You can find help here for crisis situations, or to prevent a problem becoming a crisis. Please ask for help. Whatever your age, or situation.
Emergency helplines and support
Call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
If you are worried about your own or someone else’s mental health, call 111 and select the mental health option (option 2) or use the NHS 111 online service . This call is free and will enable you to speak to a mental health professional in Cornwall. Anyone, any age, anytime, day or night.
Your GP
Please call your GP or visit their website for up-to-date information on accessing medical advice. You may be able to have a consultation with a GP by phone or online.
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust – Integrated Community Mental Health Teams
Integrated Cornwall Community Mental Health Teams (ICMHTs) are available Monday to Friday from 8.45am – 5.15pm for advice and signposting.
Call: 0845 207 7711
Samaritans
You can call the Samaritans for free from a mobile or landline on 116 123. They are open 24/7, 365 days a year. You can use their website’s online chat feature for immediate help. You can also email them on jo@samaritans.org, for a reply in a few days.
Support Matters Cornwall
For all patients of Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (who are aged 16+). This helpline is open from 5pm to 9am on week days, and 24 hours at weekends and bank holidays. Support can be delivered over the telephone, via text, email or web chat. Call free on 0800 001 4330.
NHS Talking Therapies
Anyone can refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies if they are struggling with mental health. That could be stress, anxiety, PTSD, low mood or OCD. You can register online to get support from groups, or one to one meetings and ways to help yourself at home.
People in Mind
Free mental health support for people 16+ in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. Access is via your Community Gateway. Call 01872 266383 or email gateway@ageukcornwall.org.uk
Other national helplines
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is specifically for men. The service is open 7 days a week, from 5pm to midnight. Their helpline is 0800 58 58 58, and you can also contact them by livechat or whatsapp, from links on their website.
Papyrus is a service for people under 35. Call 0800 068 4141 or text 07786 209697. Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm. Evenings 7pm to 10pm. Weekends 2pm to 5pm.
SHOUT is a 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help. Text 85258.
Mental Health information, guides and resources
Many organisations have information about mental health, different conditions, and for different people. If you want to find out more, go to our Mental health resources and organisations page.
We also have a specific resources page with organisations and support for children and young people as well as parents and other carers or guardians.
Mental health support for deaf people
On our Mental Health guidance for deaf people page you will find some specialist resources to help you in lots of different ways.
Affected by Suicide
Being bereaved by suicide can have a huge impact on loved ones left behind. Even the death of someone who you did not know well can stir up feelings that you may not have dealt with before. We have collated information specifically to help people who know someone who has died by suicide.
Planning to prevent problems
If you know your mental health can be up and down, there is action you can take when it’s up, to help yourself when it’s down.
Mental Health Safety Plans
A Mental Health Safety Plan is a preventative tool designed to help support those who struggle with mental wellbeing. It may be difficult to think clearly when you feel really low or incredibly overwhelmed. It may be difficult to ignore these feelings. Safety plans are best created when not in crisis.
Coping skills
You could try the following things to help you cope if you're not feeling great. It's important to remember that what works for one person might not work for another. And what works for you one day might not work on another day – so give things a try and see what works for you.
- Exercise – walking, running, gardening, – anything that allows you to burn off some energy
- Sleep
- Watching your favourite TV show
- Watching Youtube videos
- Read a page of a book
- Breathing exercises
- Finding distractions:
- Count to 100 (or backwards, or in 3s),
- self-care: Braid your hair/paint your nails,
- craft
- baking
- listen to audible/podcasts
- listen to music (create a playlist in advance so you can choose what to hear),
- jigsaws
- play a musical instrument
- brainstorm ideas when you’re feeling quite well – things that really absorb you
- Mindfulness
- Talk to a friend
- Talk to a professional
- Take things one minute at a time (set a timer for 60 seconds – breathe, sit quietly, squats,
- Celebrate achieving small goals
- Avoiding things that make you feel worse (social media, the news, a person, a place, hangovers, parties)
- Try the 5 ways to wellbeing
You can find more on our Staying mentally well page.