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This page is about coping while you’re on the waiting list to see CAMHS. Find out more about what CAMHS is, and answers to common questions about CAMHS, including confidentiality and going to hospital.
How being on a CAMHS waiting list can feel
Waiting for CAMHS to see or help you can feel frustrating and upsetting.
It can take a lot of courage to ask for help, and it can be especially difficult to have to wait if you asked for help because you felt like you couldn’t manage anymore.
It’s OK if you feel angry, upset, or disappointed, even when you understand why waiting lists exist.
‘It’s easy to feel like you’ve been forgotten within the system. It might be comforting to know that you’re not alone in your experience – I can relate to the frustration and anger you might be feeling, but my experience was that it was absolutely worth waiting to get the help I received.’
Helena Fremantle, experience-based advocate for Best For You
Know you deserve support
Waiting lists exist because CAMHS is busy.
If you’re on a waiting list, it is not because you don’t deserve help. Some young people can feel like they’re not ‘bad enough’ or ‘ill enough’, but this is not true. The reality is that CAMHS does not have enough appointments to be able to offer everyone help straight away, even though they deserve support. This can be frustrating and upsetting for the people who work at CAMHS too, because they want to help young people as soon as possible.
Some young people find it difficult to engage with CAMHS after they’ve been on a waiting list. If you feel frustrated, or find it difficult to open up after waiting, it’s OK to tell the person you see at CAMHS. They want to understand what you’re struggling with, so it’s relevant to tell them if you’ve found being on a waiting list distressing.
Self-care and healthy coping strategies
Self-care isn’t the same as getting help from CAMHS – and it doesn’t replace their support. At the same time, it can be helpful to try to find ways of coping while you wait for your appointment.
‘Self-care always feels like one of those things everyone talks about that never actually does anything, but everyone works in different ways. You have to try and find what’s helpful for you.’
Helena Fremantle, experience-based advocate for Best For You
The Best For You website has lots of information about ways to look after your wellbeing. You could try:
Making a self-soothe box
Self-soothe boxes are filled with items that can help you cope when things feel overwhelming. What you put in a self-soothe box is up to you, but people often choose items that help them engage with their senses.
Journalling
Journalling involves writing (or talking) about you and your life. You can write or talk about anything that you want to, but it’s common to write about things that have happened in your life (either recently or in the past), your thoughts, and how you feel. Some people just start writing or talking, while others use prompts or a template.
Five ways to wellbeing
Adding wellbeing-boosting activities to your life can be a positive distraction and can help things feel a bit more manageable for now, while you’re waiting for support. Find out more about the five ways to wellbeing.
‘At the end of the day, supporting yourself when you’re waiting to receive help is no easy feat. It can feel like a lot of trial and error – but if something helps to take your struggles from a 6/10 to a 5/10, then that’s a small gain that’s worth it.’
Helena Fremantle, experience-based advocate for Best For You
Asking for more help when you’re on a CAMHS waiting list
Emergency?
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999 now.
If you need urgent help for mental or physical health, call NHS 111 or get help from NHS 111 online.
It can be really difficult to ask for help if you’ve reached out for support and have been put on a waiting list. You might feel discouraged, and it can feel hard to be hopeful, but there are other ways to get support while you wait for treatment with CAMHS.
‘When you’re struggling, the thought of getting help can seem pointless. Sometimes it feels as though nothing and no one can ‘fix’ you, but it’s not that you’re broken, it’s just that you need some time, guidance, and support.’
Helena Fremantle, experience-based advocate for Best For You
Some people find it helpful to speak to friends or family about how they’re feeling. You might want to talk about your general wellbeing, as well as how being on a waiting list is affecting you.
You can also speak to whoever referred you to CAMHS – this might be a GP or someone at school, for example. They might be able to offer you some other support while you wait and can contact CAMHS and let them know if things have changed or if they are getting worse.
You can also find helplines and other organisations who offer free support, like counselling or mentoring.
Samaritans
You can speak to a trained volunteer at Samaritans about anything you’re going through. The volunteer will help you work through whatever is on your mind – they will not tell you what to do. If you email, it might take several days to get a response.
NATTER
Provided by Mental Health Innovations
Get confidential support through text messaging. You can text about anything that’s on your mind. Your text will be answered by trained volunteers.
More about NATTER
NHS 111
Provided by NHS
Enter your symptoms into NHS 111 online or call NHS 111 to find out what to do to get the right support.
Find support
Find trusted services that can support you when things feel overwhelming.
