Lewiston, Maine
Depression Treatment in Lewiston
Lewiston works hard and waits long: mill and healthcare shifts that ignore office hours, a Bates campus hitting the age when most conditions first appear, and an Androscoggin County psychiatric supply that was thin before the waitlists doubled. L-A grit keeps people functioning, but functioning is not the same as well, and the gap between the two is where untreated anxiety and depression live. Two weeks or more of that pattern is clinical depression, and it's one of the most treatable conditions in medicine. shrinkMD treats depression in Lewiston by secure video, with board certified clinicians and appointments as soon as availability allows.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed July 7, 2026 · Editorial policy
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Why shrinkMD
Made to fit life in Lewiston
We see Lewiston within days by video, scheduled around CMMC rotations, mill shifts, and class blocks at Bates, early, evening, and post shift included. No drive, no waiting room, no weather cancellations in January.
We bill no insurance, so nothing reaches an employer plan or insurer database, and records move only with your signature. One flat fee, published first, with the same clinician every visit after.
What's included
From flat to forward
The first visit establishes what we're actually treating, depression's severity and subtype, any seasonal pattern, and the medical or bipolar mimics that change everything, plus your full medication history with doses, durations, and responses. Treatment then starts immediately: a thoughtfully chosen antidepressant when indicated, an activity plan built for low fuel days, and therapy folded in where it strengthens the result.
Follow ups every two to four weeks measure your scores and adjust the plan while the medication takes hold, energy usually moves first, mood follows, most often within four to six weeks. As you recover, visits space out and the focus shifts to prevention: consolidating sleep, protecting the habits that lifted you, and writing the relapse plan that keeps the next episode from ever getting traction.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Lewiston
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Can Bates students use shrinkMD through breaks?
Yes, adults 18 and older, with continuity anywhere in Maine over breaks and across our other states after graduation. Nothing touches college systems or family insurance.
Do you schedule around hospital and mill shifts?
Routinely. Post shift mornings and evenings are standard slots, and 15 to 30 minute video follow ups fit inside real schedules.
How long until depression treatment works?
Typically two to six weeks for medication, with energy improving before mood. We track scores at every visit so neither of us is guessing.
What if antidepressants have failed me before?
Bring the history, names, doses, durations, responses. Past trials are a map, not a verdict, and structured re evaluation often finds the path earlier prescribers missed.
Will I be on medication forever?
Often no. Many patients treat for a defined period after recovery, then taper with a plan. Some conditions warrant longer treatment, and we're honest about which is which.
About Lewiston
Lewiston is a former mill city with a large Franco-American community, a sizable immigrant population, and Bates College. It's home to about 38,000 residents, the second-largest city in Maine. The people we see here include working families, recent immigrants, and college students.
Serving Lewiston
Lewiston is Maine's second-largest city, on the Androscoggin River, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across Lewiston by secure video, whether you're near Little Canada, Kennedy Park, and the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. You keep the same clinician each visit, with no commute and no waiting room.
What it costs
Transparent, published pricing
Our self-pay prices are the same in every state where we practice. No insurance billing, and no surprise statement later.
| Service | Self-pay price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Initial evaluation | From $295 | A full 50 to 60 minute evaluation, diagnosis, and written plan. |
| Follow-up visits | $110 to $215 | Per visit, depending on length and complexity. Member rates are lower. |
| Membership (optional) | $49 per month | Priority scheduling, member rates, and the Unstuck and QuitScrolling apps. First month free. |
Your care team
Who you will see
Your care is delivered by shrinkMD clinicians, and you keep the same one over time. You meet by secure video with a clinician licensed in your state.
- Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, founder and board certified psychiatrist (ABPN), dual board certified in psychiatry and in sports and performance psychiatry.
- Matthew George, PMHNP-BC, ANP-BC, dual board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with more than two decades of clinical experience.
Related reading
More from a trusted source: Depression - National Institute of Mental Health.
Nearby areas
Depression Treatment in nearby Maine cities
Your next step in The Shrink Network
You are here: shrinkMD, the clinical care layer of The Shrink Network.
Each site in the network has one job. No matter where you enter, we help you find the next step that makes sense.
Get clinical care with shrinkMD
Want to understand more first?
Start depression treatment in Lewiston
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Lewiston residents, by secure video from home.
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