Someone to talk to

Looking after your own wellbeing

The weather can cause severe events, which can lead to stress and worry. These may have affected you, your home, business or family.

Experiencing the effects of severe weather can be frightening. It can disrupt your daily life activities. Even if your home was not affected it is normal to experience tiredness, difficulty sleeping and anxiety.

It’s important not to underestimate the stress and strain of dealing with severe weather, having to move from your home, or cleaning up after a flood. Take the time to consider you and your loved ones’ mental health and well-being.

Things that happen after a severe weather event can be a source of stress. Things like:

• disruption to your GP clinic and accessing healthcare services
• disruption to regular household activities
• interruption to schooling facilities
• damage to home and personal belongings

Experiencing any one of these can be distressing and can cause anxiety. It is normal to feel this way, even for a while after the event.

If you are feeling this way, please get in touch with a local community support group, or neighbours to help you cope and recover.

Local support organisations

• Isle Find It : Service Directory for the Isle of Wight offers community support.
  
• Citizens Advice Isle of Wight. Call: 0800 144 88 48.
  
• Isorropia Foundation is a local mental health organisation. Call 01983 217791
  
• Single Point of Access (SPA) provides mental health support for adults aged 18 and over. Contact the team 7 days a week 7am to– 10pm on 01983 522214.
  
• Samaritans offer a friendly ear on the end of the phone 24 hours a day – and it’s free. Call: 116 123.
• Shout provides a free 24/7 text crisis support service, To, to start a conversation text the word ‘SHOUT’ to 85258. It is a confidential, anonymous service for anyone in the UK.
  
• Age UK IW offer telephone or digital befriending and wellbeing checks for people aged 50+. Call: 01983 525282.
• Wightcare offer a Telecheck service that provides regular welfare calls from a friendly and experienced team. Call: 01983 821105 or email wightcare@iow.gov.uk. Prices from £5 per week for up to 7 calls.
• Butterflies Bereavement Telephone Support. Call: 01983 619503 or 07889009393.
• Carers IW – support for the Island’s carers. Call: 01983 533173 or email info@carersiw.org.uk.
• Mountbatten offers bereavement support to all Islanders. Call: 01983 217297between 10 am and midnight 7 days a week.
• You can contact NHS 111 if you need medical help right now.  If your need is life threatening call 999.
  

Support for young people

• The Isle of Wight Youth
• Wessex Healthier together
• Hampshire and Isle of Wight Crisis Line: 0300 303 1590. Dedicated phone line Monday to Thursday 3pm to 8.30pm. Get immediate access to help, support or advice if you are experiencing difficulties with your mental health. For ages 11 to 17 years.