Mental health self-help resources

If you are experiencing difficulties, it is OK to ask for help. Make an appointment to see your GP.  Don't feel guilty about wasting their time, or feel bad because you haven't been able to recover on your own. Mental ill-health is just as real as physical ill-health, and you may need help to recover.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, seek help immediately.

If you are not already in touch with mental health services you should contact your GP or the Out of Hours service on 0845 3458995 or 111.

If you are already under the care of mental health services, call your Care Coordinator; in their absence your Community Mental Health Team or (out of hours) the main switchboard for the Oxford NHS Foundation Trust 01865 741717.

Below is an ordered list of external resources that may be useful. 

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  • Headspace
  • Be Mindful
  • Mark Williams and Danny Penman's book Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world
  • Oxfordshire MIND offers local support and information on what is available.
  • Talking Space Plus is a partnership between the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxfordshire Mind & Principal Medical Limited (PML) to provide services to support people experiencing anxiety and depression, and to support wellbeing.
  • Restore supports people with mental ill-health in Oxfordshire, including providing 1:1 support and coaching
  • Oxford Recovery College
  • Clean Slate is a confidential support service in Oxfordshire for victims of physical, sexual, emotional and mental abuse.
  • MEET in Oxford is a small charity providing EMDR therapy for people who cannot access NHS therapy or afford private therapy.

  • The Counselling Service has a list of supportive resources developed for students, which you may find useful.

  • The Bodleian Library has a collection of self-help ebooks, selected in collaboration with the Counselling Service, which can be accessed by staff and students.

  • Some people like to join an online forum.  It is sensible to join a moderated forum, such as Mind's Elefriends forum for people with mental health difficulties.

  • GetSelfHelp has lots of free resources for CBT.

  • Managing Stress and Overcoming Anxiety is the first talk in the Department of Experimental Psychology’s Our Mental Wellness Series.

  • Time to Change has lots of ideas on changing perceptions of mental health.