping Strip – Mr Fernandes, 74, a retired clerk in Goa, has taken a sleeping tablet every night for years, first prescribed after his wife died. Lately…
• When the House Cannot Hold the Storm – Joseph, 27, a delivery rider in Kochi, has barely slept for five days. He talks fast, says he has been chosen for a special…
• Kabir Age 28 – Kabir was highly intelligent, but his daily life was a chaotic storm. At work, his desk was buried under half-finished projects. He would constantly…
• Anita, Age 42 – For months, Anita found herself sinking into a darkness she could not control. It was not just a temporary low mood; her physical body…

Shloks (2)

• Bhagavad Gita 4.34 – Know that by approaching with respect, by questioning, and by service. Those who see reality will teach you.
• Bhagavad Gita 2.47 – Your claim is to action alone, never to its fruits. Do not make the fruit the motive, and do not cling to inaction.

More topics

• What is mental health? A simple guide to the mind and who can help
• The brain, hormones and body chemistry behind your moods
• Emotions, anger and mood swings – understanding your feelings
• Stress – causes, symptoms and how to reduce stress at work and in exams
• Anxiety, panic attacks and fear – signs, causes and what helps
• Depression and low mood – signs, causes and the way back
• Trauma, grief and loss – healing at your own pace
• Children, teenagers and parents – mental health at home and school
• Sleep problems, food and daily routine for a healthy mind
• Helping a loved one with mental illness – family and relationships
• Mental health crisis and suicide prevention – what to do
• The five senses, the five elements and the mind
• Bhagavad Gita, yoga and Indian wisdom for mental peace
• Addiction to alcohol, tobacco, drugs and gambling – signs and recovery
• Phone addiction, social media and screen time – digital well-being
• Ageing well, memory loss and dementia – caring for elders