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A mental health crisis is an emergency that poses a direct and immediate threat to your physical or emotional wellbeing.

A mental health crisis can mean different things to different people. It is very personal depending upon what you, your carers or family and friends, consider to be ‘normal’ behaviour for you.

• Call 999
• Go to A&E

• Call 999
• Go to A&E
• You can also read our advice on how to keep yourself safe.

You can contact:

• Contact your local NHS mental health helpline. You can find details of your local NHS urgent mental health helpline at: nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline. Or you can call NHS 111 to ask them for details. This team can refer you to NHS services for support and treatment. They can also tell you about local support services such as crisis cafes.
  
  
• Contact your local community mental health team (CMHT) if you are already being treated by them. If you are already under a CMHT then you should have a care plan. This should tell you who to contact in a crisis.
  
  
• Ask your GP for an emergency appointment. GPs usually keep a number of appointments free for urgent cases. The GP can make a referral to the local crisis team if necessary.
  
  
• You can contact NHS 111.  The phone line is for when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency. You can call 111 if you don't know who to call or you don't have a GP to call.  Or if you need health information or reassurance about what to do next. Visit the NHS111 website.
  
  
• Use Shout text service: You can text Shout to 85258 to connect to a trained person to help you. See www.giveusashout.org/ for more information.

Emotional support lines are known as ‘listening services.’ They aren’t counselling services or part of the NHS. They are there to listen to how you are feeling. You can talk to them about anything. Sharing your problems can be helpful to manage your feelings. Often people on helplines will have their own experience of mental health issues.

Some emotional support lines to try are: 

National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK

Telephone: 0800 689 5652

Website: www.spuk.org.uk

Samaritans
Can be contacted by telephone, letter, e-mail and mini-com. There's also a face-to-face service, available at their local branches. They are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Telephone: 116 123
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Website: www.samaritans.org

Sane Line
They work with anyone affected by mental illness, including families, friends and carers. Their helpline is open between 4:40pm and 10pm every day of the year. They also provide a free text-based support service called Textcare.  And an online supportive forum community, where anyone can share their experiences of mental health issues.

Telephone: 0300 304 7000 
Textcare: www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/textcare
Support Forum: www.sane.org.uk/what_we_do/support/supportforum
Website: www.sane.org.uk

Support Line
Support Line provide a confidential telephone helpline offering emotional support to any individual on any issue. Their opening hours vary so you need to ring them for details.

Telephone: 01708 765200
E-mail: info@supportline.org.uk
Website: www.supportline.org.uk

Papyrus UK
Work with people under 35 who are having suicidal feelings. And with people who are worried about someone under 35. 

Telephone: 0800 068 41 41
Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org
Text: 07786 209697
Website: www.papyrus-uk.org

C.A.L.M. (Campaign Against Living Miserably)

They used to be aimed specifically at men. But they are now able to help anyone. 

Telephone (outside London): 0800 58 58 58
Telephone (London): 0808 802 58 58
Webchat: www.thecalmzone.net/help/webchat/ 
Website: www.thecalmzone.net

Silverline
Aimed at people over 55. Their helpline is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Telephone:  0800 4 70 80 90
Website: www.thesilverline.org.uk

The Mix 
Aimed at people under 25. Their helpline is open between 4pm and 11pm, 7 days a week. They also run a crisis text service which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

Telephone: 0808 808 4994
E-mail: through the website.
Crisis text message service: Text THEMIX to 85258
Webchat: through the website. 
Website: www.themix.org.uk

Mood Swings
Aimed at anyone affected by a mood disorder, including friends, families and carers.  

Telephone: 0161 832 37 36
E-mail: info@moodswings.org.uk
Website: www.moodswings.org.uk

Rethink Mental Illness have services across England. You can search for services in your area at: www.rethink.org and search ‘help in your area’.

The Hub of Hope website has a postcode search that you can use to find local services.  Visit their website at https://hubofhope.co.uk/

Your local authority should also have details of local services that can help. You can also speak to your doctor. Or CPN or Care Co-ordinator, if you have one.

Our Advice & Information Service give practical, solution-focussed advice and information about issues such as:

• Mental health conditions and symptoms
• Living with mental illness
• Benefit, money issues, employment
• Police, courts and prison
• Mental Health laws
• Rights and restrictions
• Support for carers

The team can also refer people to the Mental Health and Money Advice Service if you need debt and benefits support.

The team are not trained to give emotional support. There is a list of organisations who can offer emotional above.

Many of your questions are answered in our advice and information pages. You can see a list of topics by clicking here. If you can't find an answer to your question then please contact us:

Rethink Advice and Information Service

Telephone: 0808 801 0525  (9:30am – 4:00pm Monday to Friday except bank holidays)

Address: RAIS, PO Box 17106, Birmingham, B9 9LL

E-mail: advice@rethink.org

Webchat: www.rethink.org/about-us/our-mental-health-advice (10am - 1pm Monday to Friday except for bank holidays)

Website: www.rethink.org