Are You or Someone Else in Immediate Danger?

If you or someone else is at immediate risk of suicide, serious self-harm, overdose, serious injury or violence, please get emergency help now.

You can:

• Call 999 for an ambulance or the police, or ask someone you trust to call for you.
• Go straight to Accident & Emergency (A&E) if you can do so safely.

If you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe, do not wait for HRE4U, a GP appointment or another service to respond. Call 999 or go to A&E.

Need Urgent Help, But You’re Not in Immediate Danger?

If you feel able to stay safe for now but need urgent mental health support, there are services that can help you work out what to do next.

• In England: call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
• In Wales: call NHS 111 and select option 2 for urgent mental health support.
• If you already have a crisis team or mental health professional supporting you, contact them using the number they have given you.
• Call your GP surgery and ask for an urgent appointment.

If things change and you no longer feel able to keep yourself or someone else safe, call 999 or go to A&E.

Come and Talk to Us in Person

Our community drop-ins bring HRE4U to local venues, where you can talk with us, get information and find practical support or signposting. The support available can vary by session.

A community drop-in is not an emergency service or the Community Crisis Café. If you can keep yourself and others safe while travelling, check the session details below before you come.

Next community drop-in:
HRE4U community drop-in at SWACA
Thursday 5 November · 10:00am–2:00pm
Sefton Women’s and Children’s Aid (SWACA) · 166 Knowsley Road, Liverpool, L20 4NR

If you cannot keep yourself or someone else safe, please do not wait for an HRE4U session. Call 999 or go to A&E.

Need To Talk?

Whatever you are going through, there are people you can talk to any time.

• 📞 Samaritans on 116 123 (UK-wide)
• 💬 85258

These services are for anyone who needs someone to talk to. You don’t have to be suicidal or at breaking point to contact them.

They are free and available 24/7.

Abuse, Domestic Violence or Sexual Violence?

If someone is hurting, threatening, controlling or frightening you, or you have experienced sexual violence or assault, you can get help.

• If you are in immediate danger, call 999. If you cannot speak, you can use the silent 999 procedure.
• For domestic abuse, call National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247
• If you have experienced sexual violence or assault, you can contact Rape Crisis England & Wales on 0808 500 2222 . You can get support even if you do not want to report it to the police.
• If it is safe to do so, consider telling someone you trust what is happening.

Ways to Cope in the Moment

These tools won't fix everything, but they may help you get through the next few minutes while you reach out for support.

• Box Breathing: Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat.
• 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding: Notice 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell and 1 you can taste.
• Postpone the Urge: If you feel like harming yourself, try to delay acting on the urge for 5 minutes. During that time, move away from anything you could use to hurt yourself and contact someone for support.
• Muscle Tense and Release: Tense a muscle group, such as your fists or shoulders, for 5 seconds, then release. Move through your body.
• Write it Down: Putting your feelings on paper can sometimes make them feel more manageable.

If you feel you may act on thoughts of harming yourself or cannot keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E.

Helping Someone Else

If you are worried about someone who is struggling or in crisis, you do not need to have all the answers. Being there, listening and helping them reach the right support can make a difference.

• Stay with them if you can, listen without judgement and let them talk in their own words.
• If you are worried about suicide or self-harm, ask them directly if they are thinking about hurting or killing themselves.
• If they are in immediate danger, have seriously harmed themselves or cannot stay safe, call 999 or go to A&E. You can call 999 for them if needed.
• If they need urgent mental health support but are not in immediate danger, help them call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
• Do not promise to keep thoughts of suicide or serious harm secret. If someone is in danger, getting help comes first.
• If it is safe and appropriate, stay with them or help them connect with someone they trust while support is arranged.

You can also get advice if you are worried about someone else. You do not have to manage the situation on your own.

Having a Panic Attack?

A panic attack can feel frightening and intense. Symptoms can include a racing heart, shaking, dizziness, feeling short of breath or feeling like something terrible is about to happen.

If you recognise these feelings as a panic attack, try to focus on getting through the next few minutes rather than fighting the feeling.

• Slow your breathing: try to breathe gently and steadily. Avoid forcing very deep breaths.
• Ground yourself: notice what is around you. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise.
• Remind yourself what is happening: if you recognise this as panic, remind yourself that the feeling will pass.
• Stay where you feel safest if you can, and consider telling someone you trust what is happening.

If these symptoms are new, unusually severe, different from your usual panic attacks, or you are not sure what is causing them, seek medical help rather than assuming they are caused by panic.

If panic attacks are happening regularly or affecting your day-to-day life, support is available and it is worth speaking to your GP or another healthcare professional.

Need Practical Support?

Sometimes the thing pushing you towards crisis is practical. Money worries, food, energy, housing, work, family problems or other pressures can quickly become overwhelming.

HRE4U works with local and specialist organisations that may be able to help. You do not need to know which service you need before getting in touch. Tell us what is happening and we can help you work out where to start.

Some of the organisations currently working with HRE4U include Light For Life Sefton, Trussell Trust, Raise, Access Send, Age Concern Liverpool & Sefton and Sefton @ Work.

Support available through HRE4U and the organisations we work with can include money and benefits, food, energy, housing, employment, family matters, health, isolation and other practical problems affecting how you are feeling.