If you need mental health crisis support, please contact your local mental health services, your GP, or telephone 111 or the emergency services.

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Coping with a mental health crisis

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Not Enrolled

Price

Free

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When someone’s mental health gets worse quickly, they might be having a mental health crisis. When someone is in a crisis, they might feel out of control. They might also not feel able to cope. Their nervous system (nerves, brain, and spinal cord) has been pushed past its limits. It can be frightening to feel like this or see someone else in crisis.

This course looks at:

  • What a crisis is.
  • How to cope during a crisis.
  • Planning for what to do if you have a crisis.
  • How to move forward over time and build resilience.
  • Helping someone else who is in a crisis.

You don’t need to rush this course, take as long as you need. You can stop doing the course and come back to it at any time.

About this course

This course is a way that you can learn new things. It is not therapy, medical advice and doesn’t replace support from a professional.

If you need help NOW

  • If you are under a mental health team, contact them if they are open.
  • If you are not under a mental health team, or it is outside their opening hours, call 111 and select the mental health option (option 2)
  • If you don’t want people to know who you are you, could message the text line Shout. Text SHOUT on 85258 for free, 24/7 confidential, text-based crisis support.
  • Call the Samaritans at 116 123 for free, 24-hour phone call support.

Course updated: July 2026. Rachel Douglas, CAMHS Clinician and Rosalind Pryor, Specialist Occupational Therapist worked on this course alongside Recovery College Online.

Course Content

Welcome to the ‘Coping with a Mental Health Crisis course’
What is a mental health crisis?
Coping with a mental health crisis
STOPP skills
How your own body can help in a crisis
Thinking about pros and cons
Mindfulness and grounding
Taking your mind off things
Changing the present moment
Acceptance
In the longer-term
Being with someone in crisis
Supporting someone who is suicidal
Finish the ‘Course Coping with a Mental Health Crisis’