If you need help for a mental health crisis or want help to avoid a crisis, you should get expert advice and assessment.
If you already use mental health services, call your usual or out-of-hours number listed in your treatment plan letters or plan.
If you aren’t currently working with a Mental Health team but feel you need support, you can get local mental health crisis advice anytime by calling 111 and choosing the mental health option (Option 2). Alternatively, if you’d rather speak to someone face-to-face, you can visit a Talking Space service in Birmingham (Talking Space) or a Crisis Café in Solihull (Crisis). A specialist worker will have an informal, supportive conversation with you.
If you’d prefer to start a conversation over text, simply text ‘Space’ to 85258. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and connects you with a mental health professional at any time. It’s suitable for people of all ages living in Birmingham or Solihull.
For general emotional and wellbeing advice, call the Birmingham Mind helpline at 0121 262 3555 (or Freephone 0800 915 9292 between 9am and 11pm. You can also email help@birminghammind.org or use their webchat service (Helpline – Birmingham Mind).
If you or someone you are with is in immediate physical danger, please call 999 or visit A&E.
Coping during a crisis
The mental health charity Mind has information on ways to help yourself cope during a crisis.
This includes calming exercises and a tool to get you through the next few hours.
In an emergency
Call 999 or go to A&E now if:
- Someone’s life is at risk – for example they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose
- You do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe
A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one. You will not be wasting anyone’s time.
Other helpful support
These free listening services offer confidential advice from trained volunteers. You can talk about anything that’s troubling you, no matter how difficult:
- Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours.
- If you’re under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline. The number will not appear on your phone bill.
- Papyrus – suicide prevention helpline, HOPELINE247, is a free, confidential, non-judgmental space to talk openly about your thoughts of suicide with our trained advisers. For people under the age of 35. Call 0800 0684141. Text 07860 039967. Open 24/7.
