Where to get Urgent Help for Mental Health

Where to get urgent help for mental health

If you need help for a mental health crisis or emergency, you should get immediate expert advice and assessment.

It’s important to know that support is available, even if services seem busy at the moment because of coronavirus

Please be aware that Axia ASD is not able to offer a crisis or emergency service. 

Call 999 or go to A&E now if:

• someone’s life is at immediate risk – for example, they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose
• you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe

A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one. You will not be wasting anyone’s time

If you need special assistance then you should let staff know right away: show them your Autism Alert card if you have one. A&E departments can be busy places at times: they can be noisy, bright, smelly and crowded sometimes. Because you might be waiting for some time, you might want to take something to help manage any sensory issues and cope with that sort of environment.

NHS urgent mental health helplines

NHS urgent mental health helplines are for people of all ages.

You can call for:

• 24-hour advice and support – for you, your child, your parent or someone you care for
• help to speak to a mental health professional
• an assessment to help decide on the best course of care

www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline

If you are currently under the care of a mental health team, contact the mental health professional assigned to your care.  If they are not available, ask to speak to the duty worker or team. If you’ve already been given a crisis line number to use in an emergency, it’s best to call it.

Get advice from 111 or ask for an urgent GP appointment if:

• you are not able to speak to your local NHS urgent mental health helpline
• you need help urgently for your mental health, but it’s not an emergency
• you’re not sure what to do

111 will tell you the right place to get help if you need to see someone.

Use the NHS 111 online service, or call 111.

Call NHS on 0845 46 47 if you live in Wales (or 111 if you live in Hywel Dda, Powys, Aneurin Bevan and Swansea Bay – including Bridgend).

You may be able to speak to a nurse, or mental health nurse, over the phone.

A GP can advise you about helpful treatments and also help you access mental health services. You may be able to refer yourself to some services.

Coping during a crisis

Coping in a crisis can be hard: it can be very stressful and feel overwhelming. Here are some suggestions about how to manage this:

• If you need to talk, any time of day or night, there are some free listening services. These services offer confidential support from trained volunteers. You can talk about anything that’s troubling you, no matter how difficult:

• Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours

• SANEline: 0300 304 7000 for anyone experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else (4.30pm to 10.30pm, every day)

• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – for men 0800 58 58 58, (5pm to midnight every day). Online webchat is available via www.thecalmzone.net

• PAPYRUS HOPEline is a charity for the prevention of young suicide. Their helpline telephone number is 0800 068 4141 and is open from 9am to midnight (weekends and bank holidays included). Also Text: 07860039967 and email: pat@papyrus-uk.org

• Text “SHOUT” to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text “YM” if you’re under 19. This is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.

• If you’re under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline. 

• Mind Infoline: 0300 123 3393 for information and signposting (9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday) 

• The Hub of Hope (https://hubofhope.co.uk) can be downloaded as an app, as well as having a website. It can help you find a range of services that are nearby

• The mental health charity Mind has information on ways to help yourself cope during a crisis. www.mind.org.uk/need-urgent-help/what-can-i-do-to-help-myself-cope/

This includes calming exercises and some ideas to get you through the next few hours.

The Samaritans also have an app which aims to provide a type of support that you can use without having to discuss your feelings with someone else
https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/self-help/

The Axia ASD website has a Resources section where you can find a document called “How can I help myself if I am feeling suicidal?”