If you’re worried about your mental health, it’s important to speak to someone as soon as possible.
You can make an appointment to see your GP (family doctor) or use the NHS postcode lookup tool to find a GP near you. Mind, the mental health charity, has advice on how to talk to your GP about your mental health.
Stress, anxiety or depression
If you're feeling stressed, anxious or depressed and want to talk to someone, you can get psychological therapies on the NHS. They offer therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), counselling and guided self-help.
A GP can refer you, or you can refer yourself directly. You’ll need to be registered with a GP to get psychological help on the NHS.
Community support
You can also get mental health support through The Essex Wellbeing Service. You can self-refer on the website or call 0300 303 9988.
Support for young people and those with special education needs under 25
You can get support through children and young peoples health and wellbeing services.
Support for armed forces and veterans
Find information and support for armed forces and veterans.
Supporting someone else
If you have a family member or friend who is struggling with their mental health, you may have a lot of questions about their diagnosis, care, and treatment. Find out what information and support is available for carers in Essex.
Mind offers advice on how to cope when supporting someone else.
If you need to go to hospital
Your GP or a member of the community mental health team may suggest that your condition needs inpatient treatment in hospital. This would usually happen in consultation with you.
There may be circumstances where you might need to be detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act. This is sometimes called 'being sectioned.'
Rethink Mental Illness provides more information on going into hospital.
Organisations that provide support
The following organisations provide support with a variety of mental health conditions:
- Employ-Ability helps people suffering from mental ill health to secure and retain employment in South and West Essex.
- Essex Outreach Support offers a short-term support service to people who are experiencing a range of problems that are impacting their health, financial and housing wellbeing
- Futures in Mind helps people suffering from substance or alcohol misuse and mental ill health
- Healthwatch Essex offers information, advice and guidance on accessing health and wellbeing services in Essex
- Mind - The Mental Health Charity has local branches across Essex
- Rethink Mental Illness offers several support groups in Essex
- NAPAC (the National Association for People Abused in Childhood) offers support to adult survivors of all types of childhood abuse
- NHS Every Mind Matters has advice and tips to help you look after your mental health
- NHS Mental Health offers information and support to help with stress, anxiety, depression
- NHS Get help from a mental health charity provide a list of mental health charities
- Samaritans offer support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide
Mental Health and Wellbeing courses
Adult education learning provider, ACL Essex, have a range of Mental Health and Wellbeing courses.
Courses include:
- stress awareness
- building resilience
- managing sleep
- managing anxiety
- goal setting
- yoga
- pranayama breathing
- hypnotherapy
- neuroplasticity