Shout

Shout is the UK’s first and only free, 24/7, confidential text message support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.

If you’re feeling worried, stressed or like you have nobody to talk to, you are not alone. Shout is always only a text message away. Shout’s trained volunteers are there to support you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with whatever you are going through.

Every day, Shout takes around 2,100 conversations with children, young people and adults across the UK who need in-the-moment support with issues such as anxiety, stress, depression, loneliness, relationships, racism, self-harm, suicide, grief and so much more.

As a digital service, Shout provides a private and silent way to communicate, alleviating some of the pressure many people feel around talking about their worries out loud. The service is also confidential, anonymous and won’t show up on your phone bill.

Shout is available around the clock. Most people text Shout for support at night and into the early hours of the morning, when the majority of other support services are closed and when many people are feeling alone and struggling with their mental health.

Anyone in the UK can text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 to start a conversation any time of the day or night. Shout Volunteers work to take you from a moment of distress to a calm, safe place and help you come up with a plan to move forwards.

If your life is at imminent risk, please call 999.

n For more information,

advice and support, visit: giveusashout.org

MONEY ON YOUR MIND?

If you’re worrying about money, you’re not alone.

Nine in ten people have said they’re feeling the pinch, with the cost of living crisis making it harder to put food on our table, pay our energy bills, fill up our cars or even grab a pint with our mates.

Money worries can also take a toll on our mental health, often leading to feelings of anxiety, stress, low mood and sleep problems. In turn, these feelings can make it harder to manage our money. This vicious cycle can quickly get on top of us.

It can be tough to deal with money problems, but help is always there.

BREAK IT DOWN

When we’ve got money problems, our worries can sometimes feel too big to deal with. Talking to a mate about our situation or writing it down on a piece of paper can help us break down what we’re facing, work out what our biggest challenges are and start thinking about steps to tackle them.

GET PRACTICAL HELP

No matter what financial situation we’re in, support is always available. Lots of charities provide free, practical and impartial money advice, such as Citizens Advice (citizensadvice.org.uk), Turn2Us (turn2us.org.uk), StepChange (stepchange.org), National Debtline (nationaldebtline.org) and Money Helper (moneyhelper.org.uk).

PRIORITISE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Stigma surrounding debt can make it hard to open up. But poor mental health can make it more difficult to manage our money. If money troubles are weighing on your mind, it’s important to ask for help.

You could try speaking to a trusted friend, family member or your GP as a starting point. Or if you find it easier to talk to someone you don’t know, you could text Shout.

Shout is the UK’s first and only free, 24/7, confidential text support service.

Every day, Shout Volunteers speak to people who are struggling with debt. Lots of texters are worried about the impact of their debt on their relationships, while many feel like they’re facing their troubles alone. In a third of conversations, people mention feelings of suicide.

If you’re worrying about money, text SHOUT to 85258 any time of the day or night to start a free conversation with a trained volunteer who will work with you to reach a calmer place with a plan to move forwards.

“Shout helped me sift through my thoughts and get to a workable solution. I just needed someone to listen and give value to how I was feeling. They were reassuring and helped me remember my strength and ability to get through it.” - Feedback from a texter who contacted Shout for support with debt.