Most Singapore professionals do not want a psychiatrist on their record. They want a doctor they trust, a private conversation, and a plan that actually helps. Dr Dhivian provides that. A Family Physician consultation, the same doctor across visits, cash payment if you prefer, no insurance claim required.
"You do not have to call it depression or anxiety to come in. If something has been off for a while and you have been pushing through, that is reason enough to have a proper conversation."
A lot of people who come in for the first time start with "I do not really know if I need to be here." That is usually a good sign you should be. My job is not to put a label on you. It is to listen properly, understand what has been going on, and help you decide what to do next. Sometimes that is lifestyle adjustments and followup. Sometimes it is short term medication. Sometimes it is a referral. We work it out together.
My training spans polyclinics, private GP practice, NUH Children's Urgent Care, emergency departments and hospital wards. I also serve as an Adjunct Tutor for the College of Family Physicians Singapore (GDFM and MMed Family Medicine programmes).
I see the same six stories from working adults in Singapore almost every week. None of them sound like the textbook. All of them are real reasons to come in.
You have told everyone around you that you are fine. You have told yourself that you are fine. You are not fine. You are functioning, which is a different thing. High functioning people are extremely good at hiding this until they cannot.
You have not had a properly restful night in weeks. You fall asleep but wake at three in the morning with the day already running in your head. Or you cannot fall asleep at all. Caffeine has stopped working the way it used to.
Around four on Sunday afternoon, the weight of Monday starts pressing down. It used to be just a low hum. Now it is loud enough that the weekend has effectively shrunk to Saturday.
The hobby, the gym session, the dinner with friends, the show you used to look forward to. They still happen on the surface but something underneath has gone quiet. Anhedonia is a real symptom and worth taking seriously.
You would see someone but the moment you say the word psychiatrist it feels permanent. You worry about insurance records, employer records, future job applications, even loan applications. Those fears are not irrational and they are also addressable, which we will talk about.
Tasks that used to take thirty minutes are taking two hours. Emails sit unanswered. You make small mistakes and then spend twice the energy double checking everything. Your team has not noticed yet. You have.
Forty five minutes. We talk through what has been happening, how long, what has changed in your life, your work, your sleep, your relationships. No rush. No judgement.
Where things sit clinically. What is in normal range, what is not. Whether what you are describing fits a recognisable pattern. Honest, plain language.
We talk through what helps. Sometimes that is lifestyle and followup. Sometimes that is short term medication. Sometimes that is referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist. You decide.
If we start treatment, we check in early and often. Adjust if needed. Step down when you are ready. Same doctor across every visit.
Pay in cash and no insurance claim is filed. Nothing reaches your insurer. Nothing reaches your employer.
MOH guidance permits medical certificates without the specific reason listed. If you need an MC, we can issue it without mental health terminology.
Healthcare Services Act protects what is discussed in consultation. Nothing is shared with third parties without your explicit consent.
A Family Physician consultation does not create a psychiatric record. You retain full control over whether to escalate to specialist care.
Quiet clinic at Everton Park, central but residential. Not a hospital corridor. Not a busy specialist wing.
You will not be asked to retell your story to different people. Continuity is part of the confidentiality.
Not if you do not want it to. If you pay in cash, no claim is filed and nothing reaches your insurer. We can also issue medical certificates without listing a specific reason.
Yes. First line antidepressants such as SSRIs (sertraline, escitalopram and similar) are routinely prescribed in primary care, in line with College of Family Physicians Singapore guidance. We start at a sensible dose and follow up closely.
That is fine. Medication is one option, not the default. Many patients only need a proper conversation, lifestyle adjustments, and followup. You decide what feels right.
If your assessment suggests you need specialist care (treatment resistant symptoms, severe presentation, complex history), we refer you to a trusted psychiatrist. Most cases never need that step.
Continuity. You see the same doctor every time. The same person tracks how you are over weeks and months, adjusts if needed, and can prescribe and refer. Apps and telehealth platforms cannot do that the same way.
We explain consultation fees clearly before any visit. Selected procedures and chronic management may be Medisave claimable, but mental health consultations are generally paid privately.
That is a perfectly reasonable outcome. A consultation can also rule things out. Either way you leave with a clearer picture, which is the point.
Book a confidential consultation with Dr Dhivian at Angsana Medical. A proper conversation, a clear plan, your information stays between you and your doctor. The clinic will call you within 24 hours.
