Mental Health and Wellbeing Support

Table of Contents

Who to contact in a mental health crisis  

If you are in immediate risk of harm, call 999  

If you are not in immediate danger, but are in a mental health crisis and need help now, call: 

  • 111 and select the option for mental health support  
  • Samaritans – free on 116 123   

For adults you can call Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS trust (AWP): 

If concerned about a child or young person under 18 years old in a mental health crisis: 

You could also contact: 

  • Calm – dedicated to preventing male suicide, call 0800 585858 or use web chat  
  • Shout – text SHOUT to 85258 for 24/7 text support  

Mental Health Support   

If you or someone you are caring for wants to speak to someone about their mental health, there are options available.  

  • Contact your GP practice to discuss your needs.  
  • Your doctor may be able to help you or may refer you to other services, including Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS trust (AWP) specialist services for people experiencing serious mental ill health.    
  • Talking Therapies– You can call them on 0333 200 1893. The NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Talking Therapies service is delivered by Vita Health Group. They offer a range of short-term psychological therapies, based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, to anybody aged 16-years and over, who live and are registered with a GP in the area. NHS Talking Therapies is a free service and you don’t need to visit a GP to get help. Visit the website for more information and details of how to self-refer. 
  • Mindline – Visit their website or call them on 0117 203 4419. Lines are open 7pm to 11pm, Wednesday to Sunday.   This is a confidential helpline that anybody in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire can call if they need emotional support. The line is staffed by highly trained volunteers who will listen, support callers, and help them to work through their feelings. 
  • Sane – national out-of-hours mental health helpline 4pm-10pm everyday, call 0300 304 7000 or use the call back service or email contact on support@sane.org.uk  
  • Samaritans – can be contacted by phone on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org , by letter to Freepost SAMARTIANS LETTERS or in person if you visit a branch. Samaritans also have information and resources on their website. 

For information about support for children and young people, please visit the For Families page . Services for children and young people include: 

  • Off the record – provide an area wide talking therapy service for 11-25 year olds.  
  • Kooth – Free, safe and anonymous online support for young people aged 11-18.  

For further information on the support available, please see below to download our adult mental health and Children & Young people mental health flyers:

Adult mental health flyer Children and Young People mental health flyer

Types of mental health difficulties 

The charity Mind has a webpage explaining a wide range of ways mental health problems can be experienced, and provides information on specific mental health conditions for those who have been given a diagnosis.  

The NHS Every Mind Matters website has information and advice around difficulties feeling low, worried, stressed or having trouble sleeping.  

  • Every Mind Matters also has Your Mind Plan where you can create a mental health action plan and tips to support your mental health, based on your answers to five questions. 

Sources of further information  

Here are some suggestions for further advice and resources about mental health:  

  • Every Mind Matters – Find advice and practical resources to help your mental health and wellbeing. 
  • The Well Aware website covers a huge range of topics and has an extensive database of more than 6,000 local and national organisations and services, and a calendar of events in your local area.  
  • Hub of Hope is a database of mental health support and services. You can find local organisations by searching by your location. There is also information available on their webpage on a range of mental health topics. 
  • Cruse bereavement is a charity providing bereavement support and advice. 
  • Second Step– projects to support people that have lost someone to suicide and for Men 30-64 years old that are in emotional distress/ have self-harmed.  
  • Bristol Wellbeing College – there are also a wide range of free wellbeing courses available from Second Step’s Wellbeing College programme, which has now rolled out in South Gloucestershire. Sessions will usually have less than 15 attendees, are interactive, and available to anyone living in South Gloucestershire, aged 18+.
  • The Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People (CFD) are running a pilot scheme in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council  called ‘Deafness connects us: Developing deaf connections in South Gloucestershire’. The work being delivered by CFD includes a series of sessions for the deaf and hard of hearing community based on the 5 Steps to wellbeing, which will be held in venues across South Gloucestershire. The overall aim is to improve the wellbeing of the deaf and hard of hearing community, through reducing isolation and the building of connections and community resilience.