It is important for us all to look after our mental health and the Royal College of General Practitioners cite that a quarter of all people will experience a mental health problem over the course of a year.
Sometimes, there is a feeling that things are building up and becoming too much for us, or perhaps others notice that we are not quite our usual self. If you personally relate to this, you may want to consider visiting your GP.
The mental health foundation have put together a handy guide, How to talk to your GP, which may help you in taking the first steps.
Sometimes finding reliable help and advice online can be tricky. To help with this, we have selected some online and community guided self-help resources for low mood and anxiety which we hope you will find useful. Click on each logo for more information.
| Edspace | |
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Edspace is Edinburgh’s online source of mental health and wellbeing information. Edspace have some great leaflets providing information on mental health conditions. They also bring together information about self help groups available to those living in Edinburgh. |
| Moodjuice | |
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Moodjuice have put together self help guides which walk the user through the different stages in dealing with their emotional problems, from thinking about them, to working towards solving them. |
| Health in Mind | |
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Health In Mind are a Scottish charity who promote positive mental health and wellbeing. They have more information about “The Depression and Anxiety Support Group” who meet fortnightly in Nicholson Square along with a contact to get in touch. They also have information about other initiatives happening in Edinburgh. |
| NHS Lothian | |
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NHS lothian have put together some video based resources around anxiety, stress and related conditions which can be vied via their Vimeo page. Some of their videos also follow Jake, a fictional character, through his journey with CBT and mindfulness. |
| Mental Health Information Station | |
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The Information Station is lead by NHS occupational therapists alongside other health and social care staff in addition to volunteers. It provides a one-stop-shop for information about mental health and community resources, providing faster self-service access to individuals. It is a free weekly drop-in service, meeting every Thursday 11am-3pm at: St Mary’s Cathedral, Walpole Hall, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh EH12 5AW. |
| The Centre for Clinical Interventions | |
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The Centre for Clinical Interventions website has online modules to walk you through facing your feelings of distress intolerance. A situation which affects many of us at sometime in our lives. |
The following telephone services may also be useful to you:
Breathing Space – a mental health helpline
Tel: 0800 83 85 87
Health in Mind Information Line – information on mental health services available in Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 243 0106
Living Life – telephone CBT based therapy for depression and anxiety
Tel: 0800 328 9655
No Panic – National Self Help organisation for phobias, anxiety and panic (Daily 10am-10pm)
Tel: 0844 967 4848
If you feel you need urgent help related to your mental health please use the following services:
Edinburgh Crisis Service – Support in crisis
Tel: 0808 801 0414
Mental Health Assessment Service – Out of hours service for those with active thoughts of suicide
Tel: 0131 537 6000
Samaritans
Tel: 08457 90 90 90