Mental Health Resources
Links to Groups / Organisations that can help with mental health.
Make A Difference
That’s us: A community mental health charity and wellbeing hub based in Tavistock, Devon. We’re here to provide friendship, support and a listening ear, as well as support and advice to help you with the practical side of life, when you are living with a mental illness.
You can contact us on 01822 613746 or via email at secretary@makeadifferencetavistock.org
Anxiety UK
A charity providing support for people diagnosed with an anxiety-related condition.
Helpline: 03444 775 774
Website: www.anxietyuk.org.uk
Bipolar UK
A charity helping people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder. It has an e-community you can register to join, for peer-to-peer support.
Website: www.bipolaruk.org.uk
CALM
The Campaign Against Living Miserably is a charity with a focus on suicide prevention and support for men who are struggling with their mental health. It offers a helpline or webchat option from 5pm to midnight every day.
Phone: 0800 58 58 58
Website: www.thecalmzone.net
CLIC
This is free-to join online support community, which you can access via your computer or smartphone. It provides chat rooms and forums to talk with other people about how you’re feeling. It aims to help you feel less alone in your mental health, by connecting with other people who identify with what you’re going through.
Clic is supported by trained staff and volunteers to help keep you safe and is part of national charity Mental Health UK.
Website: clic-uk.org
Counselling Directory
Counselling Directory is a resource hub which enables individuals struggling with their emotional well-being to find a qualified and insured counsellor.
The site was set up by a team who know how difficult it can be to find the right support, and they’re passionate about connecting people to the support they deserve:
Devon Recovery Learning Community
A resource provided by the Devon NHS Trust that provides information and courses to help you better understand and cope with a mental illness, and find creative and inspiring ways to cope, heal and achieve personal growth.
Among its resources are online courses and YouTube tutorials to support you through lockdown.
Website: devonrlc.co.uk
Men's Health Forum
24/7 stress support for men by text, chat and email.
Website: www.menshealthforum.org.uk
Mental health and money advice
This website has lots of useful free tools and information if you’re facing money issues. from managing your money and bills, to finding out about working or welfare benefits claims, and how to seek help if you are struggling with debt.
Helpful features also include a section on accessing social and private mental health care and services,
You’ll also find information in user-friendly language about the Government’s breathing space scheme, for people who are in debt.
Website: www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org
Mental Health Foundation
Information and support for people with mental health problems or learning disabilities.
Website: www.mentalhealth.org.uk
Mesothelioma Hope
Supporting those with mental health due to cancer diagnosis.
They have a direct resource here
Website: mesotheliomahope.com
Mind
Provides information about mental health conditions, with an information line providing advice on the steps you can take to seek help.
Website: www.mind.org.uk
Moodgym
A secure and confidential online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program, to help you cope with the symptoms of anxiety or depression.
Website: www.moodgym.com.au
No Panic
A mental health charity with online resources including recorded messages to talk you through and help you cope, during a panic attack.
Website: www.nopanic.org.uk
OCD Action
Online information, resources and a confidential weekday helpline to help you cope with OCD. Calls to its helpline cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider’s access charge.
Helpline: 0845 390 6232 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm)
Website: www.ocdaction.org.uk
Qwell
There motto: Alongside you when you need us.
Free, safe and anonymous mental wellbeing support for adults across the UK
Rethink Mental Illness
Support and advice about practical day-to-day living issues, from benefits to care and medication, for people living with a mental illness.
Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm)
Website: www.rethink.org
Samaritans
A free helpline available 24-7 offering confidential support to anyone in distress.
Phone: 116 123
Website: www.samaritans.org.uk
SANE
Emotional support, information and guidance for people with a mental illness, their families and carers. This charity offers support over-the-phone, text or email and email support from 4.30pm to 10.30pm every day. There’s also an online forum where you can chat with people who are supporting each other in their mental health.
Since lockdown, the SANEline helpline has been replaced by a callback service. Call and leave a message, giving your first name and a contact number. It aims for one of its mental health professionals or a trained volunteer to call you back as soon as possible.
Website: www.sane.org.uk
SANEline: 07984 967 708 (4.30pm to 10.30pm)
Shout 85258
Text SHOUT to 85258 to access this free and confidential mental health support service at any time of night or day. Give Us a Shout’s trained volunteers offer support if you are struggling to cope with mental health issues including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, bullying and panic attacks. This charity aims to respond as quickly as possible to your text and to get a supportive conversation going, when you need help.
Website: giveusashout.org/
Veterans
Adjusting to civilian life after service in the Armed Forces may mean that you could benefit from support with your mental wellbeing, physical recuperation, career opportunities, housing, or financial health.
There are many UK-based charities that provide Armed Forces veterans with support, advice and help.
Lily Jones, the granddaughter of a veteran, has compiled a comprehensive directory, with details and links to a host of charities and organisations with a mission to support ex-service men and women through the challenges they may face.
Rehab 4 Addiction
Rehab 4 Addiction offers a wealth of resources and information about addiction and mental health, which could be invaluable.
Secondly, they provide a helpline that offers immediate assistance to those struggling with addiction in Devon, a service that could be life-saving for some of your readers.
Lastly, they offer a comprehensive directory of treatment centres throughout the UK, making it easier for those in need to find help near them.
Self Help Videos
Here you can see a range of self help videos available online, these are all hosted by Youtube.
Have you been trying to ‘stay strong’?
We need to talk about mental health: in today’s busy world stress often seen as something we just have to deal with. But this can mount up and make our minds ill,. In this video, YouTuber Prince Ea talks about how we can feel pressured to ‘stay strong’. He talks about how we can adapt our lifestyle and ways of thinking, for better mental wellbeing.
Stress.O.S
We all encounter stress, but completing a task, or enjoying a relaxing activity can help to relieve that mental pressure.
When stress builds up, though, it can have an impact upon both our mental health and our physical wellbeing.
This video looks at how mental pressures can affect us physically. It provides useful pointers to recognise the signs of built-up stress, and how to feel less pressured.
Am I depressed?
Changes in our mood, outlook and the way we behave can be symptoms of depression. But it is not always easy to recognise or admit that what we’re going through is depression..
In this animated video, the World Health Organisation imagines that depression is black dog, which can become like a shadow that follows you around. It shows you that there are ways of controlling the black dog, so that it does not take charge of you.
Facing fears: anxiety
It’s not always easy for people to understand anxiety. It can be hard to explain how it can make you feel, and how these feelings can affect your life and daily routines.
This video looks at 11 ways that anxiety can commonly affect people who live with this mental health condition. It offers some ways you can help support yourself, or someone you know, to cope in situations that can cause anxiety.
Coping when panic attacks
Panic attacks are triggered by our ‘flight-or-fight’ hormones going into overload. The thoughts and physical feelings caused by a panic attack can be very frightening.
This video explains what’s going on in your body and brain when a panic attack strikes. It shares self-care techniques for getting through a panic attack. It also explores how to identify and cope with situations that trigger panic, as well as help you support someone you know through a panic attack.