Learn about the mental health support services that are available to international residents in Amsterdam.
Finding support
It’s a great first step to decide to find help, but knowing how and where to start might feel like an unsurmountable task. And this is particularly true if you’re in a new country and feel isolated or like everything is unfamiliar. But the Netherlands has an excellent healthcare system, including mental healthcare and treatments that are accessible and available in English, too.
Mental healthcare in the Netherlands
If you are experiencing any feelings of lonliness, isolation, stress or anxiousness related to your recent move to the Netherlands, or have any other mental health issues and feel like you would benefit from some support, help is at hand.
Dutch health insurance will cover all – or sometimes part of – the cost of primary and secondary mental healthcare, depending on your insurer. It’s always best to check your policy to be aware of possible costs and restrictions.
How to access mental healthcare
The first step is to contact your GP (huisarts), who will typically have you come in for an appointment where you can discuss your concerns in a safe, private setting. If further assistance is required, they will refer you to a specialised professional for primary or secondary mental healthcare.
Outside of GP support, you can also get in touch with welfare workers, who are usually based at community and health centres and do not require a referral. Health centres are run by several organisations, including SAG and GAZO.
Children and adolescents up to the age of 18 are eligible for help from the paediatric mental health services (jeugd-GGZ). This can be accessed through a referral from a GP, a paediatrician or a municipal care professional.
Types of care
Primary care is designed to treat mild to moderate problems through various forms of counselling, whereas secondary care is designed for treatment of more complex cases with a psychiatrist or another professional.
Mental health emergencies and helplines
The general number for the emergency services in the Netherlands (and the rest of the EU, as well as in many other European countries) is 112. In the event of a mental-health emergency – experienced by you or someone else – you can also contact your GP, who will then call the local crisis intervention team, which is available 24/7.
There is also a suicide prevention hotline in the Netherlands: you can call 113 or 0800 0113, or visit 113.nl.
Other helplines include:
MIND helpline: 0900 1450, mindhulplijn.nl – for people struggling with any type of mental or emotional issues
Lichtlijn: 085 7605 662, stichtinglichtlijn.nl – for psychiatric problems and suicidal thoughts
Sexual Assault Center, Centrum Seksueel Geweld: 0800 0188, centrumseksueelgeweld.nl – professional help to anyone who has experienced a traumatic sexual experience
De Kindertelefoon: 0800 0432, kindertelefoon.nl – for children aged 8 to 18 to talk free and anonymously
De Landelijke Depressie Vereniging: 088 505 4334, depressievereniging.nl – for people suffering from depression
Narcotics Anonymous Netherlands: 085 4000 996, nanederland.nl – for issues relating to drug use and addiction
In je bol: 0800 0450, injebol.nl – a platform for mental health for young people between 16 and 27
Victim Support Netherlands, Slachtofferhulp Nederland: 0900 0101, slachtofferhulp.nl – for victims of crime, traffic accidents and other calamities
Private providers include clinics such as PsyQ (which has a department on transcultural psychiatry), Kühler & Partners, U-center and Parnassia, as well as smaller-scale private counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health experts. All professional mental health practitioners must be listed on the official BIG Register for medical professionals. Note that the fees for private providers are not always covered by insurance.
