Mental health support for internationals

The Netherlands has an excellent healthcare system, including mental healthcare, and treatment is available in English. If you’re feeling anxious, depressed or lonely, contact your GP who will typically have you come for an appointment where you can discuss your concerns in a safe, private setting. If they feel as though you need further assistance, they will refer you to a primary or secondary mental healthcare given by a specialized professional. 

Primary care is designed to treat mild to moderate problems through counseling whereas secondary care is designed for treatment of more severe cases with a psychiatrist or another professional who is trained to help. Dutch health insurance will cover all – or part of – the cost of primary and secondary mental healthcare, depending on your insurer, however, it is best to check your policy to be aware of possible costs and limitations. 

In the event of an emergency – experienced by you or someone else – contact your GP (family doctor) immediately and they will call the local crisis intervention team, which is available 24/7.

For suicide prevention, you can call the hotline in the Netherlands: 0800 – 0113

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, or private organizations such as PsyQ, U-center and Parnassia.