Mental health

If you’re struggling with your mental health, or someone you know is, there’s help out there. No-one needs to struggle alone.  

Mental health support is usually available from GP practices, friends and family but there are specialist helplines too. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, so you will not be wasting anyone's time by using these services. 

Mental health helplines – why call one? 

Helplines are anonymous. You can tell them anything without embarrassment – they’ll never know who you are 

• You can sometimes call any time, when other support routes or people aren’t around 
• They help many people feel less alone 
• Helpline staff are specifically trained and experienced. They know what to do 
• You can hang up on a helpline if it gets too much or you feel embarrassed 
• Helplines often become a lifeline for people when they’re struggling to cope or are feeling isolated. 

Which helpline? 

Whether you're concerned about yourself or a loved one, helplines and support groups can offer expert advice. 

The NHS website   lists a range of organisations waiting to help: from those which focus on specific physical conditions to more general mental health advice, from support with bereavement to helplines dedicated to supporting men, children or young people. Most have a phone number you can ring and many also have a website, online webchat or email address you can contact.  

The following helplines are all free to use and they provide an opportunity to speak to people specially trained to listen non-judgmentally. 

• SANEline is a national out-of-hours mental health helpline offering specialist emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends and carers. They are normally open every day of the year from 4pm to 10pm on 0300 304 7000. 
• Samaritans offer a safe place to talk any time you like, in your own way – about whatever is getting to you, big or small. Their 24 hour free phone helpline can be accessed on 116 123 or you can email jo@samaritans.org which may have a response time of several days. 
• National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK offers a supportive listening service to anyone with thoughts of suicide. You can call on 0800 689 5652 from 6pm to 3:30am every day. 
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). You can call 0800 58 58 58 from 5pm to midnight every day if you are struggling and need to talk. Or if you prefer not to speak on the phone, you could try the CALM webchat service.