In case of emergency

If you are an international student in the Netherlands and experiencing serious personal (psychological or psychosocial) problems, it's essential to take immediate action to ensure your safety and well-being. Your well-being is important, and there are people and services available to help you. 

Emergency Services

If you feel you are in immediate danger or facing a life-threatening situation, call the emergency number 112. For instance, if you need immediate medical assistance, in case of fire or if you witness a crime. This number connects you to the police, fire department, and medical services.

Thoughts of suicide

Do you have thoughts about suicide? Talk about it.
Call 0800-0113 or chat via https://www.113.nl/english (available 24/7). Anonymous and confidential.

You can also contact the International Association for Suicide Prevention (iasp.info).

General Practitioner (GP)

Always contact your GP if:

• you need medical help (medication) or advice
• specialist help is needed
• the problems you are experiencing are so serious that you need help within a (few) days
• your problems exist for more than a year
• you will need help for a longer period of time (more than 5 sessions)

The GP will assess your situation, inform you about the kind of help that is needed and available. Mild (mental) health problems can be treated by a GP, often working together with a general practice mental health worker. If your GP considers your problems too complex to treat themselves, they may refer you to a primary mental healthcare provider, or directly to secondary care.

GP care outside office hours

If you need immediate GP care outside office hours (after 5 p.m. and on the weekends), you can go to the GP post in your GP’s region. In Tilburg this is: Huisartsenpost Tilburg. More information about the Huisartsenpost in Tilburg on the website.

Visit the GP or not

Do you doubt whether you need to see a GP? On gpinfo.nl you can find relevant information.

If yo don't have a GP yet 

More information and a list of GP practices in Tilburg, you can find here.
If you can't find a GP practice that accepts new patients and you do need immediate medical care, you can visit one of the nearest GP practices as a passerby. Note! This can only be done for non-regular and acute care. In such case, care may not be refused. The general practitioner will charge a passerby fee. This bill you usually have to pay right away. Information on these fees can be found on the website of the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa).

Contact a doctor or therapist back home

As an international student, you may contact a therapist back home to find out if they offer online therapy. It can be more comfortable to talk about concerns or feelings in your native language and with someone familiar in your culture. Sometimes help is better accessible in your home country due to shorter waiting time, lower costs or better coverage by your insurance.

Telephone helpline for Tilburg University students

In case of personal, mental or emotional problems, there is a telephone helpline for Tilburg University students; +31 (0)6 - 2877 1262. The helpline is available from 08:00 to 23:00h.

Study-related problems

Sometimes worries about your studies can also cause psychological problems. In that case, it may help to share your concerns about your studies with someone within the university, like the education coordinator, dean of students or student psychologist. Take a look at the Student Support Roadmap to find out who to contact for information, advice or guidance. It may also help to share your concerns with a family member, a close friend, a trusted acquaintance, teacher mentor or supervisor.

Other problems

The Social Worker of Tilburg University provides help and support for problems that hinder you in your studies, such as family/relationship issues, domestic violence, substance abuse, unpleasant sexual experiences, an unexpected pregnancy, financial problems, housing, grief. If urgent help is needed, please contact the GP first.

Other advices

Do not use alcohol or drugs
Alcohol and drugs can cause psychological problems and also make them worse. 

Structure and self-care

• Bring some routine into your life; get to bed and get up around the same time every day.
• Self-care, get dressed and eat a healthy meal three times a day at set times.
• Ensure sufficient physical activity and regularly go outside. Preferably half an hour each day. If this is not possible, start with five minutes. Go walking, cycling, swimming or gardening, for example.
• