newsbreak was set up so journalists could share their experiences of mental health and the things they do to improve their wellbeing. If you feel you need additional help or information, you might find some of the links below useful.
Support on the NHS
Anyone registered with a GP can refer themselves for psychological therapies (like talking therapy) without having to make an appointment with their doctor first – although your GP will always be more than happy to discuss this with you. This will typically be followed by an assessment, after which NHS staff will discuss possible treatment options.
Mental health charities
If you need to speak to someone immediately, you can call The Samaritans 24 hours a day on 116 123.
If you know or work with someone who’s having issues with their mental health, Time to Change has advice on how you can support them.
Mind runs local support services across England and Wales which include drop-in centres and counselling.
You can call Anxiety UK for support with anxiety-related issues on 03444 775 774 (Monday-Friday, 9:30am-5:30pm) or if you’d rather text, you can send a message to 07537 416905.
Several charities have come together to offer a specific service for key workers (including journalists) called Our Frontline.
And the Mental Health Foundation has lots of great advice on mindfulness, improving your sleep and ways in which exercise can improve your wellbeing.
Other useful links
The International Journalists’ Network has put together a toolkit exploring the relationship journalists have with their mental health, with a variety of blogs, vlogs and podcasts.
If you’d like to share a link that we can add to this page, get in touch.