Mental health

We all have mental health and it’s just as important as your physical health. You might like to describe it as “emotional health” or “wellbeing”.

Your mental health can change depending on what’s going on in your life. There is a lot that you can do to take care of it.

There are many different mental health problems, some of the most common conditions are anxiety, low mood, panic and stress. You may be living with one or more of these conditions. The severity of the symptoms may vary, meaning one person might feel a bit low now and again but another person might feel completely overwhelmed by their symptoms.

There are times when we all will experience feeling stressed, low or anxious, or have trouble sleeping. But there are things we can do to look after our mental health and wellbeing every day.

Simple steps you can take today to boost your mood and make a difference to your overall wellbeing include:

Being aware of your mental health – tell people what works best for you and keep a diary of your thoughts, feelings and mood.
Nourish your social life – spend time connecting with friends and family, a simple text or telephone call can really make a difference.
Make time for yourself – relax, have a bath, read a book, get some fresh air and get out into nature. Go for a walk and really take notice of what you can see around you.
Look after your physical health – get active, eat healthy meals including lots of fruit and vegetables so your body has the nutrition it needs to work at its best. Get plenty of sleep and take time for personal care.
You may find the following links helpful in supporting you to look after your mental health and wellbeing every day.

Where to seek help with urgent mental health needs

The Central Access Point is for people of all ages and offers free round-the-clock access to urgent support, advice and referral to other services. You can call for your own needs or on behalf of someone else. For URGENT mental health needs call 0808 800 3302.

If you need help now

Getting help now

If problems with your mental health aren’t going away and are affecting your daily life or causing you distress, call NHS 111 or talk to your GP. In Leicester you can also get support from a number of helplines:

Call, email or contact someone for help.

Mental health central access point (Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust)

Call the Central Access Point (CAP) on 0116 295 3060 24 hours a day

The service links callers with call handlers and clinicians who can assess their needs and advise, support, signpost or refer them directly to the appropriate service. It offers an alternative to NHS 111, the emergency department and other urgent and non-urgent services for people with urgent mental health needs.

The CAP is for people of all ages across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland – including existing and previous service users and people who have never used mental health services before. It also support carers, stakeholders and health and social care professionals looking for information and advice.

Samaritans

Whatever you’re going through contact the Samaritans.

116 123 – Free any time, from any phone. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
jo@samaritans.org – Replies via email may take longer than a phone call.
www.samaritans.org

Turning Point

Confidential, mental health support.

0808 800 3302 – Free crisis helpline open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
leicestershire-helpline@turning-point.co.uk – Replies via email may take longer than a phone call.
www.turning-point.co.uk
Turning Point – Wellbeing cloud

Papyrus – HopeLine UK

For children and young people who are worried about how they’re feeling and for anyone concerned about a young person.

0800 068 41 41
Text: 07786 209 697
pat@papyrus-uk.org
www.papyrus-uk.org

Night line (for university students)

A student-run, listening, support and information service

Leicester Universities Nightline

0116 223 1230 – Open 8pm to 8am during term time)
Instant message
http://leicester.nightline.ac.uk

Loughborough University Nightline

01509 227 650 – Open 8pm to 8am Monday, Wednesday and Friday during term time.
Instant message
listening@loughborough.nightline.ac.uk
http://loughborough.nightline.ac.uk

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)

A charity dedicated to preventing male suicide.

0800 58 58 58 – open every day 5pm to 12 midnight
www.thecalmzone.net

Childline

A charity dedicated to supporting children and young people under the age of 19 in the UK with any issue they are facing

0800 1111
www.childline.org.uk
Childline – Coping with suicidal thoughts and feelings

Other support services

VitaMinds

You can self-refer for mental health support via: https://www.vitahealthgroup.co.uk/nhs-services/nhs-mental-health/leicester-leicestershire-rutland/ or you can call: Call us on 0330 094 5595 during these hours: 8am – 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 12.30pm Saturday.

Life Links

Life Links provides a wellness and mental health recovery service tailored to meet your needs. https://www.rflifelinks.co.uk.

Life Links provides a wellness and mental health recovery service tailored to meet your needs.

Our information, advice and navigation services can help you find community and digital resources that will help you to achieve your recovery outcomes, make your independence more sustainable and support you in developing your own support networks.

Our community recovery support is available to you as an individual or as part of a wider group and can be provided at a community venue local to you.

The support we offer focuses on your strengths, needs and future aspirations.

Life Links is operated by national mental health charity Richmond Fellowship in partnership with:

Leicester City Council
Leicestershire County Council
NHS Leicester City CCG
NHS East Leicestershire & Rutland CCG
Richmond Fellowship is a national mental health charity making recovery reality for thousands of people every year.

We provide a wide range of services including residential support, supported housing, employment services, community support and crisis support.

Counselling Service Links

The Leicester Counselling Centre

No 1 Lodge, Victoria Park, London Road, Leicester LE1 7RY
Tel: 0116 255 8801
Email: admin@leicscounselling.co.uk
www.leicestercounsellingcentre.co.uk/

A charity providing low cost professional counselling, both short and longer term, on all issues.

