Open Your Mind

Feeling overwhelmed?

Access immediate mental health support if you need it.

Get help now

If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, or just find that negative emotions are impacting your everyday life, we are here to help. You can get immediate professional advice and get urgent support that is available to you at any time. You can talk to someone now if you need to feel heard. Your feelings are valid, don’t suffer in silence.

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Resources to support your mental wellbeing

Concerned about your mental health, or the mental health of a young person you know? Whether you’re feeling stressed, anxious, scared, or dealing with more long-term mental health challenges, there are lots of free resources and information available to help you.

Looking after your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Take advantage of these free resources to help you get, and stay, feeling good mentally

Concerned about your child’s mental wellbeing?

You may feel worried or unsure about starting the conversation, but it is important to speak to your child about their mental health and wellbeing. Many children will feel more comfortable talking to friends or family before speaking to a health professional. It is incredibly important to check in on your child’s mental health, even if they don’t necessarily seem like they are experiencing a crisis. The support you can offer to open the conversation is invaluable.

You can explore some helpful conversation tips and prompts below.

However, if someone you care for is feeling extremely distressed and you’re worried that they might not be able to keep themselves safe, then you should call your local NHS mental health helpline which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Calling your local NHS 24/7 urgent mental health support line, which is supported by trained mental health advisors and clinicians, will help make an assessment to help decide on the best course of care. You will not be wasting anyone’s time.

Talking about mental wellbeing

Keep calm and listen

Give your child the space they need to talk. Try to keep calm while they talk, even if it is distressing, this will help them remain calm too. If they aren’t ready to talk just yet, let them know that you’ll be there when they are ready.

Be patient

You may feel the urge to press for more information, or to seek immediate help. Remember this is their journey, and they need to set their own pace when seeking help.

Reassure

Remember to offer reassurance to your child. They might feel lonely, or even embarrassed. It’s important to let them know that they are not alone, that you’ll be there to help them.

Ask open-ended questions

Your child may need some help discussing their mental wellbeing. To support them, you can ask open-ended questions such as “How are you feeling?” or “Is there anything you want to talk about?” Try to keep your language simple and give your child enough time to answer questions in their own time.

Offer your help

Your child may have difficulty asking for help, or even knowing how to ask for help. Let them know how you can help, from researching together what further help is available, to going to appointments with them, or simply listening to them may be enough.