If you’re struggling with your mental health, you’re not alone. It’s ok to reach out and ask for support

Many things happening in the world and closer to home can affect our mental health differently. It’s important to reach out to someone you trust and share your thoughts and feelings.

On this page, you will find some helpful tips for looking at your mental health and emotional wellbeing. There’s also a guide to services you can contact if you need to speak to someone who can offer you professional advice.

If you are a student living or studying in Liverpool, on this page, you will find some helpful tips on looking after your mental health.

On this page, there’s also a range of local and national organisations that can offer you support.

Self-help

I’m looking for some advice and tips to help me feel better

Are there factors in your life that are making you feel low, anxious or stressed? Are these affecting aspects of your life? There are small changes you can do to support your wellbeing here:

• Public Health Liverpool’s health and wellbeing website offers lots of tips and advice to look after yourself and information about local services that can help.
• Kooth (aged 10-25) Qwell (aged 26+) – a safeguarded and moderated website that provides a wide range of support features, including self-help resources, chat functions, peer support forums and online digital counselling support for anybody who is looking for help with their mental health.
• Young Person’s Advisory Service (YPAS) can help with a wide range of difficulties that children, young people and families experience. These difficulties can often impact how we feel, affecting our everyday mental health and emotional well-being.
• Talk Liverpool has a range of self-help leaflets which can be found here
• Every mind matters tips on mental health and self-care for young people can be found here 

Support available

I’d like to talk to someone about how I’m feeling

You might have been feeling low, anxious or stressed for a while. It may help to reach out and talk to someone other than friends and family about how you are feeling. You can find someone to talk to, including:

• Your GP – make an appointment with your GP to chat about how you are feeling
• The Life Rooms – Local telephone and email support service for anyone needing advice on things such as housing, finances, employment, mental and physical wellbeing. The service is available Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on 0151 478 6556.
• Kooth (ages 10-25) Qwell (26+) – are safeguarded and moderated website that provides a wide range of support features including self-help resources, chat functions, peer support forums and online digital counselling support for anybody who is looking for help with their mental health.
• Young Person’s Advisory Service (YPAS) provides a wide range of support and therapeutic interventions to address the mental health and emotional well-being difficulties of children, young people, parents/carers and families.
• Talk Liverpool – is a free NHS service for people over age 16 offering therapies for anyone who is feeling depressed or anxious. You’ll need to be registered with a Liverpool GP.
• Shout 85258 is a free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed or is struggling to cope. You can chat with a trained volunteer who will provide help. They will listen to you, help you think more clearly and support you on your next steps to feeling better.
• Samaritans – Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. They are there 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org

Rachel Howley talks about how calling the Samaritan’s free number made her feel better able to cope with the grief of losing both her parents.

Urgent help

I’m feeling distressed and in need of urgent help now:

• NHS 111
• YPAS CRISIS DROP-IN SERVICE (PLEASE NOTE: times are updated weekly depending on availability).
  
• Liverpool Light is a preventative out-of-hours (Monday – Sunday, 6 pm – 1 am) mental health crisis service. It has been set up to provide a safe place for people aged 18+ experiencing mental health or other crisis to meet their needs and begin their recovery
• Mersey Care Community and Mental Health – 0800 145 6570 – Open 24/7 for people ages 16+ living in Liverpool, Sefton or Kirby. Reach out and speak to someone who will offer you advice and support. The practitioner on the phone will ask for your name and age, or you can have someone ring on your behalf.
• Alder Hey Crisis Care Team – 0808 196 3550 / 0151 293 3577 -24/7 careline for under 18’s living in Liverpool or Sefton.
• Papyrus Hopeline – This is for anyone under the age of 35 who is experiencing thoughts of suicide or is concerned for another person’s wellbeing. HOPELINEUK advisers will work with you to understand why these thoughts of suicide might be present, to provide you with a safe space to talk through anything that might be happening in your life and offer you guidance on the next steps to keep yourself and others safe. Papyrus Hopeline is open 9 am-midnight, 365 days a year. Call: 0800 068 4141 / Text: 07860039967 / Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org
• James’ Place – A service for men in suicidal crisis. Call 0151 303 5757, email info@jamesplace.org.uk Web: www.jamesplace.org.uk 24-hour Crisis Text Line – Text JP to 85258
• SHOUT is a free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed or struggling to cope. To start a conversation with someone from Alder Hey, text the word  GREEN  to 85258

Other support

On this site, you will find a range of tools, resources and links to organisations that can help you with your mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Mental health support for young people aged 11-18.
Mental health support for young people aged 18-25
Tools that can help you with various situations you might find yourself having to cope with.
Apps and websites that can help you relax.
Websites and apps that can help you positively manage your mood and how you’re feeling.