Anti-Depressants in Tokyo?

12 comments

1. Please check out the medical resources on the [wiki!](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/wiki/medical)

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2. http://www.higashishinjuku-kokoro.com/

   This is the psychiatrists recommended by TELL (a reputable counseling organization in Tokyo).

   Dr Morita is available in Wednesdays and Saturdays and speaks English. You will have to use translate to navigate the website.

   He will be able to compete any prescriptions for you or give and further advice about what is available. The is a pharmacy next to the clinic.

3. Another option is yotsuya yui clinic. They have English speaking staff, and at least one of the shrinks speaks English as well. I don’t have the link here, but just do a quick google and you’ll find it.

4. I go to Mejiro Sola to get my prescription meds but you’ll need to schedule a consultation first. The psychiatrist and psychologist both speak English.

5. Really any psychiatrist should be able to help you out, I found my English speaking one with a quick google, keywords are 精神病気 (seishinbyou = psychiatrist) but the ones in my area even have an English homepage. Then, if you have monthly cost for mental health, you can get the 自立支援 (Jiritsushien) to reduce the cost you have to pay for doctor + meds to 10% or even less depending on your salary. Highly recommended! I maybe pay 2000 yen a month max.

   Also for future reference, Japan allows you to import non scheduled medicine for personal use. There are heaps of Japanese online pharmacies that carry all common medicine and antidepressants. It’s going to be more expensive than having it covered by insurance though

   For example

   – https://okusuristore.com/
   – https://www.kusuriexpress.com/
   – https://osakado-smp.org/
   – https://www.japanrx.md/

   I’ve used all of them extensively for stuff like antidepressants, birth control and other stuff. They only list medicine that can be imported and are quick to react when Japan changes the rules on something

   Good luck, hope you figure it out

6. FYI, Japan has not approved nearly as many anti-depressants as the US. One notable example is Prozac.

7. I got zoloft by just telling my ear nose throat doc that i had it prescribed in the US (and showed him the bottle). Ive had 3 diff docs since then, and it’s always been as easy as that.

8. Maybe this is old news, but there is (or was) a certain foreign therapist (not licensed in Japan) who has had multiple online battles with patients giving him bad reviews. I am hesitant to name him, but people should stick with licensed therapists.

9. First, just in case, this site gives half-decent information on most prescription medication available in Japan, and often both the branded versions and the generic ones: https://www.rad-ar.or.jp/siori/english/

   Second, if you wish to get a matching prescription in Japan for even an antidepressant, you will want to do so from a bona fide Japanese physician who accepts your National Health Insurance or its corporate equivalent. The reason being even if the legal maximum prescription is one month’s worth (in many cases, not all), the net cost to most adults is a 30% co-pay.

   Third, unlike ADHD medications which require 1) a Japanese medical doctor 2) licensed Japanese MD psychiatrist 3) an additional special certification allowing MD psychiatrist to treat & prescribe medications for ADHD … anti-depressants as well as sedative medications are NOT as strictly controlled. In many cases, a “regular GP” such as an MD at an internal medicine clinic can and will prescribe such medications.

   For example, this clinic in Hiroo (Tokyo) which is classified for internal medicine, gastroenterology & cardiology will likely do the job:

   * http://www.hiroohonma-cl.com/

   It’s a matter of making an appointment, and bringing as much of your case history and prescription history as possible. Even though it may be the same medication, there may be Japan-side differences in prescribed dosages and even composition (if your current brand can be matched, it’s probably preferred over taking a risk with a generic).

   If your prescription needs can be met by such a clinic, it might be easier than having to do so via a mental clinic / psychiatrist where the scheduling availability is often “tighter”, and therefore a bigger pain in the butt. Not sure but the nominal fee paid to the clinic each month is probably lower than the one charged by a psychiatrist ( ~JPY1500 @30-copay / ~JPY5,000 unsubsidized ).

10. You can get it pretty much everywhere, just say you have “fuan” and they give you anxiety and sleeping pills. Don’t drink after tho.

    Edit: cost around 500yen for a whole month.
    My sister who is a medical pharmacist said you can not get this string stuff in Europe without serious cases, so kinda strong. I only take it just before sleep.

11. If money isn’t an issue, American Clinic Tokyo has a great British psychiatrist who is very professional and up-to-date on treatment options. He overhauled my treatment and saw things my Japanese psychiatrist didn’t see/didn’t take seriously. But it’s not covered by insurance.

    Before that I went to a random Japanese psych just for refills of my original treatment and while it was very cheap with insurance, it was also very bare bones and appointments never lasted more than 10 minutes. I think that tends to be the way it works here.

12. [https://roppongi-mental-clinic.com/](https://roppongi-mental-clinic.com/)

    If this is solely about getting a prescription. The above pretty much just asked a few basic questions, and then gave me a prescription. English isn’t the cleanest, but they accept English only. I was actually surprised at how ‘easy’ it was as I hadn’t medicated before. Online reservation by website is pretty simple.

    Of course I would recommend going a more thorough route. I’m just putting this here for information.