Drugs, alcohol and sexual health advice
On this page you'll find our 'staying safer' guides where we offer useful tips on staying safe if you are using drugs and alcohol or if you're sexually active. We explain the laws around drugs, sex and young people.
There's also a list of other services that provide support and advice around drugs and sexual health.
Advice from young people
It can be helpful to hear from other young people about their experiences.
In this video Rapper, Phonetic, talks about alcohol and mental health from her perspective for Alcohol Awareness Week 2020.
Services to go to for help
There are a wide range of support services in Brighton. If you don’t see what you’re looking for on this list, you can visit Where to go for and search for what you’d like help with.
GP (doctor)
If you’re ever worried about something to do with your body, you should visit your GP. If you don’t currently have a GP you can find a surgery (or a dentist) to register with.
Young Oasis
A variety of services supporting infants, children, young people affected by substance misuse in the family, like a therapy service for 5 to 18 year olds and a young women’s therapy service for 18 to 25 year olds.
- Find out more about Young Oasis
- Phone: 01273 696 970
SHAC – Sexual Health and Contraception Services
- Find out more about SHAC
- Phone: 01273 523 388
Survivors network
Provides lots of different types of support to survivors of sexual violence. The counselling is for young people of any gender up to the age of 18, and for self-identifying women survivors aged 19 and over.
- Find out more about the Survivor's network
- Phone: 01273 203 380
Allsorts youth project
Support for children and young people under 26 who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or unsure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
- Find out more about the Allsorts youth project
- Phone: 01273 721 211
BMEYPP – Black and Minority Ethnic Young People’s Project
- Go to BMEYPP facebook page
- Phone: 01273 609 298
The children and young people's wellbeing service
The hub for all mental health referrals for young people in Brighton & Hove, including CAMHS and online counselling. Referrals through website or by phone.
- Find out more about the children and young people's wellbeing service
- Phone: 03000 020 060
Youth Advice Service (YAC)
Drop-in Service for young people including Housing Advice, Family Mediation, Youth Employability Service and General Support and Advice.
- Find out more about the Youth Advice Service
- Phone: 01273 624 432
Young People's Centre (YPC)
Services and support for young people. A café, counselling, activities and a supportive range of information, advice and guidance.
- Find out more about the Young People's Centre
- Phone: 01273 887 886
- Find free online counselling
Childline
- Phone: 0800 1111
- Childline 1-1 online counsellor chat
Phone applications
Some useful apps you can download or your smart phone or tablet:
- 'Calm harm' for self-harm
- 'Mindshift' for anxiety
- 'SAM' for anxiety
- 'Stay alive' for suicidal thoughts
- 'Headspace' for meditation made simple
- 'For me' – Childline in your pocket
Other websites
- The Mix provides free information and support for under 25s in the UK - advice about sex, relationships, drugs, mental health, money and jobs
- Young Minds provides emotional support
- Papyrus for suicide prevention
- Grassroots for suicide prevention
- Samaritans for suicide prevention
- Self-harm UK provides support around self-harm
- Beat Eating Disorders provides support around eating disorders
- Bullying UK provides support around bullying
- Thinkuknow provides information about staying safe online
- Brook provides support for sexual health and wellbeing
- find information about drugs and alcohol from Talk to Frank
- Drugs and Me provides support around harm reduction
- Crew provides support around harm reduction
- The High-way Code provides information around harm reduction
- find career advice from the Youth Employability Service (YES)
- find support for young women from Missrepresented
- Audio Active provides music workshops
- Bish a guide to sex, love and you for everyone over 14