Urgent Help

IMPORTANT

If you are in immediate danger, call stron (112) for emergency services.

Telephone helplines such as Lifeline (call+49 2235 473902276) offer immediate mental health support and counselling 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you have friends or family members who live with mental illness, it is a good idea to prepare yourself to help them when they are experiencing symptoms of acute illness. Call Mental Health First Aid on 0800 - 111 01 11 to find out about available courses.

If you or someone you are with has self-harmed and requires medical attention, get treatment from your doctor or your local hospital’s emergency department.
  • Coping with stressful mental health conditions has become an even greater challenge due to all the changes in our living conditions.Giving your day structure and maintaining that structure can help you get through the day. Try to keep as active as possible, and keep in touch with other people. When you’re facing difficult situations, having a person you trust to rely on can help you navigate things. Try not to consume alcohol or other substances. Look for other options to calm yourself down. Get professional help if you’re experiencing a serious mental health crisis.

    • The links below offer information and tips:

  • Follow the German Society for Psychology’s (DGP) guidelines, available here: https://psychologische-coronahilfe.de/hilfen-fuer-erwachsene (German only).
  • Also have alook at the Psychenet (mental health network) website www.psychenet.de/en (some information available in English).
  • Aktionsbündnis Seelische Gesundheit (Action Mental Health) has useful information and tips (https://www.seelischegesundheit.net; (German only).
  • This website is focused primarily on young people: https://deinkopfvollerfragen.de (German only).

    • Professional help and advice is also available

  • If you’re dealing with a mental health crisis, try contacting social psychiatric services, which are based in your local health authority, as well as local psychosocial contact and counselling centres or outpatient psychiatric clinics. You can find contact details online or in your local telephone book.
  • If you suspect that you need longer-term support in the form of outpatient or inpatient psychotherapy, your first point of contact would be your GP, psychiatrist or psychotherapist. Use the Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung’s (German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians) physician search to search for specific doctors and psychotherapists that meet certain criteria (e.g. can speak a foreign language): https://www.kbv.de/html/arztsuche.php (German only).
    You could also contact outpatient psychotherapy clinics based in universities. Outpatient psychotherapy may be provided by phone or video call during the coronavirus pandemic on the basis of a special regulation by the German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and the German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (Spitzenverband der gesetzlichen Krankenkassen).

    • In the event of an acute mental health crisis or emergency requiring immediate assistance, the following can help:

  • The medical on-call service run by the German National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians can be reached nationwide outside normal surgery hours (e.g. nights, weekends and public holidays) at 0800 0000837. More information is available here: https://www.kbv.de/html/aerztlicher_bereitschaftsdienst.php (German only).
  • If immediate help is required, you can attend a psychiatric hospital. Addresses and contact details are available through the medical on-call service (0800 0000837).
  • The German Federal Centre for Health Education’s (BZgA) telephone counselling service also provides free, anonymous advice at 08002322783 .
  • The service, called Telefonseelsorge, is anonymous, free and available 24/7 at these numbers: 0800 111 0 111, 0800 111 0 222 or 116123 . Please note that this service is available in German only. You can also use the email or web chat service; website: www.telefonseelsorge.de (German only).
  • The Info-Telefon Depression informational helpline is available for free by calling 0800 33 44 533; hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs – 13:00 to 17:00; Weds and Fri – 08:30 to 12:30, website: www.deutsche-depressionshilfe.de (German only).
    • The SeeleFon für Flüchtlinge telephone service for refugees is available in German, English, French and Arabic , and is aimed at refugees or their relatives looking for information about specific mental health treatment options in Germany. The service is available Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 15:00. Tel: +49 (0)228 71002425, website: https://www.bapk.de/en/offers/support-via-telephone-and-email-consultancy.html.

    In the event of an acute or potentially even life-threatening emergency, for example an acute risk of suicide, please dial the number for the emergency services at 112. You should also call 112 if the situation is unclear, but could be life threatening.