Mental health helplines
Use these helplines to find more information and advice about mental health.
NHS Choices – Mental HealthFind Mental Health SupportStress, Anxiety & DepressionMental Health Helplines10 ways to fight your fears
Comprehensive help and information from NHS Choices with links to external help and support.
Royal College of PsychiatristsMental HealthDepression
This leaflet is for anyone who is, or has been depressed. We hope it will also be helpful for friends and relatives. It describes what depression feels like, some of the help that is available, how you can help yourself and how to help someone else who is depressed. It also mentions some of the things we don't know about depression. At the end of the leaflet there is a list of other places where you can get further information.
Time to Changetime-to-change.org.uk
Time to Change is England's most ambitious programme to end discrimination faced by people who experience mental health problems. Our vision is to make lives better for everyone by ending mental health discrimination and to inspire people to work together to end the discrimination surrounding mental health.
The Mental Health Foundationmentalhealth.org.ukCoronavirus - How to look after your mental health
We believe it is important to involve the people who use mental health services and their carers in our work. We want to support them to have their say on the way that services are run, as well as to use their experiences to inform our thinking.
MindMindInfoline: 0300 123 3393mind.org.ukCoronavirus and your wellbeingDepression & AnxietyElefriends
The MindinfoLine offers thousands of callers confidential help on a range of mental health issues. Mind helps people take control of their mental health. We do this by providing high-quality information and advice, and campaigning to promote and protect good mental health for everyone. They also provide a special legal service to the public, lawyers and mental health workers.
Breathing Space (Scotland)Helpline: 0800 83 85 87breathingspace.scot
Sometimes our thoughts and feelings can overwhelm us. It helps to get some Breathing Space. Pick up the phone - we're here to listen. We are a free, confidential, phone service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.
SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health)Information Service: 0141 530 1000samh.org.uk
Today, in over 60 communities we work with adults and young people providing mental health social care support, services in primary care, schools and further education, among others. These services together with our national programme work in See Me, respect me, suicide prevention and active living; inform our policy and campaign work to influence positive social change.
Anxiety UKHelpline: 03444 775 774anxietyuk.org.uk Anxiety UK works to relieve and support those living with anxiety disorders by providing information, support and understanding via an extensive range of services, including 1:1 therapy. We work regularly with external agencies and healthcare professionals to improve services for those living with anxiety disorders. We also campaign to raise awareness of anxiety disorders.
No PanicHelpline: 0844 967 4848nopanic.org.uk
No Panic (National Organisation for Phobias, Anxiety, Neuroses, Information and Care) is a totally voluntary charity, whose aims are to aid the relief and rehabilitation of those people suffering from panic attacks, phobias, obsessive/compulsive disorders and other related anxiety disorders including tranquilliser withdrawal, and to provide support to sufferers and their families and or carers.
Young MindsHelpline: 0808 802 5544youngminds.org.uk What to do if you're anxious about CoronavirusTalking to your child about coronavirus
Parents' Information Service gives advice to parents or carers who may be concerned about the mental health or emotional well being of a child or young person.
Anna Freud – National Centre for Children and Familiesannafreud.org Supporting Young People's Mental Health
We provide a range of specialist types for support for children, young people and families, seeing them at the Centre, in schools and other settings. The overarching aim of our services is to build resilience and to help children, young people and families who are in distress.
The MixHelpline: 0808 808 4994themix.org.uk CoronavirusDepressionMental Health
Life’s tough, we know that. It can throw a lot your way and make it hard to know what the hell to do with it all. So, welcome to The Mix. Whether you’re 13, 25, or any age in between, we’re here to take on the embarrassing problems, weird questions, and please-don’t-make-me-say-it-out-loud thoughts you have. We give you the information and support you need to deal with it all. Because you can. Because you’re awesome. We’ll connect you to experts and your peers who’ll give you the support and tools you need to take on any challenge you’re facing – for everything from homelessness to finding a job, from money to mental health, from break-ups to drugs. We’re a free and confidential multi-channel service. That means that you choose how you access our support, without the worry of anyone else finding out. Whether it be through our articles and video content online or our phone, email, peer to peer and counselling services – we put the control in your hands. You can even volunteer with us too.
Samaritans Tel: 116 123 (Free)samaritans.org Whatever you're going through, we're here to help 24 hours a day. We won't judge you and we won't share what you tell us with anyone else. Get in touch by telephone, email, letter and face to face in the UK and Ireland. Visit befrienders.org if you live outside the UK or Ireland.
Headspaceheadspace.com Covid-19
Headspace is a gym membership for the mind. A course of guided meditation, delivered via an app or online. It’s your personal guide to health and happiness. It'll help you focus, breathe, stay calm, perform at your best, and get a better night's sleep.
Calm.comcalm.com
Gentle, meditation website and app with de-stressing guided meditations ranging from 2 – 20 minutes. Choose your background and sound effect, set the length of time and relax.
