Your life is important and mental health crisis are serious. Numerous mental health charities, organisations and support groups offer expert advice to help you in your most challenging times:

Alcoholic Anonymous is a free self-help group. Its “12 step” programme involves getting sober with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0800 917 7650 (24-hour helpline).

Al-Anon is a free self-help “12 step” group for anyone whose life is or has been affected by someone else’s drinking. Phone: 0800 0086 811 (daily, 10am to 10pm).

Alzheimer’s Society provides information on dementia, including factsheets and helplines. Phone: 0300 222 1122 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and 10am to 4pm on weekends).

Anxiety UK is a charity providing support if you have been diagnosed with an anxiety condition. Phone: 03444 775 774 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm).

Beat offers support to people suffering from an eating disorder. Phone: 0808 801 0677 (adults) or 0808 801 0711 (for under-18s).

Bipolar UK is a charity helping people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder.

CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15 to 35. Phone: 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight).

Cocaine Anonymous is a free self-help group. Its “12 step” programme involves stopping using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0800 612 0225 (daily, 10am to 10pm).

Cruse Bereavement Care support you after the death of someone close. Phone: 0808 808 1677 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

Gam-Anon is a free self-help group. Its “12 step” programme is for those affected by someone else’s gambling with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 08700 50 88 80.

Drinkline is a free confidential helpline for people worried about their own or someone else’s drinking. Phone: 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).

Gamblers Anonymous is a free self-help group. Its “12 step” programme involves stopping gambling with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0330 094 0322 (24-hour).

Family Lives offers advice on all aspects of parenting, including dealing with bullying. Phone: 0808 800 2222 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm).

FRANK offers free, confidential information and advice about drugs, their effects and the law. FRANK’s live chat service runs daily from 2pm to 6pm. Phone: 0300 1236600 (24-hour helpline). Text a question to: 82111.

Marijuana Anonymous is a free self-help group. Its “12 step” programme involves stopping using marijuana with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0300 124 0373 (callback service).

Mencap is a charity working with people with a learning disability, their families and carers. Phone: 0808 808 1111 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

Men’s Health Forum offers 24/7 stress support for men by text, chat and email.

Mental Health Foundation provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities.

Mind promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems. Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm).

Narcotics Anonymous is a free self-help group. Its “12 step” programme involves stopping using drugs with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0300 999 1212 (daily, 10am to midnight).

National Association for Children of Alcoholics offers free confidential advice and information to everyone affected by a parent’s drinking including children, adults and professionals. Phone: 0800 358 3456 (Friday, Saturday and Monday 12pm to 7pm and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 12pm to 9pm).

National Problem Gambling Clinic  is a specialist NHS clinic for problem gamblers aged 13 and over. Phone: 020 7381 7722 (callback).

National Gambling Helpline offers free, confidential help for anyone who is worried about their own or someone else’s gambling. Phone: 0808 8020 133 (daily, 8am to midnight).

No Panic is a voluntary charity offering support for sufferers of panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). No Panic offers a course to help overcome your phobia or OCD. Phone: 0844 967 4848 (daily, 10am to 10pm). Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider’s Access Charge.

NSPCC is a children’s charity dedicated to ending child abuse and child cruelty. Phone: 0800 1111 for Childline for children (24-hour helpline). 0808 800 5000 for adults concerned about a child (24-hour helpline).

OCD Action is a charity that offers support for people with OCD. Its support includes information on treatment and online resources. Phone: 0845 390 6232 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm). Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider’s Access Charge.

OCD UK is a charity run by people with OCD, for people with OCD, offering information about OCD facts, news and treatments. Phone: 0333 212 7890 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

Papyrus is a suicide prevention society for young people. Phone: HOPElineUK 0800 068 4141 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm and 7pm to 10pm, and 2pm to 5pm on weekends).

Rape Crisis is a confidential emotional support service for women and girls who have experienced sexual violence. To find your local services phone: 0808 802 9999 (daily, 12pm to 2.30pm and 7pm to 9.30pm).

Refuge offers advice on dealing with domestic violence. Phone: 0808 2000 247 (24-hour helpline).

Relate is the UK’s largest provider of relationship support. 

Rethink Mental Illness is a charity that offers support and advice for people living with mental illness. Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm).

Samaritans is a charity that offers confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair and are thinking of suicide. Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline).

SANE is a charity that offers emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers. Textcare: comfort and care via text message, sent when the person needs it most.

SMART Recovery UK is a face-to-face and online group that helps people decide whether they have a problem with alcohol and drugs, build up their motivation to change, and offers a set of proven tools and techniques to support recovery. Phone: 0330 053 6022 for general enquiries about SMART Recovery UK (9am to 5pm, Monday-Friday).

Victim Support is an independent charity that offers free and confidential supoport to people affacted by crime and traumatic events. Phone: 0808 168 9111 (24-hour helpline).

Young Minds offers information on child and adolescent mental health. to parents and professionals. Phone: Parents’ helpline 0808 802 5544 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm).