Mental health support this winter: Help available across Tameside

People in Tameside who are struggling with their mental health this winter are being urged to reach out for help and support from the NHS and local services.

Winter can be a challenging time for many of us. Shorter days and longer nights can affect our mood, while colder weather often brings coughs, colds and flu. Add the financial pressures and social expectations of the festive season, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or run down.

Looking after your mental health is just as important as caring for your physical health, and support is available if you need it, including during evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

Mental health clinicians at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust have shared some simple but effective ways to help protect your wellbeing during the colder months.

Dr Jayne Taylor, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, said: “Winter can feel isolating, particularly when darker evenings and cold weather make it tempting to withdraw from others. However, staying connected – even in small ways – is one of the most protective things we can do for our mental health.

“I’d encourage people to be intentional about maintaining contact with others, whether that’s a phone call, a message, or meeting for a walk. Physical activity and time outdoors, even in winter, can genuinely help our mood. And if you’re finding things difficult, please reach out for support – whether that’s to someone you trust or to professional services. Asking for support from others can make a real difference.”

More practical advice and resources are available online through the Feel Well This Winter campaign.

If you or someone you know needs urgent mental health support, for example, if you feel mentally unsafe or severely distressed, you can call NHS 111 and select option 2 for mental health.

The service is:

• Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Free to call
• Open to people of all ages

When you call, you will be connected to your local mental health team, where a trained mental health practitioner will listen and help you get the right support. With your permission, they can also offer advice over the phone and connect you with appropriate services.

You can also access NHS 111 Mental Health online at:

https://111.nhs.uk/triage/check-your-mental-health-symptoms

A range of free helplines are available if you’re feeling low, anxious or overwhelmed. Most are open 24 hours a day, and you can also call if you’re worried about someone else:

• Samaritans (for everyone): 116 123
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): 0800 58 58 58 (5pm to midnight)
• Papyrus HOPELINE247 (for young people): 0800 068 41 41
• Childline (under 19s): 0800 1111
• SOS Silence of Suicide: 0300 1020 505 (4pm to midnight)
• Mind: 0300 123 3393
• Mood Swings: 0161 832 3736
• Pensioner’s Link (over 50s): 01942 261 753
• Rethink: 0300 5000 927
• SANEline: 0300 304 7000
• Silverline: 0800 470 8090
• Support Line: 01708 765 200
• The Mix (under 25s): 0808 808 4994
• The Old Courts Wigan: 01942 48901
• Age UK: 0800 678 1602

Community spaces, sometimes known as crisis cafés or listening lounges, offer a safe, comfortable and confidential place to talk. They are open to anyone aged 18 and over who is feeling low, anxious, or struggling with difficult thoughts, particularly during evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

SAFE Tameside

• Address: The Anthony Seddon Centre, 12 George Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6AQ
• Telephone: 0161 470 6104
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 1pm–8pm; Saturday, 10am–3pm
• Access: Walk-in or telephone

For more information about mental health and wellbeing support in your area, speak to your GP or visit local NHS mental health information pages. If you are already under the care of an NHS mental health service, you are advised to contact your key worker or care co-ordinator in the first instance.

Details about accessing physical health and dental services over the festive period are also available through NHS Christmas health advice.

If there is an immediate risk to life or you need urgent physical care, call 999 or go to A&E.

No one needs to face mental health difficulties alone this winter. Help and support are available across Tameside – and reaching out could make all the difference.