Be Mindfulbemindful.co.uk
Mindfulness is a mind-body approach to well-being that can help you change the way you think about experiences and reduce stress and anxiety. Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present moment, using techniques like meditation, breathing and yoga. It helps us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings so that instead of being overwhelmed by them, we’re better able to manage them. Practising mindfulness can give people more insight into their emotions, boost their attention and concentration and improve relationships. It’s proven to help with stress, anxiety, depression and addictive behaviours, and can even have a positive effect on physical problems like hypertension, heart disease and chronic pain.
Netmums Making Mums Happy
If you want to be happier, then why not have a go at this programme. Just bookmark this page and return to it each day to read some new ideas and maybe have a go at a new set of challenges. Some of them will seem silly or frivolous, but they are all rooted in science and our campaign has shown that it works! So, why not give Day One a go and see how you get on. You can follow this programme at your own pace - don't feel guilty if you can't manage all the tasks we suggest - just take a few minutes each day to read the page of our thoughts & suggestions and fit in what you can. There are 14 days of tasks in all and then on the 15th and final day we'll tell you all about an on-going maintenance programme. You should start to see results after three weeks, and if you can keep up with some of the basics, your happiness levels should continue to rise. And it’s not just for mums.
RETHINKHelpline: 0300 5000 927rethink.org
Working together to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life.
Support in Mind ScotlandInformation: 0131 662 4359supportinmindscotland.org.uk
Our aim is to improve the quality of life for anyone whose mental health problems or mental illness has a serious impact on their life and on the lives of others, including family members, friends and supporters. We believe anyone affected by mental health issues deserves compassionate and expert support.
Bi-Polar UKTel: 0333 323 3880www.bipolaruk.org.uk
BiPolar UK is a user led charity working to enable people affected by Bipolar disorder / manic depression to take control of their lives.
Saneline0300 304 7000sane.org.uk
SANEline is a national out-of-hours telephone helpline offering emotional support and information for people affected by mental health problems.
MoodjuiceDepression
The site is designed to offer information, advice to those experiencing troublesome thoughts, feelings and actions. From the site you are able to print off various self-help guides covering conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress, panic and sleep problems.
Be Mindfulbemindful.co.uk
Mindfulness is a mind-body approach to well-being that can help you change the way you think about experiences and reduce stress and anxiety. Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present moment, using techniques like meditation, breathing and yoga. It helps us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings so that instead of being overwhelmed by them, we’re better able to manage them. Practising mindfulness can give people more insight into their emotions, boost their attention and concentration and improve relationships. It’s proven to help with stress, anxiety, depression and addictive behaviours, and can even have a positive effect on physical problems like hypertension, heart disease and chronic pain.
ShoutText Shout to 85258giveusashout.org
Shout is the UK’s first free 24/7 text service for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help.
ChildLineHelpline: 0800 11 11www.childline.org.uk
ChildLine is a counselling service for children and young people. You can contact ChildLine in these ways: You can phone on 0800 1111, send us an email, have a 1-2-1 chat with us, send a message to Ask Sam and you can post messages to the ChildLine message boards. You can contact ChildLine about anything - no problem is too big or too small. If you are feeling scared or out of control or just want to talk to someone you can contact ChildLine.
Kooth.comkooth.com
Kooth.com is an online counselling service that provides vulnerable young people, between the ages of 11 and 25, with advice and support for emotional or mental health problems. Kooth.com offers users a free, confidential, safe and anonymous way to access help.
PapyrusHOPELINEUK – 0800 068 4141papyrus-uk.orgWorried about someone
Support for anyone under 35 experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned that a young person may be experiencing thoughts of suicide.
Students Against Depressionstudentdepression.org Developed in consultation with students who have been affected by depression, low mood or suicidal thoughts. Many of their stories and suggestions are included on the site.
Campaign Against Living MiserablyHelpline: 0800 58 58 58thecalmzone.net The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) works to prevent male suicide and offers support services for any man who is struggling or in crisis. CALM’s helpline 0800 58 58 58 and web-chat are for men in the UK who need to talk or find information and support. The services are open 5pm–midnight daily and are free, anonymous and confidential. For access or to find more information visit thecalmzone.net
Depression UKdepressionuk.org
The mission of Depression UK is to promote mutual support between individuals affected by or at risk from depression, with the aim of encouraging self help, recovery and personal growth. We believe our members are helped when they share their problems with fellow sufferers, because they understand, better than any non-depressed professional or carer can ever do, what it really feels like to suffer from depression. These members can then share their thoughts, feelings, hopes, disappointments and successes, and in so doing offer mutual support to each other.
OvercomeDepression.co.uk overcomedepression.co.uk
Offers a unique and clear reference point on depression help and advice from experts in the field.