Useful phone numbers
Emergencies – 999
NHS Direct in England and Wales – 0845 4647
NHS Direct in Scotland – 08454 24 24 24
Non-emergency medical help – 111(calls are free but currently only available in some parts of the UK)
If a person’s mental or emotional state quickly worsens, it can be treated as a mental-health emergency or mental-health crisis. In this situation, it is important to get help as soon as possible.
If you feel that you, or a person you are with, is in immediate danger call 999.
Urgent care centres provide a variety of services but vary in different areas. You may be able to attend such a centre rather than going to your local Accident & Emergency department, but it is best to phone ahead or call NHS Direct (or NHS 111) to find out what services are available. If no urgent care centre is available in your area, visit your local Accident & Emergency department.
If you do not live in the UK but feel you may be in danger of harming yourself, go to your local hospital or walk-in-clinic, which will be able to help.
24-hour helplines:
UK – 08457 90 90 90
Republic of Ireland – 1850 60 90
Email support: jo@samaritans.org
Postal address: Chris, PO Box 9090, Stirling FK8 2SA
This charity aims to provide emotional support to people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. Volunteers offer support by responding to phone calls twenty-four hours a day, as well as emails and letters during office hours. Alternatively, you can drop into a branch to have a face-to-face meeting.
British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)
The BABCP can provide you with information on how to find an accredited CBT therapist in your area.
Anxiety UK
Helpline: 08444 775 774 (open Mon–Fri 9.30am–5.30pm)
Anxiety UK is a user-led charity run by sufferers and ex-sufferers and supported by a medical advisory panel. Their website provides information, support and other services, including moderated chat rooms and special events for people with anxiety. They also offer one-to-one therapy.
Helpline: 0800 138 8889 (open 10am–10pm daily)
No Panic is a voluntary charity that helps people who suffer from panic attacks, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorders and other related anxiety disorders. It specialises in self-help through recovery groups and one-to-one mentoring over the telephone using CBT methods.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America
This organization provides a range of information and resources for those suffering from anxiety and depression.
Anxiety UK – see above
The Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma
http://psychology.iop.kcl.ac.uk/cadat/GPs/specific-phobia.aspx
The out-patient unit at this centre specialises in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Visit their website for helpful background information on the nature of phobias, self-help organisations and treatment for phobias in the UK.
NHS Choices
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Panic-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx
The NHS Choices website carries information on panic disorder, including videos of people describing their experiences, and CBT therapists describing how treatment works.
No Panic – see above
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG113/PublicInfo/pdf/English
NICE is the national body that advises healthcare professionals in the UK on treatments for physical and mental health problems. Visit their website for comprehensive information on generalized anxiety disorder and its treatment (see Guideline 113, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder (with or without agoraphobia) in adults (2011)). The website link above leads to advice written for members of the public.
Anxiety Disorders Laboratory
http://psychology.concordia.ca/fac/dugas/downloads_en.html
People with generalized anxiety disorder and worry may find the website above helpful. It has a collection of worry-specific questionnaires, which you can download in order to assess how you relate to uncertainty (see the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale), or to explore your worry rules (see the Why Worry II). Other measures look at cognitive avoidance and problem-solving skills. You can use these questionnaires to assess your progress as you work on your worry. There is also more information about GAD on this website.
The Oxford Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma
This research centre’s website has helpful information on social anxiety.
The websites below all contain useful information for those suffering from health anxiety.
www.anxietyuk.org.uk/about-anxiety/anxiety-disorders/health-anxiety/
www.veale.co.uk/resources-support/public-information/health-anxiety/
www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=53
OCD-UK
Helpline: 0845 120 3778 (open Mon–Fri 9am–5pm)
A national self-help charity for people with OCD. Their website has videos and other useful resources for those with OCD, their families and their therapists. The organisation also holds an annual conference in the UK for sufferers where you can hear and even ask questions of experts on OCD from around the world.
The Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma
http://psychology.iop.kcl.ac.uk/cadat/anxietydisorders/PTSD.aspx Based at the Institute of Psychiatry, London, this research centre has a helpful website, which offers information about PTSD. The centre also accepts referrals – see their website for details.
The Oxford Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma
This research centre’s website has helpful information on PTSD.
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme
This NHS-run programme has information on how to get help for anxiety disorders in many parts of England.
Relate
Tel: 0300 100 1234
Relate offers advice, relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support. They do this via face-to-face meetings, by phone and by email. Their website has information on how to find your local Relate service.
Depression Alliance
This UK charity provides information and support services to those suffering from depression.