Listed below are a number of independent organisations who provide support and information to substance misuse and mental health service users and their families.
General Good starting points
Mind
Tel: 0845 766 0163 (helpline: Monday to Friday, 9.15am –5.15pm)
www.mind.org.uk
Provides information on all mental health topics, legal advice on mental health issues and local support groups.
Sane
Tel: 0845 767 8000 (helpline: Monday to Friday, 12 noon –11pm; Saturday and Sunday 12 noon –6pm)
www.sane.org.uk/
Helpline offers information and advice on all aspects of mental health for those experiencing illness, their families and friends.
Young Minds Trust
Tel: 020 7336 8445
Tel: 0800 018 2138 (Parents information service: Monday and Friday, 10am –1pm; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 1pm –4pm; Wednesday, 6pm –8pm)
www.youngminds.org.uk
Provides information and advice for young people and anyone with concerns about the mental health of a child or young person.
Rethink
www.rethink.org
The National information & Advice Service can be contacted on 0845 456 0455.
The Welcome Team are available to answer general queries including more information about Rethink and the wide range services we provide. They can be contacted from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday.
The Advice Team are available to provide specialist advice on a wide range of mental health issues. They can be contacted from 10am –2pm Monday to Friday.
Their specialist advisers are trained to deal with enquiries from people affected by severe mental illness including those experiencing mental illness themselves as well as their friends, families & carers. They have experience in a variety of issues concerning medication and treatment, legal rights, debts issues, welfare benefits, housing and community care.
General Information for Carers
Carers UK
Tel: 0207 490 8818
Tel: 0808 808 7777 (helpline: Wednesday and Thursday, 10am –12 noon and 2pm –4pm)
www.carersuk.org
Carers UK is the voice of carers and the leading campaigning, policy and information organisation for carers.
The Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) at King's College London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in association with Rethink
The Institute of Psychiatry, has developed a new website www.mentalhealthcare.org.uk
mentalhealthcare.org.uk is a joint venture between The Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) at King's College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, in association with Rethink.
This website contains information for family members and friends of people who have psychosis and contains:
· short filmed interviews with health professionals and researchers talking about different aspects of psychosis, treatment and care;
· Ask the Pharmacist, Ask the Psychologist and Ask the Psychiatrist pages where visitors to the site can submit questions;
· summaries of IoP research about psychosis, written in plain English.
This site is easy to navigate, clear and easy to read. It explains mental health terms; provides information about medication and what side effects can be expected; describes other treatments, such as talking therapies, and sets out how mental health services work. It also has links to other key websites.
Condition Specific Support Groups
ADHD
ADDISS (The Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service)
020 8906 9068
www.addiss.co.uk
Provides advice, support and local self-help groups for parents and sufferers.
Alcohol Misuse
Al-Anon Family Groups (UK)
Tel: 020 7403 0888
www.al-anonuk.org.uk
Understanding and support for families and friends of problem drinkers, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
Alateen
Tel: 020 7403 0888
www.al-anonuk.org.uk/alateen.php
Part of Al-Anon. Aimed at young people aged 12 –20 who have been affected by someone else's drinking, usually that of a parent.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Tel: 0845 769 7555 (24-hour helpline)
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Helpline and support groups for men and women trying to achieve and maintain sobriety and help others recover from alcoholism.
Drinkline (National Alcohol Helpline)
Tel: 0800 917 8282 (helpline: Monday to Friday, 9.00am –11.00pm)
Provides information, help and support to drinkers, their family and friends.
National Association for Children of Alcoholics
Tel: 0800 358 3456 (helpline: Monday, Tuesday, Friday, 10am –7pm; Wednesday, Thursday, 10am –9pm; Saturday,10am –3pm when possible)
www.nacoa.org.uk
Provides information, advice and support to children of alcoholics and people concerned with their welfare.
Bipolar Disorder
The Manic Depression Fellowship (MDF)
Tel: 08456 340 540
www.mdf.org.uk
Advice, support, local self-help groups and publications for people with a manic depressive illness.
Anxiety (Generalised)
First Steps to Freedom
Tel: 0845 120 2916 (helpline: 10am –10pm)
www.first-steps.org
Helpline, telephone support groups and information for people who suffer from phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder, general anxiety, panic attacks and those who wish to come off tranquillisers, together with their carers.
No Panic
Tel: 0808 808 0545 (helpline: 10am –10pm)
www.nopanic.org.uk/
Helpline, information booklets, local self-help groups (including telephone recovery groups) for people with anxiety, phobias, obsessions and panic.
Triumph Over Phobia (TOP)
Tel: 0845 600 9601
www.triumphoverphobia.com
Structured self-help groups for sufferers of phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder using graded self-exposure (a lay form of behaviour therapy) in a supportive group environment.
Dementia and Alzheimers
Alzheimer’s Society
Tel: 0845 300 0336 (helpline)
www.alzheimers.org.uk
Provides helpline and support for people with all forms of dementia –not just Alzheimer’s Disease –their family and friends.
Depression
Depression Alliance
Tel: 0845 123 2320
www.depressionalliance.org
Provides self-help groups, information and a pen friend scheme.
SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Association
Tel: 01903 814942
www.sada.org.uk
Information about seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Offers advice and support to members.
