Mental Health and Employment Support

For immediate help
If your life – or someone else’s life – is in immediate danger, please call 999 or go to A&E.

For same or next day help
You can get help with your mental health in different ways depending on what you prefer. All services are free:

● Call NHS 111 and select the mental health option (also known as the Sussex Mental Healthline) or the Samaritans on 116 123 (both available 24/7).
● Visit a Staying Well service (out-of-hours mental health crisis support service for people aged 18+ available in Brighton, Crawley, Eastbourne, Hastings and Worthing). We provide the Staying Well services in Brighton, Eastbourne, and Hastings.
● Text the word SUSSEX to 85258 (24/7 mental health text-messaging support service).
● Download the Stay Alive app – a suicide prevention resource full of useful information and tools to help you stay safe in crisis.

The following are services that you can either contact directly (details below) or be referred by a GP:

NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression
If you live in Sussex, are over 18 and are struggling with common mental health problems such as feelings of depression, excessive worry, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), you can refer yourself to your local NHS Talking Therapies service.

Services are free, confidential and provide a wide range of support, including courses, online programmes and one-to-one sessions. They aim to help you understand your symptoms and take practical steps to improve your mental health.

● NHS Talking Therapies Brighton & Hove
● NHS Talking Therapies East Sussex
● NHS Talking Therapies West Sussex

NHS Talking Therapies is unable to provide urgent mental health help or support to people experiencing more severe difficulties with their mental health. Instead, please see a GP who can refer you to the appropriate service.

Mental health support at your GP surgery
If you have a diagnosed mental illness or are having difficulties with your mental health and would like coping strategies to help, you can get support with your mental health from the Emotional Wellbeing Service, or similar service, at most GP surgeries. These services can provide you with information, advice, guidance and support.

Contact your GP surgery to find out what mental health support is available.

Please call NHS 111 or visit NHS 111 online for advice if you – or the person you are concerned about – experience a significant change in your mental health and are not already receiving care from mental health services.

This might include:
● Hearing or seeing things that are not experienced by other people, for example hearing voices
● Having strong beliefs that are not shared by others, for example believing there is a conspiracy against you
● Having excessive energy or movements, sleeping very little
● Behaving in a bizarre and out of character way
● Changes in behaviour like wanting to avoid people, lack of basic self-care.

Whilst these can be normal experiences, they can also be signs of something more serious.

There are lots of ways you can get practical help with issues that may be affecting your mental health:

…if you live in Brighton & Hove
● Money worries and cost of living support
● Help with housing
● Support for people affected by domestic abuse
● Drug and alcohol recovery support

…if you live in East Sussex
● Money worries and cost of living support
● Help with housing
● Support for people affected by domestic abuse
● Drug and alcohol recovery support

…if you live in West Sussex
● Money worries and cost of living support
● Help with housing
● Support for people affected by domestic abuse
● Drug and alcohol recovery support

Social Prescribing service at your GP surgery
Social Prescribers can connect you to support, services and activities to help address the challenges and issues you may be struggling with. Ask your GP or GP surgery if they have a Social Prescribing service. Waiting times differ between GP surgeries.

Not sure what support you need or would like? There are several community-based groups that can support you with your mental health, whether you have a diagnosed mental illness or need short-term help or advice about your mental health. Find out what’s available in your area:

If you live in Brighton & Hove
Call UOK on: 0808 196 1768 (9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays) or you can arrange a call back by visiting the website here.

If you are a carer for someone with a mental health difficulty, visit the Carers Centre website.

If you live in East Sussex
Call UOK on: 0808 196 1768 (9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays) or you can arrange a call back by visiting the UOK website here.

Or visit the East Sussex Mental health directory here.

If you are a carer for someone with a mental health difficulty, click here.

If you live in West Sussex
Pathfinder is an alliance of mental health support providers, covering seven areas in West Sussex – Littlehampton, Horsham, Worthing, Crawley, Chichester, Midhurst and Adur

If you are a carer for someone with a mental health difficulty, visit the Carers Support website here.