Hair loss can be tough to get your head around. It can bring up lots of uncomfortable thoughts about appearance and identity, and this can be a struggle. Life is stressful and there can be lots of things going on that affect your wellbeing, leading to sleepless nights or feelings of stress and low mood. If you feel like this, it might be worth having a look at what is available to help you improve your wellbeing.

Talking about what you are going through can feel hard and we acknowledge that there is still stigma around mental health. We want to help tackle this stigma and we hope that if you are finding things difficult that you will talk to someone. Remember, there is no health without mental health and with 1 in 4 people affected by mental health difficulties- that’s a lot of people!

If you need immediate support

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts and you feel unsafe, you need to access support straight away. You should call 999 or go to your nearest Accident & Emergency (A&E). 

If you have the telephone number for your local mental health team, you can also call this number to speak to a mental health professional.

Other sources of support

Make an appointment with your GP and talk to them about how you are feeling. If you are feeling overwhelmed and struggling with your mood, you can ask for an emergency or urgent appointment. A GP can advise you on helpful treatments, help you access mental health services or provide information on how to self-refer. 

NHS urgent mental health helplines (England only) offer 24-hour advice and support for you, your child, your parent or someone you care for. Find your local NHS urgent mental health helpline here. 

Get advice from NHS 111 if you need support with your mental health but it is not an emergency. 111 will tell you the right place to get help if you need to see someone. If you call 111 in Scotland (NHS 24) and select the mental health option you will be connected to a wellbeing practitioner who can offer listening services, advice and signpost to further help if required.

You can call NHS 111 in Wales or visit the website here which provides details of mental health support which is available, including the CALL mental health listening line provides a confidential listening service which is open 24/7. CALL can also signpost to support in local communities and a range of online information. Call 0800 132737, text “help” to 81066.

Information on mental health support in Northern Ireland can be found here

Ring or text a friend or family member. Often our friends and family are keen to help. We just need to let them know how we are feeling.  

There are specific organisations to support men which you can find below:

Campaign Against Living Miserably - CALM

CALM offers a range of options if you are feeling down, stressed or as they put it – miserable. With the CALM helpline (0800 58 58 58), webchat and guides about common issues which can affect our mood, there is a lot of support available.

Andy's Man Club

Andy’s Man Club offers regular, free to attend peer-to-peer groups across the UK, both face-to-face and online, to end the stigma around men’s mental health. They also have a Facebook group.

Man Up?

Man Up? aim to challenge the stigma around men’s mental health. They have an informative website with some helpful links to support. Man Up also have some great videos of men talking about their experiences of mental health difficulties, including those which affect appearance.

Men Matter Scotland

Men Matter Scotland exist to support All Men’s mental health, improve men's quality of life, expand and enrich men’s connections. They facilitate activities that support positive mental, physical and emotional health and wellbeing for men.

As well as specific support for men, please don’t forget there are also some brilliant listening services and other support organisations available to all:

Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They offer emotional support and a listening ear. Call 116 123. It is a Freephone number, which can even be called from a mobile that has no credit, and the call will not appear on your phone bill. It’s totally confidential. 

SANEline is a specialist mental health helpline provided by mental health charity, Sane. You can call them on 0300 304 7000 between 4.30pm and 10.30pm each evening.

Shout is a text messaging mental health support service (text 'SHOUT' to 85258 to start)

If you are under 19, you can ring Childline – 0800 1111-  for help with any issue you are going through. They have trained counsellors who can provide support. 

For young adults aged 24 and under, you can text YoungMinds (text YM 85258; 24hr support), or call/email The Mix on: 0808 808 4994 (4pm – 11pm)/ email (24hr response time)

Anxiety UK provide confidential advice and support for those living with anxiety and anxiety-related depression. Their helpline is open Mon-Fri, 9.30pm-5.30pm: 03444 775 774. 

Changing Faces is a charity that provides support to those living with a visible difference. They have self-help guides on their website and can help you to access trained practitioners. 

Mental Health Foundation champion good mental health for everyone. 

Mind have information leaflets on how to manage common mental health problems, as well as being able to access Mind's online community. They have an information line, open Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm: 0300 123 3393. 

Rehab 4 Addiction offers a wealth of resources about addiction and mental health. They provide a helpline that offers immediate assistance to those struggling with addiction, and a comprehensive directory of addiction treatment centres throughout the UK. 

For a comprehensive list of mental health charities and support groups you can visit the NHS website here.