We are here, whatever the weather, to offer hope, empathy and support for every parent or network affected by perinatal mental illness.
PANDAS is a community offering peer-to-peer support for you, your family and your network.
How we can support you
Call our FREE helpline
We have a team of trained and dedicated volunteers, many of whom are studying and/or working within healthcare, midwifery or health services. Please call our free helpline for support and advice with empathy. Our lines are open 7 days a week, 11am until 10pm.
Email support
If you’re at work or home and don’t have the privacy to speak to us, please contact our email support service. Our trained and empathetic volunteers are awaiting your email and will reply within 72 hours.
I’d like to email
Support groups
Face-to-face support can offer a breath of fresh air if you’re a parent struggling with mental illness. We know how daunting baby groups can be, so we’ve designed ‘group support’ for parents to attend, specifically tailored around your mental health.
I’d like to find a group
Social media and Facebook groups
When coping with mental health and perinatal illness, we encourage parents to follow supportive social media channels. We only source, create and share positive, motivational and well researched content aimed at supporting your mental health.
I’d like to find out more
Information
We can help with self-care, speaking to your GP and can point you towards other organisations in our network that will also be able to help you.
Find out more
Latest News
See the latest news from Pandas Foundation including our own press releases and case studies. We also regularly appear in the press and media, including international print and broadcast coverage which are all posted here.
Find out more
What is PND?
Postnatal depression (PND) is a type of depression that many parents experience after having a baby. It can affect any parent, regardless of whether they’ve suffered from a mental health condition before. Postnatal depression is linked directly to giving birth and is a common problem, affecting 1 in 10 women within a year of giving birth. It can also affect dads and partners.
Find out more
How you can help us
If you need urgent help…
If you need urgent help or are worried about a loved one, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or the emergency services on 999.
![This time of year can be so tricky for many...& added to that, what we hear in the news can be incredibly upsetting & triggering for us. Don't underestimate the affect these stories can have on our mental health. If you are struggling, please know you are not alone. We're here to provide help & mental health support for parents, carers & their networks. Our free helpline is manned by our lovely trained volunteers who are ready to offer help & support
The phone line is open between 11am-10pm
☎️ 0808 1961 776 ☎️
The NHS has info about where to access mental health support generally
Here is some advice & support for dealing with triggering news stories too, by qualified counsellor Amelia White...
"Your auto sympathetic nervous system will be working over time & you will have adrenaline running round your body. You need to find ways to calm it down & feel more grounded.
1. Have a break from the news. Stop scrolling on social media. It will keep you in a place of being repeatedly triggered
2. Get out in nature. Look up, notice the trees, the birds, the beauty around you
3. Exercise – move your body. When we get triggered, we sometimes need to disperse the anxiety flooding us & exercise enables our body to release the anxiety & gives us endorphins which lift our mood
4. Call a friend. Share how you are feeling, so you are not alone with it. We are all struggling with isolation at the moment & it is essential to process your thoughts & feelings with somebody else to prevent them spiraling
5. Do a mindful activity. Baking a cake, jigsaw puzzle, painting – something that engages your mind in the here & now. Gives your mind and body a break
6. Gratitude. Write out daily 3 things you feel grateful for. It is easy to see the world as very negative at the moment & we need to remind ourselves of the positive things in our life
7. If you really feel panicky, a useful way to ground yourself quickly is to go through your senses. Name something in the room you can See, Hear, Smell, Touch & taste"
Sending love ❤️
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