What happens when I get help with my mental health?

It's common to feel uncertain and to wonder whether you could cope on your own. But it's always ok to ask for help – even if you're not sure you have a specific mental health problem.

You might want to seek help if you're:

• finding it hard to enjoy life
• worrying more than usual
• having feelings and thoughts that are difficult to cope with.

Please remember: you are not alone – and you deserve support. You can contact us via the web form below or call or email our Help Point.

Contacting our Help Point

If you need support with your mental health, you can contact our Help Point phone service on 0300 303 5652 or email helppoint@westsussexmind.org. Help Point is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.

We will listen to you and talk through your needs. We won’t make any judgements or tell you what to do. Depending on the reason you get in touch, our Help Point team may:

• pass your details to our mental health recovery team
• give you well-being advice
• show you where to find videos and information so you can help yourself
• let you know what treatments or support options are available in the community.

If your details are passed to our mental health recovery team for support with us, we'll contact you within two to three working weeks to arrange your first one-to-one session. This session could be in person or by phone or video call.

What our mental health support looks like

Although every person's needs are different, this is broadly how support with West Sussex Mind might develop from your first contact with us:

• Help Point. Most people come to us through Help Point. This is an opportunity to talk through your needs and find out about resources or other services that can help.
• Mental health support. You may then be put in contact with one of our mental health support workers, who will work on a support plan with you and help define your needs and goals.
• Social activities. You may be offered to join our activity groups, from social get togethers and painting to running and poetry, to help you meet other people who are experiencing problems and build your confidence.
• Peer support. Peer volunteers with lived experience of mental health themselves can support you with practical tasks and share their experiences.

If you feel ready to ask for help, please call or email Help Point or complete our support request form. We aim to get back to you within two weeks of receiving this form.

We don't cover mental health for every area in West Sussex so please check out where we offer support here:

Adults: Southwick, Shoreham, Lancing, Worthing, Littlehampton, Midhurst, Steyning, Storrington, Billingshurst, Petworth, Pulborough

Young people (16-25): Bognor, Chichester, Midhurst, Steyning, Storrington, Billingshurst, Southwick, Shoreham, Lancing, Worthing, Littlehampton.

Older people (65+): Bognor, Chichester, Lancing, Southwick and surrounding areas.

Crisis prevention: Worthing only

Families with children aged nought to five (mental health support for the parents): Worthing, Littlehampton, Bognor, Lancing.

Parents and carers of children and young people aged five to 18 (how to support the young people's mental health): across West Sussex.

Mental health support for the Ukrainian community in Worthing, Adur and Littlehampton.

Mental health support for the Polish community in Bognor and Littlehampton.

If you don't see your area here, please visit the Pathfinder West Sussex website to find mental health support for you.