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How can I get support for mental health?
If you're experiencing changes in your mental health and wellbeing, there are lots of ways you can get support. It can take a while to figure out what works best for you, but trying different options can help.
It's okay if you're not sure what type of support you need right now. You don't have to decide right away.
This page suggests options for people, services and places that can offer mental health support. You can keep coming back to this page whenever you feel like you need to try a different type of support.
No matter how you're feeling or what you're experiencing, you deserve to get support at any time.
What's on this page?
Jump to information on:
Asking for support was definitely one of the hardest things that I ever did, but it was worth it.
Supporting yourself
Learning how to look after ourselves can help at any time, especially while we're finding support for our mental health.
We might find self-care useful if we've had difficulty getting support elsewhere. For example, we might've experienced:
- Long waiting times
- Private services being too expensive
- Discrimination from services or health professionals
If you've experienced these types of problems, you could consider self-advocacy.
We're all different, so think about what you like doing and what helps to improve your wellbeing. But you don't have to figure everything out by yourself.
We have wellbeing and self-care tips you can try in the short-term and long-term. These tips might help while you look into, or wait for, other options for mental health support.
Get ways to support yourself
If you want to try supporting yourself, check out our page of wellbeing tips.
I think it's much more beneficial to recognise the way that you're feeling. Because then you can start to recognise the triggers behind those feelings – Grace, 17
Support from people you know and trust
Some of us might feel comfortable asking for mental health support from people we know and trust, like:
- Friends
- Partners
- Family members
- Carers or childminders
- Sports coaches
- Faith leaders
- Staff at school, like teachers or school nurses
- Any other trusted adults
People we know and trust can listen to us and help us feel less alone. They can also support with practical things. Like helping us find a service or coming to appointments with us.
But some of us might find it hard to open up to people close to us. We might feel worried that they won't:
- Understand how we feel
- Know how to offer mental health support
- Treat us the same way as before
It's okay if they don't understand or feel unsure how to help you. Look at our list of people again and try opening up to someone else. It's not your fault if they don't feel able to support you right now.
How to talk to people you know
If you want to try opening up to someone close to you, we have information and tips to help.
When I did reach out, everyone I told was so supportive and I really wish I'd done it earlier – the prospect of it was so much scarier than the reality.
Support from people you don't know
Sometimes it feels easier to open up about mental health to people who don't know us at all. Talking to people we don't know might feel helpful if:
- We're worried about how someone close to us might react
- We're concerned about feeling judged by someone close
- The support we're receiving from others doesn't feel right or isn't enough
If you'd like to get mental health support from someone you don't know, lots of organisations and services provide:
- Helplines
- Textlines
- Online chats and forums
- Email support
- Support from social media
On our useful contacts page, you'll find organisations and services who offer support for mental health. This includes support for different identities and communities, like if you're LGBTQIA+ or you're Muslim.
Some services provide 24/7 support if you need help and advice right away, or if you're waiting for another type of support.
Get support from people you don't know
If you want to try getting support from someone you don't know, check out our page of useful contacts for mental health.
Support from your doctor
A doctor or GP can help us with mental health just as much as physical health. This page uses the word ‘doctor’, but it means the same thing as ‘GP’.
We can ask our doctor for mental health support at any time. Even if we're not sure what we're feeling or experiencing.
While it might feel scary to see a doctor, they can give us a safe space to talk and answer any questions we have. But it can feel frustrating if we have to wait a while for an appointment.
After you talk to a doctor, they might:
- Give you information about mental health and how to care of yourself
- Offer you treatment, including talking therapies like counselling, or a type of medication
- Refer you to a specialist service, like Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
You can see a doctor at any age on your own, but they might encourage you to speak to your parent, carer or guardian about what's going on. Doctors have to follow strict rules about confidentiality.
How to get support from your doctor
If you want to try getting support from your doctor, we have information and tips on how to do this.
At my in-person appointment, I felt comfortable enough with my doctor to say what was going on. I was referred to CAMHS services and received counselling at school.
Support from CAMHS
The NHS provides free mental health services for young people. These are called Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
You'll need a referral or self-referral to access CAMHS. Different people can make a referral for you, like:
- Your doctor
- School staff, like a school nurse or teacher
- A social worker
How you get support from CAMHS depends on your needs and where you live. But there can be long waiting lists for a first appointment. There can also be waiting times for any treatment and support CAMHS might offer.
