If you experience a mental health crisis, please know that you are not alone. There are several options but probably the best one for most situations is the First Response Service. You can reach them at any time, day or night, seven days a week.
Urgent advice: In a crisis
Important: Call 111 and select the mental health option.
Call 111 and select the mental health option - the First Response Service. You’ll speak to a trained professional and can explain what you’re experiencing. Once they understand more about what you’re going through, they’ll make a plan with you for the best possible action to support you. This might involve visiting you, inviting you to a mental health Sanctuary or referring you to another service.
You can also call if you are worried about a loved one.
The 111 mental health option is now available in all areas of England.
What does a mental health crisis look like?
Anyone can experience a mental health crisis, even if you’ve never experienced mental health problems before. A mental health crisis can be serious. Please do reach out - you’re not wasting anyone’s time, professionals are here to help.
Urgent advice: Please call 111 and pick the mental health option if any birthing mum or parent is showing any of the following signs:
- Do you have new feelings and thoughts which you have never had before, which make you disturbed or anxious?
- Are you experiencing thoughts of suicide or harming yourself in violent ways?
- Are you feeling incompetent, as though you can’t cope, or estranged from your baby? Are these feelings persistent?
- Do you feel you have got suddenly worse, or are quickly getting worse?
Other than these signs, a mental health crisis looks different for everyone but could include other symptoms too.
Urgent advice: Please call 111 and pick the mental health option if you or a loved one are experiencing any of the following:
- You might feel overwhelmed by your emotions
- You might feel so distressed that you want to harm yourself or someone else
- You might hear or see unusual things that others cannot
- You might feel that people are watching you or trying to hurt you, or have other new unusual beliefs that others around you do not share
Immediate action required: Please call 999 or got to A&E if someone’s life is at risk
Please call 999 or got to A&E if someone’s life is at risk - for example if you or someone else has seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose, or is about to do so.