There are different types of support available for people with mental health difficulties. Many of the supports listed here are provided by agencies with the support of the HSE. You can access most of the services without a referral.
For more information you can:
- talk to a GP
- call the HSE YourMentalHealth Information Line on freephone 1800 111 888 anytime day or night
They can help you find supports and services for your needs.
General mental health supports and services
Phone, email and text
Samaritans
Samaritans services are available 24 hours a day, for confidential, non-judgmental support.
Freephone 116 123, anytime
Email jo@samaritans.ie
Text 50808
A free, 24/7 service, providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support for people going through mental health or emotional crisis.
Free-text HELLO to 50808 to chat with a trained volunteer, anytime.
Aware
Information, support and peer groups for people experiencing anxiety, mild to moderate depression, bipolar disorder and mood-related conditions. Support also for friends and family members.
Email supportmail@aware.ie
Freephone 1800 80 48 48, 10am to 10pm every day
Pieta
Free individual counselling, therapy and support for people who self-harm or are thinking about suicide and people who have been bereaved by suicide.
Freephone 1800 247 247, anytime
Text HELP to 51444 - standard message rates apply
Bodywhys
Services for adults and young people with eating disorders, and their families. Services include email and helpline support, support groups, online groups, and family programmes.
Phone 01 2107906 - Monday, Wednesday and Sunday from 7.30pm to 9.30pm and Saturday from 10.30am to 12.30pm
Email alex@bodywhys.ie
LGBT Ireland
Phone or online support for the LGBTI+ community - by phone, instant messaging or at peer support groups.
Email info@lgbt.ie
Freephone 1800 929 539 - Monday to Thursday 6.30pm to 10pm, Friday 4pm to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 4pm to 6pm
Transgender Family Support Line 01 907 3707
Practitioner Health
Confidential support and help for doctors, dentists and pharmacists.
Email confidential@practitionerhealth.ie
Phone 085 760 1274
ADHD Ireland
Support and information for young people and adults with ADHD and their carers and families.
Email info@adhdireland.ie
Counselling (online and in person)
MyMind
Online and in person counselling services, including options for free appointments and sessions.
Email hq@mymind.org
SilverCloud Health Online CBT
Online Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is available to help manage mental health and wellbeing.
The HSE and SilverCloud Health provide internet-based CBT for people over the age of 18 in programmes that run for up to 8 weeks.
You need a referral from one of the following to access the service:
- your GP
- Primary Care Psychology
- the National Counselling Service
- Jigsaw
Learn about digital therapy with the HSE and SilverCloud Health
National Counselling Service
The HSE National Counselling Service is available free of charge across the country. Counselling is available in person, by phone or by online video.
Learn about the HSE National Counselling Service
Pieta
Free individual counselling, therapy and support for people who self harm or are thinking about suicide and people who have been bereaved by suicide.
Freephone 1800 247 247, anytime
Text HELP to 51444 - standard message rates apply
Turn2Me
Free online counselling and online support groups for young people aged 12 to 17 and adults.
Exchange House Ireland National Traveller Mental Health Service
Individual mental health supports, education, training and advocacy for people in the Traveller community.
Email info@exchangehouse.ie
Traveller Counselling Service
Counselling supports for people in the Traveller community.
Connect Counselling
Telephone counselling service for survivors of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, including former residents of mother and baby homes. You can talk in confidence with a trained counsellor.
Freephone 1800 477 477, Wednesday to Sunday from 6pm to 10pm
Minding Creative Minds
Free 24/7 wellbeing and support programme for people in the Irish Creative Sector, including counselling.
Freephone 1800 814 244
Support groups
Aware
Information, support and peer groups for people experiencing anxiety, mild to moderate depression, bipolar disorder and mood-related conditions. Support also for friends and family members.
Email supportmail@aware.ie
Freephone 1800 80 48 48, 10am to 10pm every day
Shine
Support services for people living with mental health difficulties and their families.
Email support@shine.ie
LGBT Ireland
Phone or online support for the LGBTI+ community - by phone, instant messaging or at peer support groups.
