Support for your mental health and wellbeing

While practical advice can help you handle ever-increasing bills or food prices, worrying about making ends meet can also take a severe toll on your physical and mental health. It’s just as important that you take care of your own wellbeing as well as attending to the more practical matters.

The government has announced that people in England receiving mental health support through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies service will have access to an Employment Adviser. This combined service brings NHS England Therapists and Employment Advisers together to deliver a personalised service and help people with mental health conditions to stay in, return to or take up work.

The NHS has several support services that can support you, from Every Mind Matters, which provides practical tips for enjoying better mental health every day, to a range of digital wellbeing tools that can help with poor sleep patterns, low moods and other symptoms of stressful thinking.

If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed or having trouble sleeping because of the cost of living, visit Good Thinking for advice.

While self-care is important, it can also be beneficial to have someone to talk to about any feelings of anxiety or depression you may be experiencing. Westminster Talking Therapies is a service that provides professional therapists to speak to those over 18 years of age who are feeling anxious, worried or depressed in Westminster.

If you’re starting to feel that daily life is getting too much to cope with, services such as The Samaritans or The Listening Place can provide comforting, pressure-free and non-judgemental environments to listen to your concerns and offer advice. The Samaritans (0330 094 5717 or freephone 116 123) provide 24/7 support, while The Listening Place (020 3906 7676) operates from 9am to 9pm, Monday to Sunday. It’s never wrong to talk about your feelings; a friendly ear can often make all the difference.

If you know someone experiencing a life-threatening medical or mental health situation, call 999 right away.