If you need mental health support your GP is generally the best place to start, or if you prefer you can refer yourself directly to Merton Uplift.
However, if you feel that you can not wait, feel very distressed or think that you can not keep yourself or someone else safe then you should choose one of the following options:
Emergency help
If you or someone else’s life is at risk, for example they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose, or you do not think you can keep yourself or someone else safe then you should not delay getting emergency help.
You should call 999, or attend A&E if you can.
Urgent, non-emergency medical advice
If you need help urgently, but it is not an emergency the following can be of help:
24/7 Mental Health Crisis Line on 0800 028 8000 and offers emotional support and advice to people who are affected by urgent mental health issues, at any time of the day or night. It is open to everyone: both children and adults of all ages, and to people who haven’t previously accessed mental health services. The Crisis Line is run by South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust as part of the Coral Mental Health Crisis Assessment Hub, covering the boroughs of Merton, Sutton, Wandsworth, Kingston and Richmond.
There are Mental Health helplines for other areas.
In addition, if you or another person needs help urgently but are not at risk of harm or serious illness, you can use the NHS 111 non-emergency advice online or call 111.
Need to talk now
Whatever you are going through, there are people you can talk to any time day or night. These services will listen, not tell you what to do and they will not judge you.
- Samaritans – Call 116 123 (UK wide for free). Samaritans provide 24/7 telephone support to listen to you and help you to talk through your concerns, worries and troubles.
- Text SHOUT to 85258 (UK wide). Free 24/7 mental health text support in the UK.
