Analyst needs hour to crack depression (6)
I believe the answer is:
shrink
'analyst' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'hour to crack depression' is the wordplay.
'hour' becomes 'hr' (abbreviation).
'to crack' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters crack into others).
'depression' becomes 'sink' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'hr' inserted within 'sink' is 'SHRINK'.
'needs' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for shrink that I've seen before include "Contract, grow smaller" , "Decrease - therapist" , "Get smaller - psychiatrist" , "Downsize" , "Draw back from the psychiatrist?" .)