Good to Talk · Helping a mate · Free. Always.
Your mate doesn't need you to be a therapist
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E. If you need urgent mental-health help but it is not an emergency, in England call NHS 111 and select the mental-health option or use NHS 111 online where appropriate.
He needs you to notice, ask, listen and help him get the right support when he needs it.
Start like a mate
“You've not seemed yourself lately. Everything alright?” is enough. You do not need clinical language.
Listen before fixing
Give him room to talk. You can ask what has been hardest and what would help. Avoid immediately turning it into your own story or firing ten solutions at him.
Check back
One conversation matters. Remembering tomorrow matters too. Send the message, suggest the walk, ask again.
Useful next pages
Trusted help & further reading
- NHS — where to get urgent help for mental health
- NHS Every Mind Matters — helping others
- Samaritans — if you're worried about someone else
This section is practical guidance, not emergency or clinical care. If somebody's safety is at immediate risk, use emergency services.