The coronavirus pandemic is having a huge impact on our mental health as well as any underlying issues that people may be suffering.
No one should feel alone, isolated or unsupported, no matter what you are going through, there will always be someone wanting to help you through the tough times. At this crucial time, we have put together a list of some of the many supportive helplines to help ease the weight off your shoulders.
Samaritans – 116 123
Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide.
Samaritans are available day or night, for anyone who is struggling to cope, who needs someone to listen without judgement or pressure.
Visit www.samaritans.org
Anxiety UK – 03444 775 774
Anxiety UK is a UK national registered charity for those affected by anxiety disorders. It is a user-led organisation, run by sufferers and ex-sufferers of anxiety disorders.
Whether you have anxiety, stress, anxiety-based depression or a phobia that’s affecting your daily life, Anxiety UK is here to help you. The charity is fully supported by an expert team of medical advisors.
Visit www.anxietyuk.org.uk
Mind – 0300 123 3393
Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
Mind believe no one should have to face a mental health problem alone. The team will listen, give you support and advice, and fight your corner.
Visit www.mind.org.uk
Calm – 0800 58 58 58
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide. Every week 125 people in the UK take their own lives. And 75% of all UK suicides are male. CALM exists to change this.
Calm run a free and confidential helpline and webchat – 7 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs to talk about life’s problems.
Visit www.thecalmzone.net
Childline – 0800 11 11
Childline is a free, private and confidential service to help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through.
You can talk about anything. Whether it’s something big or small, Childline’s trained counsellors are here to support you. Childline is free and does not show up on your phone bill, and they also have a confidentiality promise.
Visit www.childline.org.uk
Papyrus – 0800 068 41 41
PAPYRUS is the UK Charity for the prevention of young suicide (Under 35) providing confidential support and advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person who may have suicidal thoughts.
Suicide is the biggest killer of under 35s in the UK, over 200 school children are lost to suicide every year, PAPYRUS are at hand to help give hope to young people struggling with life.
Visit www.papyrus-uk.org
Shout – text SHOUT to 85258
Shout 85258 is the UK’s first free, confidential, 24/7 text support service. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and need mental health support.
It is free to text Shout 85258 from all major mobile networks in the UK, you can text any time, day or night and your messages with Shout are confidential and anonymous.
Whether you’re a student looking for support, or you’re wanting to find ways to cope with loneliness or anxiety, Shout offer resources and support.
Visit www.giveusashout.org
Young Minds – 0808 802 5544
Young Minds is the UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people’s mental health. The charity wants to see a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health, and gets the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what.
Three children in every classroom have a mental health problem, Young Minds are at hand to put them at the heart of tackling the problem.
Visit www.youngminds.org.uk
Beat – 0800 58 58 58
Beat is the UK’s eating disorder charity. Founded in 1989 as the Eating Disorders Association, Beat’s mission is to end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders. Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that ruin and, too often, take lives.
Around 1.25 million people in the UK suffer from these illnesses, many in secret. They are of all ages, genders and backgrounds – eating disorders do not discriminate. Eating disorders include bulimia, binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED), and anorexia, which tragically has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, though all eating disorders can be deadly.
Beat national Helpline exists to encourage and empower people to get help quickly, where the team listen and help people to understand the illness and support them to take positive steps towards recovery.
Visit www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
OCD UK – 0333 212 7890
OCD-UK is a national OCD charity providing advice and support to those affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
With an estimated three quarters of a million people living with and affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) here in the UK, the charity is here to support people through the difficult times, right through to recovery and everything in between.
Visit www.ocduk.org