Email info@lgbt.ie
Freephone 1800 929 539 - Monday to Thursday 6.30pm to 10pm, Friday 4pm to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 4pm to 6pm
Transgender Family Support Line 01 907 3707
Grow Mental Health
Grow provides weekly meetings in locations all over Ireland, to help people recover from various forms of mental health problems. Additional practical resources and information are available.
Phone 0818 474 474
Email info@grow.ie
ADHD Ireland
Support and information for young people and adults with ADHD and their carers and families.
Email info@adhdireland.ie
Services and supports for young people
Jigsaw
Mental health advice and support – online and in person – for young people aged 12 to 25 years old, and for parents or concerned adults.
Visit jigsaw.ie/livechat to chat online with a clinician.
Find Jigsaw services in your area
Childline
Ireland's 24-hour listening service for young people up to the age of 18. Childline is a service from the ISPCC.
Freephone 1800 666 666, anytime
Text 50101 anytime
Chat online at childline.ie anytime
BeLonG To Youth Services
Support, information and groups for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI+) young people in Ireland, their parents and carers, and other professionals.
spunout
spunout is Ireland’s youth information website created by young people, for young people. Articles and information for young people on many topics, including mental health.
Free-text SPUNOUT to 50808 to chat with a trained volunteer, anytime.
Barnardos
Services for children, families and communities, to transform the lives of vulnerable children affected by adverse childhood experiences. Barnardos also provide a Children's Bereavement Service.
Freephone 1800 910 123, Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm
Services and supports for older people
ALONE
National support and referral line for older people.
Phone 0818 222 024, 8am to 8pm every day
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland
Emotional support and information on supports and services.
Freephone 1800 341 341, Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm.
Email helpline@alzheimer.ie
The Dementia Resource Hub lists information and online resources for people with dementia, families and carers.
Visit alzheimer.ie or understandtogether.ie
Seniorline
Confidential listening service for older people provided by trained older volunteers.
Phone 1800 804 591, 10am to 10pm every day.
Age Friendly Ireland
Programmes and networks to support older people.
Bereavement and grief
Online videos and courses
Minding Your Wellbeing
Free series of video resources to learn and practice key elements of mental wellbeing such as mindfulness, gratitude, self-care and resilience from HSE Health and Wellbeing.
Learn about the Minding your Wellbeing Programme
Minding Your Mental Health
Multilingual video messages presented by doctors and other health professionals living and working in Ireland. The videos are available in Romanian, Polish, Arabic, English, French, Lithuanian, Russian, Irish and Portuguese.
Stress Control
Stress Control classes to learn stress management skills and tips for minding your mental health, from the HSE. The programmes are for 3 weeks on Mondays and Thursdays and recommences at varying intervals.
Suicide or Survive
Free workshops and programmes on mental health, wellness and recovery.
Apps
These mobile apps can help you manage anxiety. They have been approved for listing here by the HSE Mental Health Group.
The app developers are solely responsible for their compliance and fitness for purpose. These apps are not supplied by the HSE and the HSE is not liable for their use.
Mindshift by Anxiety Canada
MindShift CBT uses strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help users engage in healthy thinking and take action. Users check in each day to track their anxiety and work with tools in the app.
Get Mindshift from the App Store
Get Mindshift from Google Play
Headspace
Headspace teaches meditation and mindfulness skills. Map your journey, track your progress and ‘buddy up’ with friends and motivate each other.
Get Headspace from the App Store
Get Headspace from Google Play
Clear Fear
From teenage mental health charity Stem4. The app uses CBT to help you learn to reduce the physical responses to threat. Strategies include learning to breathe, relax and be mindful, changing thoughts and behaviours, and releasing emotions. You can personalise the app and track your progress.
Get Clear Fear from the App Store
Get Clear Fear from Google Play
HSE Eating Disorder Self Help App
A self-care app for people:
- with an eating disorder
- caring for someone with an eating disorder
- worried about developing an eating disorder
- diagnosed or are recovering from an eating disorder
From the HSE National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders and Bodywhys.
