Looking after your mental health
If you need to speak to someone at any time 24/7 you can call the Samaritans on 116 123, the out-of-hours NHS helpline on 111, or Connection (Dorset Crisis Response Service) on 0800 652 0190.
For anyone struggling to cope with life or feels themselves approaching a crisis point, The Retreat is open daily from 4.30pm to midnight in Bournemouth. See also Dorset Mind for some additional useful contact details.
NHS Mental Health Resourses
NHS Mental Health – Find information and support for your mental health
Self Help – Find tips, guides, tools and activities to support and improve mental health.
Access Wellbeing Poole hub
The Access Wellbeing hub in Poole provides Drop-in support and they work closely with other services and charities, to help link people to the right support and help. The hub’s has Wellbeing Coordinators who will take the time to listen, then help people to access support and advice on a wide range of topics including:
- Mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Social connections and activities
- Bereavement and grief
- Advice on issues such as work, money and housing
- Support for carers and family members.
You don’t need an appointment to visit the Poole hub – you can pop in at any time during opening hours (currently 9:30am-12pm, and 1pm-4pm Monday to Friday) and one of the team will be on hand to help. Access Wellbeing Poole is located The Dolphin Poole (first floor of the shopping centre, next to the car park entrance) Poole BH15 1SZ.
NHS Talking Therapy/Support
Steps2Wellbeing (0800 484 0500) offers a range of treatments for people experiencing problems with low mood/depression, anxiety, stress or other common mental health problems.
Recovery Education Centre The REC co-develops and co-delivers educational based courses and resources focusing on recovery, wellbeing and shared learning, bringing together the expertise of professionals and people with lived experience.
Their courses are available to people with personal experience of mental health difficulties as well as carers, friends, family, and supporters including staff.
The focus is on shared learning, self determination and choice. The REC provides opportunity to explore and understand experiences and to recognise and develop skills and tools which may help in your recovery journey.
Local Support Groups
Andy’s Man Club are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. They aim to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation. Drop in The Henry Brown Centre, Cunningham Crescent BH11 8DU, every Monday 7pm except bank holidays.
Free online CBT and Support
Headspace offers “meditation made simple” and offers to teach you the life-changing skills of meditation and mindfulness in just a few minutes a day via an app. (see Apple/Android stores)
MindShift CBT is a free self-help anxiety relief app, that helps you reduce worry, stress, and panic by following evidence-based strategies. Using CBT tools, you can challenge negativity, learn more about anxiety, develop more effective ways of thinking, be mindful, and relax.
distrACT is an app which gives you quick,easy and discreet acess to information about self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) is a leading movement against suicide.
Mental Health App Library
Our Dorset Mental Health App Library -to help you choose trusted apps to support your mental health and wellbeing.
Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol and drugs (both prescription and street drugs) are closely involved with mental health, both as a cause and a symptom of mental ill-health.
For information about local resources to help, click here.
Domestic abuse
Domestic abuse can affect anyone and takes many forms.
24 hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0808 2000 247
Dorset County – Paragon – 0800 032 5204 (24 hours)
Bournemouth, Churches Housing Assosiation (24 hours) – 01202 710 777
Women’s Aid – email: helpline@womensaid.org.uk or chat 10-12 Mon-Fri
Respect phoneline – 0808 802 4040 – for anyone worried that they may be harming someone else
Galop – 0800 999 5428 – domestic violence for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
Dorset Police – in an emergency call 999, non-emergency email (101@dorset.pnn.police.uk) or call 101
Rethink
Rethink provide expert, accredited advice and information to everyone affected by mental health problems.
Email: info@rethink.org
Telephone: 0808 801 0525
Website: www.rethink.org
Samaritans
Samaritans offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like, in your own way – about whatever’s getting to you. You don’t have to be suicidal. Call Samaritans free, 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
Email: jo@samaritans.org
Telephone: 116 123
Website: www.samaritans.org
SHOUT
Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text support service for anyone in the UK who is struggling to cope. To start a conversation, text the word ‘Shout’ to 85258. Trained Shout Volunteers are here to listen at any time of day or night and messages won’t appear on your phone bill.
Text: ‘Shout’ to 85258
Stay Alive App
Stay Alive App is suicide prevention app containing information and tools to help you stay safe in a crisis.
