What to do in a mental health crisis

1 in 4¹of us will struggle with our mental health at some point.

We know that reaching out and asking for help can be incredibly difficult, but you don’t have to deal with things alone.

When it’s an emergency

Sometimes, our mental health can reach a crisis point. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger and needs emergency support, it’s time to call 999, or go straight to A&E.

Remember, mental health is as important as physical health and you’re not wasting anyone’s time by treating it as the emergency it is.

When it’s urgent

If there’s no immediate danger, but you or someone you know needs urgent support, call your/their GP and ask to speak to a doctor, or the practice’s urgent care team.

If it’s outside normal working hours, you can call your GP’s out-of-hours helpline, call 111 and select the mental health option, or call The Samaritans on 116 123.

If you feel like you can’t talk, you can email [email protected] for a reply within 24 hours, or text "SHOUT" to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line.

When it’s important

Mental health IS important – please don’t put it off.

Make an appointment to talk to your GP, or to our Health Hero GPs. They’re available 24/7, aren’t limited to a ten-minute consultation, and you can talk to them from the comfort of your own home.

If Stress Support/EAP is part of your Equipsme plan – or if your company has an alternative EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) - give them a ring. They have trained counsellors who can help with all sorts of mental health issues, from debt advice to relationship support, managing anxiety or workplace stress to seeking treatment for depression.

How to help someone with their mental health

There’s no magic wand you can use to make someone’s mental health better, and you can’t force someone to get help if they don’t want to - but there are some things you CAN do when people around you are struggling:

Ask open-ended questions about their feelings
Listen without interrupting, judging, or offering solutions
Acknowledge and validate their experiences and how they feel
Stay calm to help them feel calm too
Ask if there's someone they'd like you to contact, like family members or close friends