Where to find support for depression in the UAE

Support groups run by professionals and former patients can be less expensive than treatment in clinics.

Mental health ­treatment can be expensive, ­costing up to Dh1,000 per session. If you are not covered by insurance and require help with ­depression, there are a number of support groups run by professionals and past patients.

• The Out of Blues community runs weekly coffee mornings for its members in Dubai. Details can be found on the group’s Facebook page.

• Abu Dhabi Major Depression and Anxiety Support Group holds events for their members on alternate Thursday evenings. The group can be found on the social web host meetup.com.

• The Maudsley Hospital Clinic in Abu Dhabi has two facilities, the Child and Adolescent Mental Heath Services and another for Adult Mental Health.

• Facebook ­community In Your Shoes runs a ­support group for people suffering from depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders.

• If you are unsure of seeking medical help, enritsch.com gives a free session to chat with a psychiatrist about issues to decide if you need to take further action.

• For a stress buster, there are laughter yoga classes in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

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More resources:

■ Alternative ways to find affordable therapy

■ Spotting the signs of depression