Sometimes, life can be tough. And when life’s tough, things can get overwhelming and make it hard to manage your feelings. But you don’t have to go it alone.
Reaching out for help isn’t easy. It’s common to feel unsure about how to ask, or wonder if you need to reach out at all. But asking for help is always okay. Whether you’re going through something big right now, have an ongoing mental health problem that needs support, or you’re just having a bad day, the important thing is not to try and cope on your own.
Asking for help is the first step to feeling better. And we’re here to help you start.
Who to turn to
Everyone’s support network is different and only you can know best who you feel most comfortable to turn to. But when you’re ready to reach out, there are plenty of people who can help.
Barriers to reaching out for help
There are lots of things that might be stopping you from asking for help. You might be worried about:
- what others might think
- the problems not being serious enough, or not being taken seriously
- putting an extra strain on mental health services
- help being unavailable, difficult to get, or not being right for you
- things getting worse when you ask for help, like making your family worry
- how to ask for help or how to express your concerns
It’s normal to feel worried about these things. But don’t let this stop you reaching out. It’s always okay to ask for help. Your feelings are valid and you are not burdening anyone by speaking up.
Waiting for support
It can be incredibly frustrating when you reach out for support with your mental health, only to find long waiting lists and overwhelmed support services. It’s disheartening to realise that the system designed to help you might not be there for you when you need it most. But don’t give up hope. Even though the road to getting support may be challenging, it’s worth sticking with it. Your wellbeing matters and taking the first step to ask for help is incredibly brave. While you’re waiting, reach out to friends and family, people you trust, or online support groups and helplines. You are not alone on this journey, and there are people out there who can help you through this difficult time.
Self-care
Self-care is an important part of feeling comfortable in who you are. If you’re finding it hard to reach out, or struggling while you wait for support, try to think of ways you can make yourself feel better. This can be small things like watching a show you like or bigger things like planning a day out. Our guide to self-care can help.
How to ask for help
Opening up about how you feel can be scary. It's normal to worry about how people will react or that talking about things might cause other problems. But reaching out is always okay and it’s the first step to getting better. Here are some tips to help you talk to someone.
You deserve help and support
Sometimes when you reach out for help, the person you talk to might not react the way you hoped. This can be really tough.
They might not share the same understanding of mental health as you, perhaps because of their culture, age or gender, or there might be another reason they’ve reacted that way. But know that if this happens, their reaction is about them, not you.
Don’t let people’s reactions discourage you from reaching out again, whether that be to the same person or someone else you trust. Remember, you can always contact a helpline for support.
My message for other young Muslims is to understand that there is often going to be a difference in attitudes towards mental health between their generation and older generations. The generation before us lived through a different time where certain aspects of society were emphasised and other aspects were ignored. However, as time progresses, attitudes can shift. Please don’t let it get you down.
Within the Black community, I’ve noticed that struggling with your mental health can be seen as a “weakness” or that “people with mental health issues aren’t actually ill like physically ill people." Over the years I have wondered, would it be easier if talking about mental health was part of my Caribbean culture?
Real stories from young people about asking for help
Find out from other young people like you about their experiences of opening up and asking for help.
More information and support
Get help now
Here are some helplines and websites where you can find information and advice or talk to someone about what you’re going through.
-
Childline
If you’re under 19 you can confidentially call, chat online or email about any problem big or small.
Sign up for a free Childline locker (real name or email address not needed) to use their free 1-2-1 counsellor chat and email support service.
Can provide a BSL interpreter if you are deaf or hearing-impaired.
Hosts online message boards where you can share your experiences, have fun and get support from other young people in similar situations.
- Opening times:
- 24/7
-
Muslim Youth Helpline
Provides faith and culturally sensitive support for young Muslims.
Online chat service available during opening hours.
- Opening times:
- 4pm - 10pm, 365 days a year
-
Samaritans
Whatever you're going through, you can contact the Samaritans for support. N.B. This is a listening service and does not offer advice or intervention.
- Opening times:
- 24/7
-
Youth Access
Provides information about local counselling and advice services for young people aged 11-25.
Put in your location and what you need help with into their 'Find help' search, and see what services are available in your area.
-
Tellmi
Formerly known as MeeToo. A free app for teenagers (11+) providing resources and a fully-moderated community where you can share your problems, get support and help other people too.
Can be downloaded from Google Play or App Store.
This page was reviewed in March 2024.
It was co-created with young people with lived experience of reaching out for help for their mental health.
We will next review the page in 2027.
YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK – the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.