If you are in crisis, despairing or suicidal, please:

• contact your GP, midwife or health visitor
• contact NHS 24, by phoning 111
• go to Accident and Emergency at your local hospital
• call the emergency services on 999.

Who can I contact for support?

Suicidal thoughts can happen to any of us, at any time. Often people start noticing these thoughts after a traumatic or stressful event in their life but sometimes there's no obvious trigger.

Whether you've just started to notice them or have had similar thoughts for a long time, help is available from:

• Samaritans 116 123 – available 24 hours.
• Breathing Space 0800 83 85 87 – Fri–Mon, 6pm–6am; and Mon–Thurs, 6pm–2am.
  • Textphone: 18001 0800 83 85 87, or use the Relay UK app.
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) 0800 58 58 58 – available 5pm to midnight every day, or visit the webchat page.
• Switchboard LGBT+
  • For anyone who identifies as LGBT+ 0300 330 0630; open 10am to 10pm every day.
• Amina Muslim Women's Resource Centre provides support for Muslim, black and minority ethnic women. Helpline: 0808 8010301 - Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm.

Text lines

If you do not want to talk to someone over the phone, these text lines are open 24 hours a day, every day.

• Shout Crisis Text Line
  • Text SHOUT to 85258
• YoungMinds Crisis Messenger – for people under 19
  • Text YM to 85258

Further information

Crisis Plan and Crisis box: How to cope with suicidal thoughts (rethink.org)

Many parents struggle at times.

If you feel your child is at immediate risk of harm, you need to do something about this and speak to someone. You can contact:

• police on 999
• your local children and families social work duty team, who are available 24 hours a day. You can find your local authority at https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council.

Other support is available from:

• Parentline Scotland, which offers advice and a helpline: 0800 0280 2233
• Cry-sis, which offers support if you have a crying, sleepless or demanding baby
  • Helpline: 0845 228 669 (9am-10pm, 7 days a week).

Relationship difficulties are common around the time of having a baby. Women and birthing parents are at increased risk of domestic violence during this time.

If your life is in immediate danger, call the police on 999. They have a special support for victims of domestic abuse.

Talk to your GP, midwife or health visitor.

Helplines:

• Scottish Domestic Abuse 0800 027 1234. Open 24 hours a day. The call will not appear on the phone bill. Calls are answered by women with training in all aspects of domestic abuse.
• Women’s Aid link to local organisations that can help you. They have live chat, email and 1-to-1 support. They have advice about how to cover your tracks online, if needed.
• Relationship helpline 0808 802 2088. Open Mon–Thurs, 9am–8pm; and Fri, 9am–5pm.