Find help now

If you're feeling overwhelmed or need support you can call NHS 24 on 111. The Mental Health Hub is open 24/7. Find out more on the NHS Inform website.

Whatever you’re going through, Samaritans are there to listen – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call free on 116 123 to speak in confidence with a trained listening volunteer.

Shout is a 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone needing mental health support.  

To access help text SHOUT to 85258 anytime day or night to be connected to a trained and supervised crisis volunteer.

To access a dedicated service for the emergency responder community, text BLUELIGHT to 85258.

Both services are anonymous and won't appear on your 'phone bill.

Hospice UK’s Just B Counselling and Trauma Helpline is for all NHS, care sector staff and emergency service workers and volunteers. The helpline is available 7 days a week, from 8am to 8pm, by calling 0300 303 4434 or you can visit the website for more information.

Breathing Space Scotland is a free, confidential, phone service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety. Call free on 0800 83 85 87(weekdays: Monday-Thursday 6pm to 2am, weekend: Friday 6pm-Monday 6am).

At some stage in our lives, we all experience bereavement, whether it’s the death of a parent, a relative, a friend or a child. The experience often means that our lives will never be the same again. Sometimes the feelings – despair, loneliness, anger or even guilt – can overwhelm us, so much so that we need help. In time, and with support, we can work through such feelings and learn to live with our loss.

Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland provides professional support for bereaved adults, children and families across Scotland. They also train and educate individuals and organisations to help bereaved people.

Call the free helpline on 0808 802 6161 (Open Weekdays 9am-8pm and Weekends 10am-2pm). Alternatively email support@crusescotland.org.uk or use the GRIEFCHAT service

‍The National Bereavement Helpline is open to anyone in Scotland. It is the first point of contact for clients where they can talk in confidence about their grief. Specially trained volunteers listen, provide information and reassurance, and guide clients towards further support from Cruse Scotland and other organisations.

Adversity is part of life and any of us can find ourselves affected by a potentially traumatic event. When this happens, we may experience emotional and psychological distress including feelings of fear, sadness, guilt, or anger.  We’ve provided information that can help support you (or those you help) in our section Understanding my response to trauma and stress.

Your GP isn’t just there for aches and pains. If you’re having trouble with stress or low mood, book an appointment to let them know how you’re feeling. Tell them as much as you can.  It’s okay to make a list beforehand or to take someone with you.

The charity Mind have produced a helpful booklet, Find the Words to help you prepare for this discussion.

Living Life is an free, confidential support service based on cognitive behavioural therapy. When you call you will be offered an assessment and may then be offered a series of telephone appointments with a self-help coach or therapist. Call 0800 328 9655 (Mon-Fri 1pm to 9pm) or visit the website for more information.

If you need some advice to open a conversation then check out our information on asking about suicidal thoughts.

You may find the Suicide Prevention Scotland website useful for help and resources.

You may find the following pages on NHS Inform of help: Surviving suicidal thoughts, Getting help with your suicidal thoughts, and Offering support to someone you're worried is suicidal
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If you need more information around suicide then there is useful information from Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) on Suicide Prevention; Thinking About Suicide; and After a Suicide

If you need more information for those bereaved by suicide then you can find useful information from SAMH After a Suicide or from the website Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide

Cruse Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government to provide free bereavement support for workplaces affected by suicide.

PAPYRUS’s suicide prevention helpline, HOPELINEUK is available for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide. ALSO for anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide. If you are having thoughts of suicide or are concerned for a young person who might be, you can contact HOPELINEUK for confidential support and practical advice. Call 0800 068 41 41  Text 0786 003 9967  or email pat@papyrus-uk.org . Opening hours 24/7 every day of the year (Weekends and Bank Holidays included).

HOPELINEUK, is also available for any professional/volunteer who has had an experience with suicide and would like to talk it through with a trained professional. Anybody can access the debrief service (24/7) and they would encourage everybody to get in touch with them to talk through after they’ve had an encounter with suicide.

If you're feeling anxious, stressed, or low, or having problems sleeping or dealing with grief - find out how you can improve your mental wellbeing by hearing what others have found helpful on the NHS inform website.  

Time for You is a free, online wellbeing support service for anyone experiencing mild to moderate emotional or mental health difficulties aged 16 and over and living in Scotland. You can access different levels of support via their website including guided self-help and therapy.

Blue Light Minds is a charity that provides trauma-focused therapy to Scottish emergency service workers. They aim to see clients within a reasonable timeframe and will always assist in identifying alternative support if they are unable to offer treatment immediately.

If you need immediate support for yourself or someone else contact one of the numbers below:

The National Wellbeing Hub hosts a wealth of information and resources to support the wellbeing of the health and social care community in Scotland.

If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s drinking you can find information about getting help from NHS inform.

If you have worries about your own or someone else’s drug use you can find information about getting help at Know the Score.

Citizens Advice Scotland provides free, independent, confidential, and impartial advice to anyone who needs it.

MoneyHelper is here to make your money and pension choices clearer. To put you in control with free, impartial guidance that’s backed by government, and to recommend further, trusted support if you need it.

If you are a young person, a parent/carer, or if you work with young people then you may find the information and resources from YOUNG MINDS to be of help.  They cover a wide range of topics along with details of helplines.  

You can also find advice and information at Parent Club Scotland.

The charity Children 1st provides parenting help, advice and support for families. If you live in Scotland call 08000 28 22 33 free, browse Parentline section of website for advice and support, or start a webchat.

Relationship Scotland provide relationship counselling and family mediation. Telephone 0345 119 2020 (Mon – Fri, 9:30am - 4:30pm).

If home doesn’t feel like a safe place for you at the moment and you need to talk to someone in confidence, find help from one of the services listed below.

Working Health Services Scotland (WHSS) is a Scottish Government funded NHS service that provides free and confidential advice and health support for people who are self-employed or working in companies with 250 or less employees and have a health condition or injury which they feel is impacting on their work. They may be referred to physiotherapy, counselling or occupational therapy.

Everyone experiences bereavement at some stage in their life, whether it's the death of a parent, a loved one, a friend or child.  The experience often means that our lives will never be the same again.  Sometimes the feelings - the despair, loneliness or even guilt - may overwhelm us, so much so that we need help.  In time, and with support, we can work through such feelings and learn to live with our loss.

Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland provides professional support for bereaved adults, children and families across Scotland.  They also train and educate individuals and organisations to help bereaved people.You can find out how they can help on their website.

Call the free helpline on 0808 802 6161 (Open Weekdays 9am-8pm and Weekends 10am-2pm). Alternatively email support@crusescotland.org.uk or use the GRIEFCHAT service

People in Scotland who have performed CPR on someone or witnessed someone receiving CPR can now access support to help them process what they’ve experienced.

In partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service, Save a Life for Scotland and with funding from the Scottish Government, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland have developed a 12-week support service to help people who witness CPR or provide CPR to someone who has an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) at home or in a public place.

The service will be delivered by the Advice Line team, made up of trained healthcare professionals, who will offer a free telephone listening and support service for up to 12 weeks, signposting people to further support if required.  Freephone: 0808 801 0899  Text: NURSE to 66777 (standard rates apply)