While you're waiting, you can look at the other support options on this page. You could also try self-care by using our wellbeing tips.
How to get CAMHS support
If you want to learn more about getting support from CAMHS, we have lots of information and tips.
I felt like there was nothing else that would help except from CAMHS, when in reality, local charities and support from school can make the biggest difference.
Support from school or college
We might want to reach out to a trusted adult at school or college to ask for mental health support. We could talk to a:
- Teacher or tutor
- School nurse
- Mental health lead
- Member of the pastoral team
Some schools provide:
- Counselling services
- Mental Health Support Teams (MHST)
I spoke to a counsellor who attended school weekly and who helped me feel comfortable enough to speak about what I was struggling with, and how to deal with it better.
I made friends that I really trust and who understand me. The teachers have such a better understanding of what PTSD is and how to deal with it – Scarlett, 15
Support from your workplace
If we have a job, our employer has a responsibility to support our wellbeing. If our employer knows we have a mental health problem, it's also against the law for them to discriminate against us.
To find out about mental health support at work, ask someone you trust, like your:
- Supervisor
- Manager
- Mentor
- Colleagues
Some workplaces have peer support ‘networks’ to connect colleagues who share similar experiences. For example, LGBTIQ+ networks, multi-ethnic networks or young staff networks.
What mental health support we need at work will look different for all of us. But some workplaces might:
- Make changes at work to help manage what you're finding difficult
- Find training courses to help in your role or improve your wellbeing
- Provide an Employee Assistance Programme, which might give you access to free counselling or a referral to a private service
- Allow you to have ‘reasonable adjustments’ if your mental health problem counts as a disability
- Create a wellness action plan with you to better understand your wellbeing at work
Get a wellness action plan
If you want to try using a wellness action plan or share this with your manager, download our template.
This is a PDF which will open in a new tab.
Online support and apps
Connecting online can help us feel more supported and less alone. We can share how we're feeling and look for advice from others on how to cope with difficult experiences.
We might find it helps to talk to other young people who are going through something similar to us.
You can talk to others on online message boards, like:
Staying safe online when looking for support
Sharing your feelings can help during a difficult time. But it's important to stay safe online when talking to people you don't know.
On message boards, social media apps and sites for mental health support, you might see posts, images or comments that are upsetting.
Try to make sure you only use sites and apps that:
- Have guidelines about what you can and can't post
- Have moderators who make sure users follow the guidelines
- Are suitable for your age group
- Don't encourage you to do anything dangerous or harmful
- Don't ask for information that can identify you, like social media handles or the area where you live
- Don't ask you to share your address or phone number
You can get guidance on staying safe online from Childline, NSPCC and Young Minds.
Apps for mental health
Some apps can help us with things like feeling calmer or managing difficult experiences. But with so many apps, it can feel hard to know where to start.
To find safe, trustworthy apps for young people, visit Mind's app library.
From the support I've received through websites and outpatients, it's like I'm seeing things from a way bigger perspective.
Support in your local area
Lots of local communities offer different types of free mental health support. To find your nearest local Mind service for young people, use our online map.
Depending on where you live, your local council might also provide support, like:
- Early support hubs for young people
- Youth clubs
- Support in schools
- A safe place to stay
- Help with money
How to find local support
On the UK government website, you can search for your local council to see what they offer in your area.
You could also email or phone them to get more information. A trusted adult could help you with this.
A local peer support group was a ‘lifeline’ because unlike most services, you don't need a diagnosis to attend.
Paying for private therapy
Private therapy is a type of mental health support that costs money to access.
You might decide to pay for private therapy if you're:
- Struggling to get support through CAMHS due to long waiting lists
- In need of extra support if you've just left CAMHS
- Not able to continue working with your current therapist for any reason
If you can afford it, paying for private therapy might be helpful because:
- You can get a first appointment much sooner than CAMHS
- The therapist can help you get a second opinion on your diagnosis
- You usually have a lot more say in when and how often you can make appointments
If you're able to, you might want to ask your parent, carer or guardian if they can help you find a therapist or counsellor.
Remember: private therapy can be expensive. Costs might vary a lot depending on where you live, and it's likely to have an ongoing cost.
But if you're on a low-income, unemployed or a student, some therapists offer a cheaper ‘concession rate’. Sometimes the first appointment is free. This gives you both a chance to work out your needs and explore the relationship.
How to find private therapy
To find a private therapist, try searching the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Directory.
