If you are experiencing an emotional crisis and feel you are at risk of harm, please seek help immediately:

• Call 999 for an emergency response.

If you can stay safe for now but still need support:

• Call NHS 24 on 111 and choose the mental health option. Call 111 if you’re feeling distressed, in a state of despair, suicidal, or in need of emotional support. Once you’ve called, you’ll be connected to a team of psychological wellbeing practitioners (PWPs). They’re specially trained advisors who work in mental health.If you use a textphone, you can contact NHS 24 on 18001 111 or use the Relay UK app.
• Contact your GP and ask for an emergency appointment.

If you need someone to talk to about difficult feelings…

The Samaritans

Call: 116 123
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Samaritans provide confidential emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide. Calls are free, and are open 24/7.

If you are feeling emotional overwhelm, you may like to try some of these simple techniques or meditations to help you to regulate your nervous system and bring you back into a calmer state.

In this video, you are guided in the Butterfly hug – a very powerful grounding technique that helps the nervous system regulate.

This five minute breathing exercise based on a Box breath guides you to a calmer state, regulating your nervous system. Try to breathe into your belly as you do this exercise. You may find it helpful to rest a hand on it to feel its expansion.

In this IFS meditation, Dick Schwartz guides you to focus inside, helping you to feel more embodied and grounded in yourself whilst acknowledging any restless parts experiencing distress.