Mental distress can impact anyone in the whānau, and with increased stress and loneliness over the festive season there is often an increase in the number of people who need support.

"If you, or somebody you know, needs help we want to ensure you receive the right support and we encourage you to call the right people to get the right help," says a police spokesperson.

"Police should only be involved if there is an immediate threat to life.

"If you, or somebody you know, are in immediate danger call 111 immediately."

Identifying if somebody needs support with their mental health:

There are many ways people may show signs that they are struggling with their mental health and there is often a combination of signs, including:

• Feeling worried or anxious
• Weight changes
• Sleep irregularities
• Drug or alcohol abuse, or changes in frequency of using drugs or alcohol
• Behavioural changes
• Emotional outbursts
• Becoming quiet or withdrawn
• Mania episodes – feeling extremely high, e.g.

spending large amounts of money abnormally

• Neglect, disinterest, changes to appearance
• High risk behaviour
• Bizarre or strange behaviours not typical to the person

How to get support:

If you, or somebody you know, is in mental distress, but it is not an immediate threat to life, it is best to connect with health services.

You can contact their GP, call your local Mental Health Crisis team on one of the local numbers outlined below, or take them to your nearest hospital emergency department.

If you are worried about a friend or family member, or you are struggling, there are plenty of options on how you can get support, these include:

• Reaching out to your friends, take them out for a coffee and have a chat with them to see how you can support them through a time of difficulty and let them know you care
• Talk to your GP, take a support person with you if you feel you need to
• Text or phone 1737, 24/7 for support from a trained counsellor
• Check out www.mentalhealth.org.nz  for some great advice and resources on how to help your mental health, or
• Call one of the following National helplines, to talk:

o Lifeline 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP).
o Youthline 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat.
o Samaritans 0800 726 666
o Suicide Crisis Helpline 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO).
o Healthline 0800 611 116
o Depression Helpline 0800 111 757 or free text 4202
o OutLine Aotearoa 0800 688 5463 (0800 OUTLINE) for sexuality or gender specific help

Helplines for Children and young people:

• thelowdown.co.nz – or email team@thelowdown.co.nz or free call or text 5626.
• What's Up – 0800 942 8787 (for 5–18-year-olds).

Phone counselling is available every day of the week, 365 days of the year, 11am–11pm.

Online chat is available from 11am–10:30pm 7 days a week, including all public holidays.

Help for whānau:

• EDANZ – Eating Disorders NZ .

Freephone 0800 233 269, or email info@ed.org.nz.
• Parent Help – 0800 568 856 for parents/whānau seeking support, advice and practical strategies.
• Family Services 211 Helpline – 0800 211 211 for help finding community-based health and social support services in your area.
• Yellow Brick Road – Supporting families towards mental wellbeing Mental health support for families - Yellow Brick Road

Specialist help:

• Alcohol and Drug Helpline – 0800 787 797 or online chat.
• Are You OK – 0800 456 450 family violence helpline.
• Gambling Helpline – 0800 654 655
• Speak to your midwife, doctor, well-child Tamariki Ora nurse or Plunket
• Plunket – 0800 933 922
• Anxiety NZ – 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY).
• Seniorline – 0800 725 463 A free information service for older people.
• 0508MUSICHELPS – The Wellbeing Service is a 24/7 online, on the phone and in-person counselling service fully funded by the NZ Music Foundation and provided free of charge to those in the Kiwi music community who can't access the help they need due to hardship and other circumstances.

Call 0508 MUSICHELPS.
• Shine – 0508 744 633 confidential domestic abuse helpline.
• Quit Line – 0800 778 778 smoking cessation help.
• Vagus Line – 0800 56 76 666 (Mon, Wed, Fri 12 noon – 2pm).

Promote family harmony among Chinese, enhance parenting skills, decrease conflict among family members (couple, parent-child, in-laws) and stop family violence.
• Women's Refuge Crisisline – 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE) (for women living with violence, or in fear, in their relationship or family).
• Shakti Crisis Line – 0800 742 584 (for migrant or refugee women living with family violence).
• Safe to Talk – 0800 044 334 or free text 4334 for help to do with sexual harm.

Available 24/7 and staffed by trained counsellors.

Mental Health Crisis team contact numbers, by District:

Northland

• Whangarei (09) 430 4101 ext 3537
• Kaipara (09) 439 3330 ext 65401
• Mid-North 0800 643 647
• Far-North (09) 408 9187
• After Hours 0800 223 371

Auckland/Waitemata/Counties Manukau

• North Shore (09) 486 8900
• Henderson (09) 822 8501
• Rodney (09) 427 0360
• Central Auckland 0800 800 717
• South Auckland (09) 261 3700
• After hours 0800 775 222
• 0508 927 654 or 0508 WARMLINE (8pm to midnight, seven nights).

Waikato

• Hamilton 0800 505 050
• Lakes 0800 166 167 ??

Bay of Plenty

• Tauranga 0800 800 508
• Whakatāne 0800 774 545

Eastern

• Gisborne 0800 243 500, or after 10pm call (06) 869 0512
• Napier, Hastings 0800 112 334

Central

• New Plymouth 0508 292 467
• Whanganui 0800 653 358
• Mid Central 0800 653 357
• Hutt Valley 0800 745 477
• Capital and Coast 0800 745 477

Wellington

• Wairarapa 0508 432 432
• 0800 200 207 (7pm–1am, Tuesday to Sunday).

Tasman

• Nelson 0800 776 364
• Marlborough 0800 948 497
• Golden Bay 0800 776 364

Canterbury

• Christchurch 0800 920 092
• Greymouth 0800 757 678
• Timaru 0800 277 997
• Canterbury/West Coast – Warmline 03 379 8415 / 0800 899 276 (1pm to midnight, seven nights)

Southern

• Dunedin, Milford Sound, South to Stewart Island - 0800 467 846
Press 1 for Southland
Press 2 for Otago