East Sussex mental health directory
Contact mental health services
The Sussex Mental Healthline is there to offer support and advise you where to get help for yourself or someone you are concerned about.
For callers whose first language is not English, a telephone interpreter can be arranged for other community languages, by phoning the helpline and letting them know the language needed.
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Sussex Mental Healthline 0800 0309 500 (free phone)
Shout Sussex text service
By texting the word SUSSEX to 85258, you can access a free, confidential, 24/7 service and have a text conversation with a trained volunteer. The volunteers offer real-time support if you are anxious, stressed, depressed, suicidal or overwhelmed. You may prefer this to speaking on the phone.
For urgent mental health support
Call 999 or go to A&E if you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe. A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one.
Two East Sussex hospitals have an A&E department.
- Conquest Hospital – The Ridge, St Leonards-on-Sea, TN37 7RD
- Eastbourne District General Hospital – Kings Drive, Eastbourne, BN21 2UD
For those living on the edge of the county:
- Royal Sussex County Hospital, Eastern Rd, Brighton BN2 5BE
- Princess Royal Hospital, Lewes Rd, Haywards Heath RH16 4EX
Please consider whether your GP, the Sussex Mental Healthline or the NHS 111 service can help before travelling to A&E.
If you have a care plan and crisis card from Sussex Partnership mental health services, these will include details of who you should contact in a crisis. If you can’t find your care plan, contact your community team during the day – 9am to 5pm – from Monday to Friday. Ask for your care coordinator or the person on duty.
Contact the Samaritans
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, the Samaritans can offer help and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Phone 116 123 or visit the Samaritans website
Staying Well crisis café for out-of-hours support
Staying Well provides a support service for people experiencing distress due to their mental health, during evenings and weekends when other support may be unavailable. Open for face to face support in Hastings and St Leonards and Eastbourne, with phone and video call support if you are unable to attend in person.
Open 7 days a week, 4pm to 10.30pm on weekdays and 3pm to 10.30pm at weekends.
- Phone 0800 023 6475 and choose option 1 for Eastbourne, or 2 for St Leonards
- Website and online self-referral: Staying Well
Other suicide prevention services
Sussex Partnership NHS Trust Urgent Help Advice
- Website: Urgent help in a crisis
- Website: Stay Alive App
Preventing suicide in Sussex
Advice for people who may be at risk of suicide and their friends and family, on warning signs and how to seek help.
‘Warning Signs’ is a suicide prevention campaign targeting East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove, specifically aiming to support the reduction of annual suicide amongst men in Sussex.
- Website: Warning Signs campaign
Grassroots Suicide Prevention
Work with communities, organisations, services and individuals to help them to become ready, willing and able to effectively support someone at risk of suicide.
Available in Brighton & Hove with advice for all.
- Email: office@prevent-suicide.org.uk
- Website: Grassroots Suicide Prevention
Counselling partnership
Free to access, timely support for those who are currently at risk of taking their own life, or who have attempted suicide. Support is also offered to people bereaved by suicide.
- Phone: 01273 519108
- Email: counselling@sussexcommunity.org.uk
- Website: Counselling Partnership
RunningSpace
Based in Sidley Bexhill, but with other free running groups in Hastings Ore. RunningSpace promotes life and good mental health through small friendly groups. No running experience necessary, all faiths / no faith welcome.
- Website: RunningSpace
National services
- Papyrus suicide prevention service for under 35s offering free confidential support, a 24/7 helpline and practical advice
- Zero Suicide Alliance is committed to suicide prevention and offers free training and resources.
If you have been affected by suicide
National Support
Public Health England and the Suicide Prevention Alliance have produced Help is at Hand for people bereaved by suicide or other sudden, traumatic death.
Suicide&Co supports people bereaved by suicide, with a helpline run by bereavement counsellors.
- Suicide&Co helpline Mon-Fri 9am to 9pm: 0800 054 8400
- hub of resources
East Sussex Support for people bereaved by suicide
A service for people whose loved one has died as a result of suicide, offering practical and emotional support.
- Phone: 07542 305 419
- Website: Bereaved by Suicide Support
If you have been affected by witnessing a suicide
Firsthand is a new resource to support and advise people who are impacted by the suicide of someone they don't know.
- Website: Firsthand
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