Clinical Trial Guides for Mental Health
Clear, practical information to help you understand mental health studies, know what to expect, and make informed decisions before taking part.
You deserve to understand a study before deciding whether it is right for you.
Start here
Begin with the guides most people need before reading a study record or contacting a research team.
Getting startedHow HopeStage Research worksUnderstand how HopeStage Research helps people explore mental health clinical trials, verify official sources, and prepare better questions.Read guideGetting startedWhat is a clinical trial?A plain-English explanation of how mental health clinical trials work, official sources, consent, and useful questions to ask.Read guideBefore joining a studyHow to join a clinical trialPractical steps to explore a mental health clinical trial, understand why research participation matters, prepare questions, and find support.Read guideBefore joining a studyWhat to check before joining a mental health studyA simple checklist before joining a mental health study: official source, criteria, recruiting status, location, duration, risks, and contacts.Read guidePayments and practical questionsWill I get paid for participating in a clinical trial?Understand when participants may be paid, what compensation can cover, and what to check before joining a study.Read guideClinical trial terminologyClinical trial glossaryPlain-English definitions for common clinical trial terms: randomized, placebo, double blind, informed consent, sponsor, and investigator.Read guide
All clinical trial guides
Browse the full HopeStage guide library. Featured guides are shown above, and the remaining guides are grouped by practical topic below.
Care access and support
Care access and supportAfter psychiatric hospital discharge: arrange follow-up careConfirm your aftercare, find who to contact when follow-up is missing, and download a free checklist.Read guideCare access and supportCan’t afford mental health care?Free and low-cost support by country, practical next steps for depression and bipolarity, and where research fits.Read guideCare access and supportCan’t find a psychiatrist? What to do nextFind a first point of contact, prepare clinic calls and make a plan while you wait, with resources by country.Read guideCare access and supportDepression treatment not working?Prepare for a treatment review, discuss medication or therapy concerns, and download a free appointment checklist.Read guideCare access and supportFirst psychiatrist appointment: what to expectPrepare for an initial assessment, find words for your concerns and download a free appointment worksheet.Read guideCare access and supportHow to change psychiatristsPlan a transfer of care, arrange records and medication follow-up, and use a free checklist and messages you can adapt.Read guideCare access and supportHow to complain about a psychiatristPrepare your account, find complaint routes by country and keep care in place, with a free letter template.Read guideCare access and supportHow to get your mental health recordsRequest your psychiatric records, compare costs and times by country, and use a free message template.Read guideCare access and supportRunning out of psychiatric medication?Find who to contact about an urgent refill, compare routes by country and use a free call checklist.Read guideCare access and supportTravelling with psychiatric medication: prepare your tripCheck country rules, travel documents, packing and time-zone questions, with a free preparation checklist.Read guide
Getting started
Getting startedBest mental health clinical trial search toolsCompare the best tools to find mental health clinical trials, including HopeStage Research, ClinicalTrials.gov, NIMH, EU CTIS, and WHO ICTRP.Read guideGetting startedMental health clinical trials explainedA plain-English explanation of mental health clinical trials: purpose, official sources, criteria, recruitment, consent, risks, and next steps.Read guide
Before joining a study
During a clinical trial
Participant rights and safety
Participant rights and safetyWhat is a control group and placebo?Understand control groups, placebo, randomization, and double blind studies in simple language.Read guideParticipant rights and safetyWhat is a medication washout period before a study?Learn what a medication washout period can mean, why some studies require it, and what to ask before considering a study.Read guideParticipant rights and safetyWho runs and pays for clinical trials?Learn who can run and fund clinical trials, including hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical companies, charities, and public institutions.Read guideParticipant rights and safetyWhy do we have clinical trials?Understand why clinical trials exist, how they help test treatments and interventions, and why research matters in mental health.Read guide
Payments and practical questions
Guides by mental health condition
Guides by mental health conditionAdult ADHD clinical trialsExplore adult ADHD clinical trials with age range, recruiting status, country, official source links, and useful questions to ask.Read guideGuides by mental health conditionAnxiety clinical trials by countryCompare anxiety clinical trials by country, recruiting status, sponsor, official source links, and practical next steps.Read guideGuides by mental health conditionBipolarity clinical trials near meFind bipolarity clinical trials near you by checking country, recruiting status, study sites, eligibility criteria, official sources, and practical next steps.Read guideGuides by mental health conditionDepression studies recruiting nowExplore depression studies recruiting now, with recruiting status, country, official source links, criteria, and next steps.Read guideGuides by mental health conditionGuide to bipolarity clinical trialsA clear guide to exploring clinical trials for bipolarity, lived experience, mood, sleep, and official study sources.Read guideGuides by mental health conditionHow to join a depression studySimple steps to find a depression study, check eligibility criteria, verify the official source, contact the research team, and prepare questions.Read guide
Still have a question?
If you cannot find the information you need, you can email the HopeStage team. We will help you find the right guide or point you towards relevant information.
hi@hopestage.com