Drug Use Disorders
ADFAM
Tel: 020 7928 8898
www.adfam.org.uk
Confidential support and information for families and friends of drug users.
CITA (Council for Involuntary Tranquilliser Addiction)
Tel: 0151 932 0102 (helpline: Monday to Friday, 10am –1pm)
Support and reassurance for those withdrawing from benzodiazepine and other prescribed drugs, especially anti-depressants. Literature and tapes are available.
Families Anonymous
Tel: 0845 1200 660
www.famanon.org.uk
Runs self-help groups for families and friends of those with a drug problem.
Narcotics Anonymous
Tel: 020 7730 0009 or 0300 999 1212 (helpline: 24 hours / 7 days a week)
www.ukna.org
A network of recovering addicts supporting each other to live without drugs.
Talk to Frank (National Drugs Helpline)
Tel: 0800 776 600 (24-hour helpline)
www.talktofrank.com
Provides free confidential drugs information and advice, including information on local services.
Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders Association (EDA)
Tel: 0845 634 1414 (Adult helpline –over 18s: Monday to Friday, 10:30am –8:30pm; Saturdays, 1:00pm –4:30pm)
Tel: 0845 634 7650 (Youthline –18 and under: Monday to Friday, 4:00pm –6:30pm; Saturdays, 1:00pm –4:30pm)
www.edauk.com
Self-help groups and information for sufferers, their relatives and friends.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD Action
Tel: 020 7226 4000
www.ocdaction.org.uk
Provides information, advice and support for people with obsessive compulsive disorder and related disorders such as body dysmorphic disorder and trichotillomania.
Triumph Over Phobia (TOP)
Tel: 0845 600 9601
www.triumphoverphobia.com
Structured self-help groups for sufferers of phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder using graded self-exposure (a lay form of behaviour therapy) in a supportive group environment.
Panic Disorder
First Steps to Freedom
Tel: 0845 120 2916 (helpline: 10am –10pm)
www.first-steps.org
Helpline, telephone support groups and information for people who suffer from phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder, general anxiety, panic attacks and those who wish to come off tranquillisers, together with their carers.
No Panic
Tel: 0808 808 0545 (helpline: 10am –10pm)
www.nopanic.org.uk/
Helpline, information booklets, local self-help groups (including telephone recovery groups) for people with anxiety, phobias, obsessions and panic.
Social Anxiety UK
www.social-anxiety.org.uk
Information and support for sufferers of social anxiety and related problems. The site has a chat room and details of local meetings across the UK.
Triumph Over Phobia (TOP)
Tel: 0845 600 9601
www.triumphoverphobia.com
Structured self-help groups for sufferers of phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder using graded self-exposure (a lay form of behaviour therapy) in a supportive group environment.
Personality Disorders
Borderline UK
http://www.borderlineuk.co.uk/
A national user-led Internet-based network of people within the UK who have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. The site provides detailed information on borderline personality disorder.
Phobic Disorders
Triumph Over Phobia (TOP)
Tel: 0845 600 9601
www.triumphoverphobia.com
Structured self-help groups for sufferers of phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder using graded self-exposure (a lay form of behaviour therapy) in a supportive group environment.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture
Tel: 020 7697 7777
www.torturecare.org.uk
Provides survivors of torture with medical treatment, practical assistance and psychotherapeutic support.
CombatStress
Tel: 01372 841 600
www.combatstress.com
Supports men and women discharged from the armed services and merchant navy who suffer from mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Has a regional network of welfare officers who visit people at home or in hospital.
Refugee Support Centre
Tel: 020 7820 3606
Provides counselling / psychotherapy for refugees and asylum seekers. Gives training and information to health and social care professionals on psychosocial needs of refugees.
Postnatal Disorders
The Association for Post Natal Illness (APNI)
Tel: 020 7386 0868
www.apni.org
Provides information on postnatal depression. APNI will put affected mothers in touch, by phone or letter, with others who have had similar experiences.
Depression Alliance
Tel: 0845 123 2320
www.depressionalliance.org
Provide self-help groups, information and a pen friend scheme.
Schizophrenia
Rethink (formerly the National Schizophrenia Fellowship)
Tel: 020 8974 6814 (helpline: Monday to Friday, 10am –3pm)
www.rethink.org
Provides information, advice and support groups for people with schizophrenia living in the community and their relatives.
Schizophrenia Association of Great Britain
Tel: 01248 354 048
www.sagb.co.uk
Offers information and support to sufferers, relatives, friends and carers.
Hearing Voices Network
Tel: 0845 122 8642 (Monday to Friday, 10am –4pm)
www.hearing-voices.org
Information for people who experience hearing voices and self-help groups to allow people to explore their voice-hearing experiences.
Self Harm
Self Injury and Related Issues (SIARI)
www.siari.co.uk
Online forum for people who self-harm, their family and friends.
Arts
Poems for display
A new website called Poems For has been set up to make poetry more accessible to a wider audience. The website, funded by the Arts Council, has a collection of poem posters that you can download free of charge for display. There is a wide range of poems in various languages that cover subjects from nullChange Makingnull to nullYoung Livesnull to nullWaitingnull.
Have a look for yourself at: www.poemsfor.org/