Everyone feels low sometimes but if these feelings are not going away, or they are making you want to harm yourself or consider suicide, it is time to talk to someone and get help. You may feel confused or scared to talk about how you feel and that no-one understands. The way you are feeling is much more common than you think, it is just that people struggle to talk about it.

Try to talk to someone you trust and explain to them how you feel. If this doesn’t help you in the way you need or if you are not able to talk to anyone you know, there are helplines run by suicide prevention and mental health charities where someone will be there to talk to and help you, confidentially 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

Services which can support you NOW

SToRMS does not run a helpline or direct support services but there are many charities offering a range of services to provide support in a way that is right for you. Brief information about some of these and links to their services are below:

  • CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) is a registered charity focusing on supporting men. They run a FREE helpline 0800 58 58 58 from 5pm to midnight, 365 days a year for men who need information or support or you may prefer to try their Webchat.
  • The Samaritans run a FREE helpline if you call 116123 available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so there is always someone there to talk to if you need to. If you don’t feel comfortable talking, text 07725909090 for text chat or email jo@samaritans.org. Samaritans also provide face to face services in branches across the UK.
  • Papyrus  focus on the prevention of young suicide. Papyrus run a FREE HOPEline on 0800 068 41 41, or you can email pat@papyrus-uk.org.
  • ChildLine is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of 19. You can contact a ChildLine counsellor about anything -no problem is too big or too small. Call FREE on 0800 1111, have a 1-2-1 chat online or send an email.
  • Shout. Offers FREE help in any mental health crisis, 24/7 by text. Service for all ages. Trained volunteers supervised by clinicians. Text “Shout” to 85258.
  • Kooth provides a free online chat service for young people, available Mon to Fri 12pm to 10 pm, Sat and Sun 6pm to 10pm. Chat to a counsellor or the online community.
  • Mind’s online community offers peer support from others who have experienced, or are experiencing, what you are going through. A safe place to listen, share and be heard. It is completely anonymous and always available. Find out more and register here or download the Elefriends app for Android and IOS.

 

  • Sheffield Students Union run the Nightline service 0114 2228787 available 8pm to 8am during term time with email and instant messaging support outside these times.
  • Sheffield Mental Health FREE Helpline 0808 8010440  is available 24/7 for anyone affected by mental health issues. www.sheffieldmentalhealth.co.uk has a searchable directory of services and advice on what to do if you need urgent help.

PAPYRUS have pulled together a list of places where people can find help for a range of issues.

Next Steps

Talk to your GP about you are feeling.

  • It can be hard to make that first appointment with your GP but remember that they are there to help and that first conversation is the start of your journey to feeling better. It may be tempting to put it off but try to see it through if you possibly can. Docready is a very useful site to help you understand what to expect and make things as easy as possible for you, including helping you put together your own list of things to talk to the GP about.

Can you talk to a counsellor? Your workplace, University or school may offer the help you need. Find out. There are local charities that offer counselling too. Some “face to face” counselling services available in Sheffield are listed here:

Community based support (We don’t all need counselling, just to talk)

Want to talk to other men and just chill?

  • Andy’s Man Club (Mondays in Sheffield),
  • Mankind (Wednesdays in Sheffield)
  • Men Up North (first and second Tuesdays of the month in Sheffield).
  • Talk Club has clubs nationwide (online chat and in person). There is a Sheffield group and a “Peak district talk and hike” group.

Info about more activities can be found at the Sheffield Mental Health Guide Activities page.

Dedicated online peer support and email help is also available for those preferring to write rather than speak, but be careful to only use trusted sites (Links to some trusted sites are listed in these Help Sections).

Looking for suicide advice or apps?

Looking After Yourself – Get Well and Stay Well

We can’t always predict or control what life throws at us but we can learn a range of skills to help us respond more flexibly and deal with challenges more effectively.

Below are a few resources explaining how to manage some common issues:

Apps

A number of different apps are now available to help maintain mental wellbeing. Some require registration and some have to be bought.

List of free apps have been pulled together on the Brighton Mind website.

The app list from PAPYRUS includes Grief Support For Young People.

The Australian Reach Out site has a Toolbox of apps for your brain and body with a quiz that helps you identify your goals.