Urgent Help
If you need urgent help, please refer to the advice and contacts below to find the people who can best support you.
You can find a full directory of mental health support available in Sussex by clicking here.
If you or someone else is at risk of death or serious injury, call 999 and ask for the police and/or ambulance immediately.
Mind in Brighton and Hove is not a crisis service and most of our services run on an appointment-only basis. If you want to know more about treatment and preventative services that can support you, please contact our advice team for an appointment.
Emergencies
If you require support with physical health symptoms please call 111, and if your situation is a health emergency and you are at immediate risk please call 999 and ask for an ambulance or go to A&E.If you or someone else is at risk of harm due to experiencing a mental health crisis, please call:
Sussex Mental Healthline (NHS)
The Sussex Mental Healthline offers listening support, advice, information and signposting to anyone experiencing difficulties, or who may be in crisis and in urgent need of help, with their mental health. The service is free and is available to anyone concerned about their own mental health or that of a relative or friend. This includes carers and healthcare professionals.
To find out more about this service you can also go to www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/sussex-mental-healthline
You can contact the service by Text Relay calls and New Generation Text. Calls from hearing and speech impaired callers, on 0300 5000 101.
Phoneline: 0800 0309 500
Opening hours 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Mental Health Rapid Response Service (NHS)
Brighton and Hove Only
The MHRRS service is able to support adults who are experiencing a crisis with their mental health, who think they are at risk of harming themselves or others. Examples of urgent mental health problems including someone
at high risk of suicide, with specific intention to act or at a high risk to self or others and who may require immediate attention for their mental health
The service is free and is available to anyone concerned about their own mental health crisis or that of a relative or friend concerned about someone they know.
Helpline: 0300 304 0078
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday: 8am-10pm
Weekends and bank holidays: 10am-10pm
24/7 crisis helplines
Samaritans
Samaritans is open 24/7 for support with any issues, including mental and emotional health problems. The helpline number is free to call from any phone.
Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
YoungMinds
YoungMinds operates a 24/7 text messaging service providing support for young people experiencing a mental health crisis. Free from major networks.
Text ‘YM’ to 85258
Shout
Shout is a confidential 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. The helpline is free to use from most mobile networks.
Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258
NSP Helpline
The National Suicide Prevention Helpline offers a supportive listening service to anyone with thoughts of suicide. It operates nationally.
Call 0800 689 5652
Staying Well Spaces
The Staying Well Spaces are out-of-hours mental health crisis prevention services. The services provide psychosocial support and crisis prevention planning. This includes contacting people to build crisis plans together, increasing resilience and coping skills. Individuals can phone the service directly to self-refer when they aren't able to cope or feel they are heading towards a crisis point.
The services are not a drop-in and you need to phone in advance on each day prior to attending.
Brighton and Hove
Weekdays – 5.30pm to 10.30pm
Weekends – 3.30pm to 10.30pm
Telephone (Freephone): 0800 023 6475, choose option #3
Email: stayingwell.brighton@southdown.org
Address: Preston Park Recovery Centre, 18 Preston Park Avenue, Brighton, BN1 6HL
Eastbourne
Weekdays – 4pm to 10.30pm
Weekends – 3pm to 10.30pm
Telephone (Freephone): 0800 023 6475, choose option #1
Email: stayingwell.eastbourne@southdown.org
Address: Eastbourne Wellbeing Centre, 8 Saffrons Road, Eastbourne, BN21 1DG
Hastings (St Leonards-On-Sea)
Weekdays – 4pm to 10.30pm
Weekends – 3pm to 10.30pm
Telephone (Freephone): 0800 023 6475, choose option #2
Email: stayingwell.hastings@southdown.org
Address: St Leonards-On-Sea Wellbeing Centre, Carisbrooke House, Stockleigh Road, Hastings, TN38 0JP
West Sussex
Weekdays – 5pm to 10.30pm
Weekends – 12pm to 10.30pm
Telephone: 01903 268107
Email: sww@westsussexmind.org
Address: The Gateway, 8-10 Durrington Lane, Worthing, BN13 2QG
For children and young people
Childline
Childline is open to children and young people up until their 19th birthday. Calls are free and won’t show up on the phone bill. Open weekdays 7:30am—midnight, weekends 9am—midnight.
Call 0800 1111 or use webchat
Papyrus
Papyrus operates a support line for teenagers and young adults under 35 feeling suicidal. Open weekdays 9am–10pm, weekends/bank holidays 2pm—10pm.
Call 0800 068 4141, text 07786 209 697 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org
YoungMinds
YoungMinds runs a 24/7 text line for young people, plus a helpline for adults who may be worried about a young person, available weekdays 9:30am—4pm.
Text YM to 85258 (text support); call 0808 802 5544 (parents’ helpline)
For LGBTQIA+ people
Mindline Trans+
Mindline Trans+ is an emotional and mental health support helpline for anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+, plus friends and family. The helpline is open Mondays and Fridays 8pm—midnight.
Call 0300 330 5468
Switchboard
Switchboard offers support to the LGBTQIA+ community. Get help with whatever you want to talk about. All volunteers identify as LGBTQIA+. The helpline is open daily 10am—10pm.
Call 0300 330 0630 or use webchat
LGBT Foundation
The LGBT Foundation operates a long-running helpline which aims to offer support and advice on a range of topics. The helpline is currently operating weekdays 9am—9pm, weekends 10am—6pm.
Call 0345 3 30 30 30
Other specialist helplines
Head Space
Head Space offers an out-of-hours service for people who consider that they are approaching a mental health crisis. Open 7 days a week, 6pm—midnight.
Call 07890 257 614 or email headspace@colebrooksw.org
Campaign Against Living Miserably
CALM is an organisation dedicated to supporting men who feel suicidal. The helpline and webchat are available 5pm—midnight 365 days a year.
Call 0800 58 58 58 or use webchat
Cruse Bereavement
Cruse offers support to those in a crisis following a bereavement. Their helpline is open weekdays 9:30am—5pm (until 8pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays) and their webchat runs weekdays 9am—9pm.
Call 0808 808 1677 or use webchat
The Silver Line
The Silver Line operates the only confidential, free helpline for older people across the UK that’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year.
Call 0800 4 70 80 90
PaNDAS
PANDAS is a community offering peer-to-peer support for anyone affected by perinatal mental illness, as a mother, partner or friend/family of a mother/partner. Their helpline is available daily 11am—10pm.
Call 0808 1961 776
Bullying UK
Bullying UK has a free, confidential helpline for young people and adults affected by bullying. Open weekdays 9am—9pm, weekends 10am–3pm.
Call 0808 800 2222, use webchat (weekdays from 1:30pm—5:30pm) or email askus@familylives.org.uk
SANE
SANE is a specialist mental health and emotional support helpline.
Request a callback on 07984 967 708 or email support@sane.org.uk