Do you need urgent help?
If you need to speak to someone right now, here are some confidential options which provide 24/7 support. If you're worried you might hurt yourself or someone else, please call 999, or go to your nearest A and E.
Childline
Helps anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through. Childline is free, confidential and available any time, day or night.
0800 1111Samaritans
24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You don't have to be suicidal to call us
Where to find support
Accessing face to face support might be more difficult during Coronavirus. But you are not alone - there's lots of options online and on the phone.
Covid-19 Community Helpline
A freephone helpline to help those in vulnerable groups to access information, advice and guidance in relation to COVID-19 is open 9.00 am to 5.00pm, seven days a week.
The helpline is local to Northern Ireland and is managed by Advice NI.
Freephone number: 0808 802 0020
You can also get in touch by email and text message:
Email: covid19@adviceni.net
Text: ACTION to 81025
Helplines NI also have an up-to-date list of helplines which offer support and information.
Mental Health Support
During this time, you may be feeling worried about finding emotional support, and opportunities to access face to face support may become more limited.
However, please do keep your appointments with your mental health team and if you are at risk of hurting yourself or someone else, call 999 or go to A&E. You matter and deserve help.
If you need additional support, services which offer support on the phone or online may be helpful. The online spaces are all moderated to help keep users safe. None of the below resources are intended to replace mental health support, or crisis support. If someone needs urgent help, they should still follow their crisis plan.
Where to find mental health support
- Clic www.clic-uk.org
A peer support community for over 18s. It's run by Mental Health UK and provides a safe place to share 24 hours a day.
- Elefriends - www.elefriends.org.uk
A peer support community run by Mind for over 18s. It has house rules and robust moderation. It is not for crisis support.
- The Mix - https://community.themix.org.uk
A busy community which provides information and support to 13-25 year olds on a range of topics.
- Kooth - www.kooth.com
Online counselling for children and young people.
- Aware
Hold online support groups for people who are affected by depression or bipolar disorder on a Tuesday afternoon from 2.30pm - 3.30pm. Find out more: https://www.aware-ni.org/how-we-can-help-you/aware-ni-online-support-groups
- Extern
Extern offer over the phone support for those impacted by mental health, drugs, alcohol and have thoughts of suicide. Their crisis intervention helpline number is: 0800 085 4808 you can also email reachout@extern.org or call 07442533165.
- HERe NI
Supports lesbian and bisexual women and their families, are running wellbeing events and support online and on the phone.
- If you're struggling with suicidal feelings, email jo@samaritans.org or visit some branches in person.
- If you're coping with addiction or alcoholism, Addiction NI offer support on the phone on 028 9066 4434.
- If you're experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm–10.30pm every day).
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If you're experiencing low mood, AWARE run a support line Mon-Fri 11am-3pm. Please call 07548530931 or 07340488254
- If debt, bills or benefits are affecting your mental health, or you have a mental health issue and need money advice and support, call our Mental Health and Money Advice Service on 0808 8010373 and choose Northern Ireland.
- If you're a parent, call Parentline NI free on 0808 8020 400
- If you're in a crisis, you can use the Shout textline, 24/7. Text Shout to 85258
- If you are a farmer or from a farming family, Rural Support NI offers confidential support, and the helpline operates from 9am to 9pm, Monday to Friday (voicemail and support options available at all other times). Call 0800 138 1678 (Freephone from all UK landlines and mobiles.)
- If you're under 25, you can call The Mix on 0808 808 4994 (Sunday-Friday 2pm–11pm), request support by email using this form on The Mix website or use their crisis text messenger service.
- If you're under 35 and experiencing suicidal feelings, or concerned about a young person who might be struggling, you can call Papyrus HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141 (weekdays 10am-10pm, weekends 2pm-10pm and bank holidays 2pm–10pm), email pat@papyrus-uk.org or text 07786 209 697.
- If you identify as male, you can call the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) on 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight every day) or use their webchat service.
- Students can look on the Nightline website to see if your university or college offers a night-time listening service. Nightline phone operators are all students too.
- If you identify as LGBT, you can contact Cara-Friend LGBT switchboard on 0808 8000 390 FREE from landlines and most mobiles. The hours are: Monday-Friday: 1pm – 4pm and Wednesdays: 6pm – 9pm
- Apps4Healthcare is a huge resource of health and wellbeing apps which have been checked for quality.
- WRAP plan tools and templates - though you may have your own.
- Here2Help is a Northern Ireland focused app which uses information from MindingYourHead. It contains a huge range of support services to contact if you need help or are supporting someone else. Download it on Google Play Store and the Apple iTunes App Store.
- Calm Harm is an app designed to help people resist or manage the urge to self-harm. It's private and password protected. Download it on Google Play Store and the Apple iTunes App Store.
