Support with your mental health and wellbeing

What you can do to improve your mental health and wellbeing, and where to get help.

What is mental health and wellbeing

Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social health. Mental wellbeing can be described as feeling good and functioning well.

Our mental health and wellbeing affects how we think, feel and act. 

Get help in a mental health emergency, if you or someone you know is at risk of harming themselves or others.

What you can do

Read the 5 ways to mental wellbeing leaflet, for suggestions of things you can do in your everyday life to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

NHS choices has information on mental health related issues, including stress, anxiety and depression.

Mind Brighton & Hove can support you, and they have a directory of mental health and wellbeing apps you can download for free.

You can also find apps recommended by the NHS in the NHS apps library. 

Take the every mind matters quiz to get simple ideas to help improve your mental health and wellbeing.

For courses to help you understand and manage your mental health and wellbeing, phone Sussex Recovery College on 01273 749 500, or visit their website. 

If you want to be more active, find free and low cost activities supported by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Reading Well Books on Prescription are self-help books that help with stress, depression, anxiety and dementia. The books are recommended by health experts and people with experience of these conditions.

Getting help if you’re struggling

While it's normal to feel anxious, low or lonely at times, worsening mental health could indicate the need for outside help.

If you find yourself with very poor mental health and aren't able to pull yourself out of feelings of anxiety, depression, or fear, it’s important to reach out for help:

  • Sussex Mental Healthline – freephone 0300 5000 101 – provides 24/7 support from registered clinicians. As well as crisis support it provides psychological support to anyone with general concerns about their mental health, and if needed they can refer you for local assessment and treatment.
  • Samaritans – call 116 123 – 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.
  • UOK – online or freephone 0808 196 1768 – a network of local services committed to supporting good mental health and wellbeing in Brighton & Hove

Suicide prevention training

Find out about Grassroots training courses. They can help you learn what to do if someone’s suicidal.

Help if you've lost someone as a result of suicide

If you’ve been bereaved by suicide, you may find the help is at hand booklet helpful.

Where you can get help

If you’re worried about your mental health or wellbeing speak to your GP. They can give you advice about the support and treatment that’s available. 

Contact the Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service to find out about talking therapies, workshops and courses. They can support with things like:

  • depression
  • anxiety or worry
  • social anxiety
  • panic attacks
  • traumatic memories
  • obsessive compulsive disorder

Find mental health and wellbeing services on the the NHS Sussex Partnership Trust website. These services are free, but your GP has to refer you.

If you need help to express your views and wishes, find out how an advocate could help you.

More information

Find other local mental health services on the Health and Adult Social Care directory.

Get more information about mental health services on NHS.UK.