New Dawn New Day
Women’s Counselling Service

New Dawn New Day
Unit 3, Forest Business Park, Oswin Road, Leicester LE3 1HR
Tel: 0116 2795097
Email: admin@ndnd.org.uk Website: www.ndnd.org.uk

Low cost counselling for women for up to 6 months. Some free of charge counselling may be available. All issues.

The Quetzal Project

14-16 Talbot Lane, Leicester, LE1 4LR
Tel: 0116 253 9103
Helpline: 0116 253 3383
Email: help@quetzal.org.uk
www.quetzal.org.uk

Offers counselling for women recovering from the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. Crisis counselling provides between two and six once-weekly sessions. Long term counselling provides once-weekly sessions for up to one year. All Quetzal counsellors are female.

Trade Sexual Health

Second floor, 27 Bowling Green Street, Leicester. LE1 6AS

Tel: 0116 254 1747
Fax: 0116 254 1750
Email: info@tradesexualhealth.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TradeSexualHealth
Opening hours:
Monday – Thursday 9.30am – 5.00pm
Friday 9.30am – 4pm

Offers a range of free and confidential support and advice services around sexual health and HIV information; one-to-one emotional and practical support; support in ‘coming out’, sexuality and relationships; rapid HIV testing; community based men’s sexual health clinics; safer-sex packs for men and women and a fully qualified counselling service.

Appointments can be arranged in some circumstances out of office hours.

First step

Website: https://firststepleicester.org.uk/

Tel: 0116 254 8535

An organisation run for male survivors and their supporters. Offers 1 hour face-to-face counselling sessions on a weekly basis, initially on a 6 month contract with the opportunity of day or evening appointments with male or female counsellors who are Diploma trained and adhere to BACP guidelines.

Juniper Lodge Sexual Assault Referral Centre

Tel: 0116 273 3330
www.juniperlodge.org.uk/

Telephone and face to face support for men and women aged 13 or over and living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland who have experienced rape or sexual assault. 24 hour voice mail service (all calls returned). Medical support, referrals to other agencies. They have experienced and trained volunteers who can offer a programme of emotional and practical support.

Jasmine House Leicester Rape Crisis

Helpline: 0116 2558852
Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm, Wednesday and Thursday evenings until 8 pm
Email: admin@jasminehouse.org.uk

Helpline, support service and counselling for female survivors of rape and sexual assault aged 14 and over either recently or in the past.
Free and confidential crisis support and information.

The Laura Centre

4-6 Tower Street, Leicester LE1 6WS
Tel: 0116 254 4341
Email: info@thelauracentre.org.uk
www.thelauracentre.org.uk/

Offers specialist bereavement counselling to parents whose child has died and to children or young people who have been bereaved of a parent or significant person.

Relate Leicestershire

83 Aylestone Road, Leicester, LE2 7LL
Tel: 0116 254 3011
Email: info@relateleics.org
www.relateleicestershire.org.uk/

Counselling, sex therapy and education regarding relationship issues.

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

www.bacp.co.uk/

See website for information about different types of therapy and this directory of local private therapists www.itsgoodtotalk.org.uk/therapists/

Self care information

Start a conversation

The impact of suicide can affect everyone in the community. Every life lost to suicide matters and represents someone’s child, partner, parent, friend or co-worker. Across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland everyone can make a contribution to prevent suicide.

Start a Conversation is a suicide prevention campaign that aims to build a community that is committed to the mental health and wellbeing of its residents. A non-judging environment where care and support is available to those in distress or those bereaved or affected by suicide. Through a raised awareness and open and honest conversations about suicide we believe that every person has the potential to make a difference and save a life.

The campaign is led by Leicestershire County Council working in partnership with a number of organisations, from a variety of sectors from the community, that have come together with a commitment to prevent suicide.

https://www.startaconversation.co.uk/about-us/

Every Mind Matters App & Resources

There are times when we feel stressed, low or anxious, or have trouble sleeping. But there are things we can do to look after our mental health and wellbeing. Get expert advice, practical tips and a personalised action plan with Every Mind Matters.

Every Mind Matters is part of the national ‘One You’ campaign focusing on how people can take positive preventable measure to help them look after themselves at the first signs or where to get help and support if they are living with a mental health condition.

Click here to access the website for further information and support including:

Mind - how to approach your GP

We want everyone with a mental health problem who visits their GP practice to get the support that best suits their needs.

For most of us, our local GP practice is the first place we’ll go when we’re unwell. It’s there to help us with our mental health as well as our physical health. In fact, around one third of all GP appointments are related to mental health.

You can find useful information and videos on how to approach the conversation about how you are feeling with your GP as well as advice and coping strategies in the workplace and much more.

https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/you-and-your-gp/

LGBT+ Community Support

This leaflet looks specifically at supporting the LGBT+ community.

Download the leaflet here

Five ways to wellbeing

Created by the Leicester City Council this booklet provides self care tips in five simple steps to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing.

Download the booklet here.