Helping People Choose the Right Support in a Mental Health Crisis
Would you know what to do and where to go for urgent help in a mental health crisis?
Many of us instinctively think of A&E as the place to go in any emergency. However, for people in mental health distress, A&E is often not the most suitable environment. It can be brightly lit, noisy, busy, and overstimulating, with long waiting times and limited privacy. These conditions may unintentionally heighten distress rather than calm it, and A&E teams, while highly skilled, are primarily focused on acute physical health emergencies.
There are, however, a range of alternative services designed specifically to support people experiencing a mental health crisis in a calmer, more appropriate way. These include local support hubs, crisis teams, text and call services, talking therapies and online tools. These services are better equipped to offer the kind of compassionate, specialist response that emotional overwhelm, panic, suicidal thoughts or disorientation often require.
The South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been working with mental health partners across the region to make these pathways clearer and easier to access. To help raise awareness, the ICB funded Sheffield Flourish to produce a short animation that highlights the different pathways to receive support.
Below you can watch the video, which outlines the alternatives to A&E and shows how calling 111 (mental health option) can connect people to appropriate help. A full transcript is provided further down the page.
If you live in Sheffield and are struggling with your mental health, there are more choices than simply going straight to A&E. This animation offers a quick and clear overview of those options and the kinds of support available across the city.
To help us share the new video animation as widely as possible, we have uploaded it to TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. If you use any of these platforms, professionally and/or personally, please consider sharing it so more people know the alternatives available when they need help.
For those who cannot speak on the phone or prefer to use text, South Yorkshire also has a free, confidential, 24/7 text support service for anyone experiencing anxiety, depression, self-harm urges, suicidal thoughts, loneliness or other forms of distress. Simply text ‘EYUP’ to 85258 at any time to be connected to someone trained to offer support.
You can also find out about local support services and resources on the Sheffield Mental Health Guide and the Sheffield Mental Health Services: Explained booklet.
Transcript of video animation:
When you’re in crisis or really struggling with your mental health, it can feel like A&E is your only option.
But depending on what you need, there may be other services that are more suited to support your mental health.
You can reach them by calling NHS 111 and choosing the mental health option. You’ll be connected to someone who’ll listen, understand what’s going on, and guide you to the right support.
For adults, this could be somewhere like Sheffield Support Hub where you can get help in a safe and supportive environment.
When you call 111, they will also suggest other support that’s available for all ages—whether you’re a child, young person or adult.
This might include text or call services, self-help tools and websites, urgent mental health teams, talking therapies or local peer support. You don’t have to work it out on your own.
To find out more about local services available, visit sheffieldmentalhealth.co.uk.
Remember, if you’re struggling, call 111 and select the mental health option.
Support is just one call away.
