Yes, you can get depression treatment online. At Anywhere Clinic, online depression treatment starts with a video evaluation by a licensed psychiatric clinician, who builds a plan with you: therapy, antidepressant medication when it's appropriate, or both, with follow-up visits to track how you're doing. Self-pay is $150 per visit, and in most states we serve at least one insurance plan is in network. Prescriptions are never guaranteed.
How online depression treatment works
Online depression treatment follows the same steps as care in an office. Here's what it looks like at Anywhere Clinic. Not sure where you stand? Our free depression test (PHQ-9) takes about two minutes.
- 1
A psychiatric evaluation by video
Your first visit takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Your clinician asks about your mood, sleep, energy, appetite and concentration, how long it's been going on, past episodes and treatments, medical conditions and medications, alcohol and drug use, and your safety. They also ask about past periods of very high energy or little need for sleep, because antidepressant labels call for screening for bipolar disorder before starting one (FDA label). If a medical problem such as a thyroid condition could be part of it, they may recommend lab work or coordinate with your primary care clinician.
- 2
A plan you agree on
Depression treatment usually means therapy, medication, or both. For milder depression, therapy is often tried first; for moderate or severe depression, medication is usually part of the first plan (NIMH). Your clinician explains what the evaluation found, whether that's major depressive disorder (MDD) or something that can look like it, walks through the options, and you decide together.
- 3
Therapy coordination
Anywhere Clinic is a psychiatry practice. If therapy is part of your plan, your clinician can coordinate with a therapist you already see, with your written permission, or help you find one. Evidence-based therapies for depression include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy, and both can work in person or by telehealth (NIMH).
- 4
Antidepressant medication management
If medication fits, your clinician explains the choices, the timeline and the side effects to watch for, then sends any prescription to the pharmacy you pick. Common antidepressants aren't controlled substances, so depression medication can be prescribed online, after an evaluation, in every state we serve. No specific medication is ever promised.
- 5
Follow-ups and measuring progress
Follow-ups are closer together after you start or change a medication, then spaced out as things settle. At follow-ups you retake the PHQ-9, so you and your clinician can see whether your score is moving and change course if it isn't.
Antidepressant medication management, by class
Getting depression medication online starts with an evaluation. Antidepressants work in different ways, so the choice depends on your symptoms, what has worked before, other conditions and medications, and which side effects matter most to you. These are the main classes (NIMH). The examples are for reference, not a menu: whether you take a medication, and which one, is your clinician's decision after an evaluation.
| Class | Examples (generic names) | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) | Sertraline, escitalopram, fluoxetine, citalopram | Commonly prescribed. Side effects can include upset stomach, headache and sexual side effects; they're often mild and fade with time. |
| SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) | Venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine | Commonly prescribed. Act on serotonin and norepinephrine. |
| NDRIs (norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors) | Bupropion | Commonly prescribed. Acts on norepinephrine and dopamine rather than serotonin. |
| Other antidepressants | Mirtazapine, trazodone, vortioxetine | Work in different ways; your clinician weighs them against your symptoms, other medications and side effects. |
| Older antidepressants | Tricyclics such as nortriptyline; MAOIs such as phenelzine | More side effects and interactions, but they may be the best option for some people. |
- Antidepressants usually take 4 to 8 weeks to work, and sleep, appetite, energy and concentration often improve before mood does (NIMH).
- Don't stop an antidepressant suddenly. Stopping abruptly can cause discontinuation symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, irritability and electric-shock sensations (FDA label). Your clinician can plan a taper with you.
- Tell your clinician about every medication and supplement you take. Combining drugs that raise serotonin increases the risk of serotonin syndrome (FDA label).
Already taking an antidepressant?
If another clinician prescribed your antidepressant and you'd like to continue care with us, bring the medication name and dose, how long you've taken it, what has helped, any side effects, past antidepressants and your pharmacy. After an evaluation, your clinician may continue it, adjust it or suggest a change. Refills are never automatic; they depend on regular follow-up visits.
If the first antidepressant doesn't work
This is common, and it doesn't mean treatment has failed: finding the best treatment can take trial and error (NIMH). When depression hasn't responded at all after 4 weeks at a therapeutic dose, UK guidelines advise reviewing the plan (NICE NG222). Your clinician first checks the basics: missed doses, side effects, sleep, alcohol or drug use, stress, medical problems, and whether the diagnosis still fits, for example bipolar depression.
The usual next steps (NICE NG222):
- Adjusting the dose.
- Switching to a different antidepressant, in the same class or another one.
- Adding therapy, or changing the kind of therapy.
- Augmentation: adding a second medication, such as an antidepressant from a different class, an antipsychotic, or lithium. Combinations can mean more side effects, and lithium needs regular blood tests.
In the large STAR*D trial, some people who didn't reach remission on their first antidepressant did on a later step, though the chance fell with each step (Rush et al., 2006).
Options we can evaluate you for
Depression that hasn't improved after at least two antidepressants is called treatment-resistant depression (NIMH). If that's you, your clinician can talk through these options. None is guaranteed; whether one fits is a clinical decision after an evaluation.
- Spravato (esketamine): an FDA-approved nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression in adults, used alone or with an oral antidepressant. It's a Schedule III controlled substance available only through the FDA's Spravato REMS program: it's given in person at a certified treatment center, under direct observation, with monitoring for at least 2 hours after each dose, and it's never sent home or picked up at a pharmacy (FDA label). We offer it in person at our Las Vegas office, Calm Clinic.
- TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation): a brain stimulation treatment used when other depression treatments haven't worked (NIMH), given in person at our Las Vegas office.
- Ketamine is prescribed off-label and is not FDA-approved for any psychiatric condition. It's a Schedule III controlled substance (FDA label), our at-home program is only offered in some states, and we can't prescribe controlled substances in Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania or West Virginia. Federal telehealth rules for controlled substances are temporary through Dec 31, 2026 and may change (Federal Register).
Safety: suicidal thoughts, the boxed warning and 988
If you're thinking about suicide, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time. If you're in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Anywhere Clinic is not an emergency service and can't respond to a crisis in real time.
Antidepressants carry an FDA boxed warning: they increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens and young adults, meaning people 24 and younger, especially in the first few months and after a dose change (FDA label). People of any age starting an antidepressant should be watched closely in the first weeks (NIMH). Contact your clinician right away about new or worse depression, anxiety, agitation, trouble sleeping or thoughts of self-harm, and call 988 or 911 if it's urgent.
- Mania: in people with bipolar disorder, an antidepressant can trigger mania or hypomania, which is why your clinician screens for it first (FDA label). If you've had stretches of very high energy, little need for sleep or racing thoughts, take our free bipolar test and bring the result.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: tell your clinician if you're pregnant, planning to be, or nursing, so the plan weighs the risks and benefits for both of you. See postpartum depression treatment.
- When video care isn't enough: severe symptoms, psychosis, mania or being unable to care for yourself may need in-person or higher-level care, such as an intensive outpatient program or a hospital. Your clinician will tell you if that's the safer path.
Measuring progress with the PHQ-9
The PHQ-9 is the nine-question questionnaire behind our free depression test. Scores run from 0 to 27 (Kroenke et al., 2001). Clinicians use it at the start of care and again at follow-ups. In a study of older adults in depression care, a change of 5 points was the smallest change that was meaningful for one person (Löwe et al., 2004), and scores under 5 fall in the minimal range.
| PHQ-9 score | Severity | What clinicians often do |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | Minimal | Recheck if things change. Other concerns, such as anxiety or sleep, can still be evaluated. |
| 5–9 | Mild | Watchful waiting, self-care or therapy are common first steps. |
| 10–14 | Moderate | The usual point to get an evaluation. Therapy, medication or both. |
| 15–19 | Moderately severe | Active treatment, usually including medication as part of the plan. |
| 20–27 | Severe | Prompt care, with medication usually part of the plan. |
Treatment depends on more than a score: your history, preferences and safety all count (NIMH).
Question 9, about thoughts of being better off dead or of hurting yourself, is read on its own: any answer other than "Not at all" needs attention now. Call or text 988. A score is a screening result, not a diagnosis.
Insurance and cost for online depression treatment
Self-pay is $150 per visit, for new and follow-up visits (see pricing). With insurance, network status depends on your state and plan. In 30 of the 48 states we serve (counting Washington, D.C.), at least one plan is in network with a clinician you can book online. Plans can include sub-plans that aren't in network, so choose Use insurance in the booking box to check your exact plan. Medicaid can only be used where it's in network, because we can't bill Medicaid out of network.
Pick a state to see which plans are in network there, or open the full list below.
In-network plans by state
| State | In-network plans |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Aetna, Cigna, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Alaska | Aetna, Humana, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Arizona | Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Cigna, Medicare, Tricare |
| California | Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Colorado | Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna, Medicaid, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Connecticut | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Delaware | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Florida | Aetna, Cigna, Medicaid, Medicare, Tricare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Georgia | Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna, Medicare, Tricare, UnitedHealthcareGeorgia requires an in-person visit within 12 months. Visits before then can be by secure video. Call (702) 848-2256 to schedule. |
| Hawaii | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Idaho | Aetna, Blue Cross of Idaho, Medicare, Regence BlueShield of Idaho, St. Luke's Health Partners, UnitedHealthcare |
| Illinois | Aetna, Cigna, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Indiana | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Iowa | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Kansas | Aetna, Medicare |
| Kentucky | Aetna, Cigna, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Louisiana | Aetna, Humana, Medicaid, Medicare, Tricare |
| Maine | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Maryland | Aetna, Cigna, Tricare |
| Massachusetts | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Michigan | Aetna, Cigna, Medicaid, Medicare, Tricare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Minnesota | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Mississippi | Aetna, Cigna, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Missouri | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Montana | Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, Medicaid, Medicare |
| Nebraska | Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare |
| Nevada | Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, Medicaid, Medicare, Molina Healthcare, Prominence Health Plan, SilverSummit Health Plan, Tricare, UnitedHealthcare |
| New Hampshire | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| New Jersey | Aetna, Cigna, Tricare, UnitedHealthcare |
| New Mexico | Medicare |
| New York | Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| North Carolina | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| North Dakota | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Ohio | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Oklahoma | Aetna, Cigna, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Oregon | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Pennsylvania | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| South Dakota | Aetna, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Medica, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Tennessee | Aetna, Cigna, Medicare, Tricare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Texas | Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Utah | Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Medicaid, Medicare, UnitedHealthcare |
| Vermont | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, Cigna, Medicare |
| Virginia | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Washington | Aetna, Cigna, First Choice, Medicare |
| Washington D.C. | Cigna, Medicare |
| West Virginia | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Wisconsin | Self-pay only: $150 per visit |
| Wyoming | Medicare |
From our network data: a plan is listed only when a clinician you can book online in that state is in network with it. See all accepted insurance.