Trusted adult
A trusted adult is someone older than you who:
- Makes you feel safe
- Listens to you
- Treats you with respect, understanding and care
They will have clear boundaries but will support you when they can. They should know when to look for more help if you need it.
You can decide who you feel is a trusted adult to you. You might know them from somewhere like school, your family, places of worship or clubs for young people.
Trusted adults don't have to be the same people as nearest relatives.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryConfidentiality
Confidentiality is about keeping your information private.
It means that when you talk to professionals they shouldn’t tell anyone else what you’ve said.
They will only share what you tell them in certain situations. For example, if you ask them to or if they’re worried that you or someone else could be in danger.
See our page on confidentiality for more information.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryChild and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
These are services that can support you with your mental health.
You might see them called different names sometimes, but they offer the same thing:
- In Wales, they're called Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (SCAMHS).
- In England and Wales, you might also hear them called Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS).
Find out more in our CAMHS information hub.
Counselling
This is a type of talking therapy with a trained counsellor. Counselling can help you:
- Talk through a problem or situation that is negatively affecting your mental health
- Recognise how it affects you
- Work out positive coping strategies or ways to make the situation better
It may be face-to-face, over the phone or over video call.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryLocal authority
This is the local government for where you live. They provide services such as health services, social services, schools, transport and housing.
Each local government decides how services are run. This means that some services in different areas may have different rules.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryReferral
This is a request to a service which asks them to review:
- How you’re feeling
- What support you need
The referral helps explain to the new service why they should see you and what the best way to help you might be.
Sometimes referrals can be made by yourself, a family member or social worker. But they’re often made by your doctor as they understand your medical history.
Psychiatrist
This is a medical doctor that specialises in mental health. Psychiatrists can:
- Carry out assessments of your mental health
- Decide with you which treatments to try, including medication
- Be your therapist for a treatment, like group therapy
Psychologist
Psychologists can assess your mental health and help you to explore how you’re thinking, feeling and behaving.
There are different types of psychologists, like clinical psychologists or occupational psychologists.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryTalking therapies
These involve talking with a professional about your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. There are many types of talking therapies, such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). You usually take part for an agreed length of time or number of sessions.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryCounsellor
Counsellors listen to you and give you a safe space to explore how you’re thinking, feeling and behaving.
They can help you talk through problems or situations that are affecting you, and help you find ways to cope.
You may hear the terms counsellor or therapist used, but they mean the same thing.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryDiscrimination
Discrimination is when someone treats you differently or unfairly because of:
- Your age
- Your disability
- Your gender
- Your gender identity
- Your sexuality
- Your relationship status
- Your religion or beliefs
- Your race, skin colour or where you were born
- Being pregnant or having a child
In the UK, a law called the Equality Act protects you from discrimination.
Visit our full treatment and support glossary
Social worker
A social worker can support you and your family to work through different problems together. Their job is to keep you safe from harm. Some focus on different areas, like mental health or safeguarding.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryAdvocate
Advocates can help you speak up about things that are important to you. And help make sure your voice is heard.
In some situations, you will have a legal right to have an advocate. This is called statutory advocacy.
Even if you don’t have a right to an advocate, there are other types of advocacy that can help you get your voice heard.
See our page on advocacy for more information.
Therapy
This is treatment that aims to help improve your mental health and wellbeing. There are lots of different types of therapies. Here are some common ones you might have heard of:
- Talking therapies
- Creative therapies
- Ecotherapy
- Medication
Self-referral
Self-referral is when you, a parent, carer or guardian asks a mental health service, like CAMHS, to give you treatment and support. But normally, a health professional would make a referral for you.
Not all mental health services accept self-referrals, or might have strict rules on what a self-referral involves. Check your local service's website to see if you can do this.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryCouncil
Or local council. This is the group of people responsible for certain services in your area, like social care and education.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryMental Health Support Team (MHST)
In some schools or colleges, a Mental Health Support Team will be available to offer you help with mental health and wellbeing.
They offer different types of support to students, like courses or counselling, and can make referrals to CAMHS.
You might also be able to get support from your school's pastoral team.
Visit our full treatment and support glossaryPublished: January 2026
Next review planned: January 2029
We spoke to young people who agreed to give quotes for this page. Their experiences are not related to the people shown in the photos.
References are available on request. If you want to reproduce this content, see our permissions and licensing page.
