You Are Not Alone – Need Help Now?

The Samaritans, undoubtedly the most recognised support organisation, offer confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Free Call 116 123

Alternatively, email jo@samaritans.org.uk

Have feelings of being alone? When you struggle to cope and need to talk, trained SHOUT volunteers are available day or night to provide confidential, free support.

SHOUT can help with urgent issues such as:

• Abuse
• Anxiety and stress
• Bullying
• Depression or sadness
• Feeling alone or isolated
• Panic attacks
• Self-harm, and finally,
• Suicidal thoughts

Go to https://giveusashout.org/get-help/ to find out more.

Established in 1970, Anxiety UK is run by and for those with anxiety, offering an extensive range of support services designed to help support those affected by anxiety disorders, anxiety and anxiety-based depression.

Services available include:

Helpline services – 03444 775 774, open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday to Friday, and a text service 07537 416905. Additionally, there is an ‘Ask Anxia’ chatbot service available 24 hours a day for all anxiety queries at anxietyuk.org.uk. View the Anxiety UK Helpline services web page for information.

Anxiety UK is also able to offer fast access to a range of psychological therapy services, including counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), clinical hypnotherapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, with appointments available in person, online and by telephone. See their Therapy services web page for information.

You can call the Rethink advice and information line Monday to Friday, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, for practical advice on the following:

• different types of therapy and medication
• benefits, debt, money issues
• police, courts, prisons
• your rights under the Mental Health Act

Contact Rethink on 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).

Alone? The MIND InfoLine can help

MIND offers an information line to help with questions about:

• types of mental health conditions
• where to get help
• medication and alternative treatments
• advocacy

Call the MIND InfoLine on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones may vary considerably) — alternatively, email info@mind.org.uk.

The MIND Legal Advice service

If you need legal advice, you can speak to MIND about:

• mental health
• mental capacity
• community care
• human rights and discrimination/equality matters relating to mental health issues.

Call the MIND Legal Advice service on 0300 466 6463 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones may vary considerably) — in addition, you can email legal@mind.org.uk.

The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is taking a stand against suicide.

What’s more, you can talk to CALM about anything, including feelings of being alone – a major factor in male suicide in the United Kingdom.

Call the CALM helpline on 0800 58 58 58. Rather be anonymous? Use the CALM webchat service by using this link.

The helpline and webchat are both open from 5:00 pm until midnight every day of the year.

You may find it helpful to talk to your partner, a relative or a friend about any problems. Indeed, they may be concerned about you and welcome the opportunity to listen to what you say. However, if this is not possible, you may prefer to talk to someone you can trust, like a faith leader, a teacher, or a tutor.

Of course, your GP may be the first person you talk to about your mental health problems. Even if you have a good relationship with your doctor, you may find it helpful to know someone you can talk to about your feelings. Generally, your GP will refer you to specialist services if he/she/they feel it will help you. Moreover, you don’t have to go to an appointment alone; you can always take someone with you.

If you are unhappy with your doctor, you can ask to see another doctor at the same practice or make an appointment with another practice in your area. If you are unsure where to find other doctor’s surgeries, look on the NHS Choices website.

For the most part, if you are in distress, need immediate help, are unable to see your GP, and are resident in South Cumbria, you can get support advice from the Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust on freephone – 0800 013 0710, calling this number enables you to access urgent or general mental health support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

CMHTs

Generally, most people recover from mental health problems without needing to go to hospital. Indeed, many specialist services provide various treatments, including counselling and other talking treatments. You may also need help with other aspects of your life – for example, claiming benefits or dealing with housing problems. A Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) often coordinates these different services.

CMHTs are usually at a hospital or a local community mental health centre. Some teams provide 24-hour services so that you can contact them in a crisis. If you are already in contact with a CMHT, you may find it helpful to keep their number on your phone in case you need it. Otherwise, you should be able to contact your local CMHT via your local social services or social work team.

Other Teams

Additionally, other kinds of community mental health teams include Crisis and Home Treatment teams, which help you in your own home and can come out to see you in an emergency or help you get into a hospital if you need inpatient treatment.

You may also find it helpful to contact your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau for advice about benefits, debt problems, legal issues and local services. Furthermore, the Citizens Advice Bureau website has a directory listing all its regional offices.

Finally, Switchboard provides a one-stop listening service for LGBTQ2S+ people on the telephone, by email and through instant messaging.

For non-judgmental and confidential information and advice, you can contact Switchboard on 0800 0119 100 from 10:00 am until 10:00 pm every day of the year or via email at hello@switchboard.lgbt. For instant messaging, see the ‘Chat with us’ button at the foot of the Switchboard ‘About Us‘ webpage.

Switchboard prides itself on being a safe space to discuss anything during a crisis, including sexuality, gender identity, sexual health and emotional well-being. Indeed, the organisation supports people in exploring suitable options for themselves and aspires to a society where all LGBTQ2S+ people are informed and empowered. In conclusion, it’s no longer necessary to feel alone.

Once in a while, we all need help after a crime. Contact Victim Support anytime for independent, accessible, and confidential advice. Victim Support provides specialist assistance to support people in coping until they can move on to a point where they feel they are back on track with their lives.

Call SupportLine on 08 08 16 89 111

Notwithstanding any other information on this page, you should always call 999 in an emergency.

Although services are confidential, Victim Support specifies the following:

We will only share information about you without your consent if we’re concerned about your, or someone else’s safety, or if we’re required by law.

Victim Support

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts and feelings, are concerned about someone you know or have been bereaved by suicide, then Action for Wellbeing may be able to help.

Established to reduce the number of suicides in South Cumbria and North Lancashire, this charity has a dedicated team of volunteers who each have their own unique experience of suicide.

For more information, visit the Action for Wellbeing website or call 07568 704638.

Relate has a network of centres across the UK and a group of licensed local counsellors that provide face-to-face counselling and support. Services include areas such as relationship counselling, family counselling, mediation, children’s counselling, young people’s counselling and sex therapy.

For those who are in more need of a quick chat than ongoing support, we offer 30-minute chats with a counsellor over the phone or on web chat or one-session therapy designed to tackle a specific issue and see results straight away. There is a fee for counselling services.

For more information, visit the Relate website.

In brief, Citizens Advice can assist you to:

• Get help with the cost of living
• Get help with bills
• Check if you can pay less council tax
• How to read your smart electricity meter
• Check what benefits you can get
• Claim compensation if your flight is delayed or cancelled

They also give advice on consumer rights, support witnesses in court, and give pension guidance to people over 50.

South Lakes Citizens Advice is situated on Blackhall Road, Kendal LA9 4BT.

Finally, for more information, email advice@southlakesca.org.uk or call 01539 446464

OutREACH Cumbria is the county’s leading service provider for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender support, advice and engagement in Cumbria. They work county-wide and are there to help anyone within Cumbria and the surrounding areas as much as they can. 

They have a range of different services, groups, projects and opportunities on offer. If you want to learn more about these, please visit their website at https://www.outreachcumbria.co.uk/

Alternatively, email info@outreachcumbria.co.uk or telephone 07369 228836.

The address of OutREACH Cumbria is 9 Brunswick Street, Carlisle, CA1 1PB.