Mental health issues can eat away at your identity. But by reaching out for help, you can begin to heal.
What crisis services are there?
How to get help in a mental health crisis
If you're experiencing a mental health crisis and need help right away, support is available. Find out more.
Going to hospital or A&E for mental health treatment
Learn what happens if you go to hospital or A&E in a mental health crisis or for specific treatments.
Mental health crisis teams
NHS crisis teams support people who might otherwise need to go to hospital. Find out more.
Crisis houses, sanctuaries and day services
Find out about different services that can help you in a mental health crisis if you don't need to go into hospital.
Emergency GP appointments
Find out how to get urgent help from your GP if you need an appointment quickly. You don't need to be registered as a patient already.
Mental health helplines
Find out about helplines that can support you by offering trained listeners. They often have other options for getting in touch, like text messaging or web chat.
Planning for a mental health crisis
How to plan for a mental health crisis
You might not like the idea of planning for something you hope won't happen. But it could help to think about what you could do if you start to feel in crisis in the future. Read our tips for crisis planning.
Your stories
Podcast: Rachel's story
Listen to Rachel talking about her experience of going through times of crisis with her mental health. And the different crisis services she accessed for support.
Read the transcript of the crisis services podcast.
Published: April 2026
Next review planned: April 2029
References and bibliography available on request.
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