Mental Health Crisis Support & Helplines
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or feel unable to keep yourself safe, urgent support is available.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.
If you need urgent mental health help but it is not an emergency, contact NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
If You Need Someone to Talk To
If you are distressed, overwhelmed or struggling to cope, you can also contact one of the confidential support services below.
UK Mental Health Helplines
Samaritans
Emotional support at any time, day or night.
Call: 116 123 — free, 24 hours a day
Samaritans
Shout
Free, confidential text support for people struggling to cope.
Text SHOUT to 85258 — 24/7
Shout 85258
CALM
Support for adults affected by suicidal thoughts or suicide.
Call: 0800 58 58 58 — 5pm to midnight daily
CALM
SANEline
Emotional support and information for people affected by mental illness.
Call: 0300 304 7000 — 4pm to 10pm daily
SANEline
Therapy Following a Crisis
Crisis services provide immediate support. Counselling and psychotherapy have a different role and may be appropriate once immediate safety needs have been addressed.
Therapy can provide an opportunity to explore what contributed to the crisis, understand emotional or behavioural patterns and consider how you might respond differently to future difficulties.
Akhtar Counselling is not an emergency or crisis service.
Important: Akhtar Counselling does not provide emergency or crisis intervention. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or attend A&E. For urgent mental health support that is not an emergency, contact NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do in a mental health emergency?
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent mental health support that is not an emergency, contact NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
Can counselling help following a mental health crisis?
Counselling may provide ongoing therapeutic support after immediate crisis or safety needs have been addressed. It is not a replacement for emergency or crisis services.