Mental health and substance use

Explain both concerns when asking for helpDescribe both the mental-health concerns and the alcohol or drug use when asking for help. Ask which service will take the lead and how the services will work together. “Dual diagnosis” and “co-occurring conditions” are terms services may use for this situation.

If someone needs urgent help after taking drugs or drinking: call 999 for an ambulance and tell the crew what you know. For urgent mental-health help without a suspected poisoning or immediate danger, call their existing crisis team if they have one. Otherwise use the service and number shown for their UK nation.

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When asking for help

Give the full picture. Describe the mental-health changes, what has been used, when, and any immediate risks or physical symptoms.
Ask who is responsible for the next step. Ask the service to record both sets of needs and explain which team will coordinate the response.
If a service refuses, ask for that decision in writing. Ask what service is being offered instead and pass on any new or worsening risk.

If they are passed between services

Ask who will take the lead“Please record that both mental-health and substance-use needs are present. Which service will take responsibility for the next step, and how will the two services coordinate the response?”

If the answer remains unclear, use when mental-health services say no. That page explains how to ask for the decision and reason, send new information and use the complaints route for each UK nation.

Find alcohol or drug support

Find treatment routes in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Tell the service about the mental-health concerns too, and ask how both needs will be addressed.

Do not advise an alcohol-dependent person to stop suddenly

The NHS says a person who gets withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop or reduce drinking should get medical help first. A GP or specialist alcohol service can advise on treatment. An adult usually needs to agree to assessment and treatment, but you can still ask a professional for advice if they refuse. How consent works and when to seek urgent help.

NHS: alcohol-use disorder.

Support for family and friends

Adfam

Adfam supports families affected by drug or alcohol use and lists family services and resources. Adfam for families.

UK SMART Recovery Family & Friends

Its meeting finder includes online and in-person Family & Friends groups. Find a SMART Recovery meeting.

Sources and how this guide was written

Guidance sources
FRANK says to call 999 for an ambulance if someone needs urgent help after taking drugs or drinking and to tell the crew everything you know.
Back to the advice

Sources for England: NICE and UK Government guidance

In England, NICE's quality standard says people aged 14 and over should not be excluded from mental-health services because of coexisting substance misuse, or from substance-misuse services because of severe mental illness. The 2025 co-occurring-conditions framework describes “everyone's job” and “no wrong door” as the main principles for services. Service standards and complaints routes differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Last full source check: 27 August 2026

Consent and seeking advice wording checked: 7 October 2026. Sources and explanation.

Later checks: Northern Ireland resource route checked: 1 October 2026.

Independent information, not a medical or crisis service. This guidance has not been clinically reviewed. How we use sources.

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