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CAMHS Mental Health Helpline

If you feel you need urgent (non-emergency) mental health support and would like to talk to someone, you can contact the CAMHS Mental Health Helpline - 0800 023 2133

Monday-Friday 5pm-11pm, Weekends & Bank Holidays 9am-11pm. Between 11pm-9am please contact NHS 111, option 2, to access mental health crisis support.

In an emergency: If you or someone else has seriously injured themselves, taken an overdose or are on the point of doing so, call 999 or go directly to A&E.

Mental Health Helpline

Children & Young People Advice

We understand that it can be tough to navigate the emotional wellbeing of children and young people. That’s why we are here to offer a helping hand. Our website is filled with lots of valuable information, practical tips, and advice to support young people aged 5-18 who are registered with a GP in Wiltshire and experiencing early mental health difficulties. We are committed to providing a safe space for young people to explore their emotions and offer group work, community activities, and counseling sessions for those who need more intensive support. We want you to know that we are here for you every step of the way.

Helpful Information and Advice

Anger

Anger is one of the many emotions that we all can feel from time to time. It’s ok to feel angry at times, sometimes it is very justified to be angry at a situation, person or event. It is more about how we express our anger which can cause us and other people problems.

Anxiety

Anxiety is something which everyone will experience at some point. It is normal to feel worried or anxious when we face something new or something that frightens us.

Bullying

If you are being bullied then that can cause lots of unhappiness, stress and anxiety and you might feel isolated and lonely.

Caring

A young carer is someone aged 18 or under whose life is affected by caring for at least one family member, over and above just ‘helping out’.

Communication Barriers

This section of the website will share information and resources for Young People who have barriers to communication. It is difficult when we lack confidence, or have other difficulties with communication. But the good news is – there is help out there!

Drugs and Alcohol

Using drugs and / or drinking alcohol can have a negative effect on your physical health, mental health and emotional well being. Using substances can also cause problems with friends and family as well as making it difficult to concentrate on school and work.

Eating

Our eating habits can have a great impact on both our physical and mental health, this is why it is important to recognise what healthy eating is and when our eating habits may becoming unhealthy.

Family

Connecting with others and developing relationships is important for our mental health. But relationships can be really complicated sometimes and the relationships we develop with different people in our lives often serve different purposes.

Friendship

Friendships are often a big part of our daily lives and can have a great impact on our mental health and wellbeing. It is often the case that you will have several different friends, who all play a different role in your life. Some friendships are supportive, and others are about hanging out, banter and not about sharing how you’re feeling.

Grief

You might feel angry, sad, confused or completely lost. It’s natural to feel a whole host of emotions and it is important to remember that whatever you are feeling, it is okay to feel that way.

Living in Care

Being a looked after child or a care leaver can make you feel confused, isolated and not sure who to turn to for support. If you are looked after in foster care, a residential unit or by another family member there are people who should be supporting you. These include your Social Worker and Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).

Low Mood & Depression

Everybody experiences the ebb and flow of different emotions. Sometimes we feel low, and other times we feel higher, and of course there are other times where our mood settles someplace in the middle.

Self Esteem

Self Esteem is how we view ourselves, and it can often affect how we interact within the world. If someone has high self esteem they may find it easier to do new things, to make new friends and to try new things.

Self Harm

The reasons that children or young people begin to self harm are complicated and individual to each person. Self harming is often a secret activity which children and young people feel a lot of shame about. Some young people will know the reason that they self harm, while others aren’t sure.

Relationships

Being in a relationship can be exciting. Spending your time getting to know some who makes you happy, has similar interests to you and makes you feel good.

Sexuality and Gender Identity

LGBTQ is an acronym that consists of both sexualities and genders (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer). A person’s sexuality does not determine their gender and vice versa.

School and Work

Exam stress, course work and all the worries linked to getting homework in on time can cause anxiety and stress for some young people.

Staying Healthy and Active

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and looking after your physical health is a great way to improve your mental health and wellbeing. For example, eating regularly and having a good sleep pattern help you physically but they also help balance the chemicals in your brain which impact on your mental health.#

Sleeping

As sleep is so important for your physical and mental health, it’s really important to find ways of improving it. Some top tips are to talk to someone you trust about what is bothering you, take plenty of exercise, leave mobile devices and TVs off when you go to bed, avoid caffeine or excessive alcohol before sleep.

Trauma

Trauma is an event that is psychologically distressing. Trauma can happen at any age. Trauma can be one life event such as the death of a loved one, a car accident, fleeing a war torn country or becoming a refugee.

Transition from Primary to Secondary School

It is natural to feel worried about upcoming changes. But luckily, you are not the only one in the worried boat. Every year 6 about to be a year 7 will be feeling a little apprehensive.

Transition from School Post 16

After year 11, there are several decisions to be made, such as what are your options, what to do next and where to go. You may begin to question how you find out what you want to do, so we would suggest that you start by exploring what your skills and interests are, consider whether you want to stay on in 6th form, go to a college, look for an apprenticeship or employment.

Transition from School Post 18

It can be a very overwhelming and confusing time in the journey beyond 6th form or college, for some of us it is easy as we know what we want to do, what grade we need to get and where we need to go but for some of us it can be very scary, not knowing what to do next. Applying to Higher Education, taking a gap year, looking for an apprenticeship or further training or getting a job all take preparation so its important to take your time and explore all your options before making any decisions.