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Finding Support

Finding support for your mental health can be confusing with such a variety of support available that could service to different needs and severity levels. This page will guide you on the support available and where to get it.

If you or someone else is in danger, call 999 or go to A&E now

If you need help urgently for your mental health, but it's not an emergency, get help from NHS 111 online or call 111

Your mental health is as important as your physical health. You will not be wasting anyone's time.

National 24/7 services are available with the Samaritan's by phoning 116 123, or SHOUT by texting 'SHOUT' to 85258.

                      

If you need support with your mental health, it can be difficult to know where to turn, who to speak to and what help is available to you. On this page we will help you identify services that are right for you, whether these are delivered by Solent Mind, the NHS, one of our partners or another organisation. 

It's always ok to ask for help – even if you're not sure you are experiencing a specific mental health problem. 

You might want to seek help if you're:

  • more worried than usual
  • not enjoying life 
  • no longer enjoying your normally favoured hobbies
  • struggling to cope with day to day life 
  • having thoughts and feelings that are difficult to cope with

Poor mental health and welllbeing can often lead to physical symptoms such as: 

  • feelings of nausea
  • physical exhaustion and fatigue 
  • feeling unable to focus, or being forgetful 
  • feeling unable to sleep, or sleeping too much 
  • losing appetite, or binge eating 

This is not a conclusive list of symptoms, and any number of them could be a sign you aren't feeling mentally well.

Important links

Services in Southampton Services in Portsmouth Services in the New Forest Services in Fareham & Gosport Services in Eastleigh Services in Winchester

How to access Mental Health Support in Hampshire

There are a number of different ways to access support for your mental health across the county. Below we have highlighted the most easily accessible ways for you to get the support you need.

Option 1. Speak to your GP

Make an appointment and if they ask for a reason, just be honest. Your GP is there for your physical and mental health.

They may:

  • discuss how you've been feeling
  • run through some simple diagnostic questionnaires with you
  • make a diagnosis
  • offer you support and treatments (such as talking therapies and medication)
  • refer you to your local IAPT service (see below)
  • refer you to a mental health specialist, such as a psychiatrist
  • recommend local support options.
Option 2. Self Refer to your local NHS Talking Therapies Service

IAPT Services are NHS services designed to offer short-term psychological therapies to people suffering from anxiety, depression and stress. IAPT may also work with people who suffer from panic disorder, simple phobia, OCD or PTSD. You can refer yourself at all of the IAPT services in Hampshire without seeing your GP, simply visit the relevant link below for your local service to find out more.

IAPT Services in Hampshire:

*Including but not limited to Winchester, Eastleigh, Basingstoke and the New Forest

If you are outside of Hampshire you can find details of your local IAPT service online.

IAPT Services can offer a range of support for mild to moderate mental health conditions including, but not limited to:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • OCD
  • PTSD
  • and more...

Many also now offer support for people with long term health conditions impacting on their mental health.

Support on offer might include:

  • Courses and Workshops
  • Talking Therapies
  • CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
  • Counselling
  • Group work
  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing)

Many also offer employment advice and support.

If any of these sound like support that you need, head to Our Services page, or take a look down the side of this page to see what is available in your area.

You can also find National Services through Minds A-Z of Mental Health.

Option 3. Self Refer to a local charity like Solent Mind


The majority of our services are available for you to refer yourself to. Simply visit the service's page on our website for more details, these range from informal peer support to more intensive and specialist services like advocacy.

If you are in Andover, Havant or East Hampshire, our partners at Andover Mind and Havant and East Hants Mind also offer a range of local support services.

If you are outside of Hampshire, you can visit Hub of Hope to search for mental health charities where you live. It's run by a national charity calledChasing the Stigma. We offer a wide range of services to meet different levels of need across Hampshire.

Option 4. Self-Help Resources

There are a huge range of self help resources available online from ourselves and other organisations. These can help you to manage your mental health and wellbeing by building skills and learning methods for coping with the challenges of day to day life.



Understanding Mental Health Services

With so many different services available, we know it can be difficult to understand what is right for you. Below we have broken down some of the commonly used terms to help you to understand the different options more clearly.

Types of Care
  • Primary Care is the first line of support, and is done on a self referral basis, such as contacting your GP or a lot of our Solent Mind services.
  • Secondary care is services which generally will need a referral from a GP. Examples of secondary mental health services are hospitals, some psychological wellbeing services, community mental health teams (CMHTs), crisis resolution and home treatment teams (CRHTs), assertive outreach teams and early intervention teams.
  • Tertiary care is highly specialised treatment such as secure and inpatient mental health services.

Types of Service
  • Crisis services are there for when you need support in the moment. They offer advise, emotional support and potential next steps offer the phone, or text.
  • Wellbeing Centres offer mental health maintenance and informal support. Whether you are just in need of a safe place to talk to someone, or emotional support getting through a tough period.
  • Peer Support can be group sessions, or one on one chats with people who have their own experience of mental health issues. This can be accessed for as long as you feel you need it.
  • Wellbeing Workshops can be offered through a number of our services, and educate you on taking control of your mental health. They guide you through ways to spot triggers, techniques that can help, and things you can use long after finishing a course.
  • Employment Support is for anyone who is having a hard time with work. Whether you're out-of-work, looking to change careers, or just looking for ways to make your working life easier on your mental health.
  • Talking therapies offered through NHS talking therapies services involve you discussing your specific scenario and feelings with a professional, who will work through this with you and work with you on coping techniques. NHS talking therapies also offer group therapy sessions and workshops.