Life can be really difficult and you might sometimes feel completely overwhelmed. This kind of crisis situation can be triggered by many things, including bereavement, stress and social isolation, and may require an immediate response.

Remember, a mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one. You will not be wasting anyone’s time.

Accessing immediate mental health support

If you feel extremely distressed and worried that you might not be able to keep yourself safe, then you should call your local NHS mental health helplines which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Every London borough (and other places around England) has a mental health helpline which is run by trained mental health advisors and clinicians. You can find your local London number at the bottom of this page, or on the NHS’s urgent mental health helpline webpage for numbers outside of London.

If you can, also let a parent, carer, friend, teacher or someone else you trust know how you’re feeling so they can help support you.

If you’re in immediate danger and it’s a medical emergency, call 999 straight away.

If you’re already receiving support from mental health professionals, you should have your own Safety and Coping Plan (sometimes called a Safety Plan or a Care Plan). When you’re struggling, try to follow this plan one step at a time until you are safe and let your mental health professional know what’s going on.

Please don’t suffer alone. You can find lots of information about the NHS and other support organisations below – they are all here to help you.

Click for urgent mental health helplines in:

• North Central London
• North East London
• North West London
• South East London
• South West London

Supporting parents, teachers and professionals

All support lines are operated by mental health professionals who will help make an assessment to help decide on the best course of care.

For those caring for someone, whether a parent, teacher, first responder, call your local NHS urgent mental health support line in the first instance for immediate support and advice.

Teachers can download this short assembly plan, which share information about mental health and wellbeing, aimed at young people in key stage 3-5.

North Central London

For 24/7 support in the following boroughs call: 0800 151 0023

• Barnet
• Camden
• Enfield
• Haringey
• Islington

 

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North East London

For 24/7 support in the following boroughs call:

0800 073 0006 for:

• City & Hackney
• Newham

0800 995 1000 for:

• Barking & Dagenham
• Havering
• Redbridge
• Waltham Forest

Or 0800 073 0003 for:

• Tower Hamlets

 

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North West London

For 24/7 support in the following boroughs call:

0800 023 4650 for:

• Brent
• Hillingdon
• Harrow
• Kensington & Chelsea
• Westminster

Or 0800 328 4444 for:

• Ealing
• Hounslow
• Hammersmith & Fulham

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South East London

For 24/7 support in the following boroughs call:

0800 731 2864 for:

• Lambeth
• Lewisham
• Southwark

0800 330 8590 for:

• Bexley
• Bromley
• Greenwich

 

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South West London

For 24/7 support in the following boroughs call:

0800 028 8000 for:

• Croydon
• Kingston
• Merton
• Richmond
• Sutton
• Wandsworth

Other support available