Mental Health Support

Talking about your feelings and asking for help is part of taking charge of your wellbeing and doing what you can to stay healthy. 

• Family and friends can be a vital source of support when things are difficult. You may already have some people you know that you can speak to if you are feeling unwell. Reaching out to the people in our lives is a key element of regaining and maintaining good mental health.  
• Opening up to someone you trust - Sometimes relationships with friends – and with family in particular – aren’t so straightforward. If you’ve not spoken to friends or family about your mental health before, it’s worth giving some thought to which person you might approach. You will likely have a sense of who has more capacity to offer support, and who will be able best understand and empathise with what you are experiencing.  
• If you do not have someone you can talk to - there are other ways to gain support, such as through an online community or peer support. See the information below on this. 

Sometimes the start of getting help can be making sense of what you are going through. You could do this by reading about it online. Getting informed may help you to collect your thoughts before you take the next step of reaching out for further support with your GP, a therapist, a charity etc. on the phone or face to face.

Mental Health Foundation resources:

• About mental health? 
• Mental health A-Z 

Mind information and support 

• Types of mental health problems 
• Mental health A-Z 
• Drugs and treatment 
• Legal rights 

Rethink information and support 

• About mental ill health – conditions and symptoms 
• Living with mental ill health – medication, treatment and support 
• Rights and restrictions 

NHS information and support 

• NHS health A-Z 

You might find it comforting to speak to someone on the phone when wanting more information about mental health – there are information lines available that are dedicated to just this: 

If you are having difficulty understanding or controlling your emotions, or experience suicidal thoughts, please go to your nearest A&E department where you can be helped by trained professionals with experience of supporting people in distress. 

Find your nearest A&E here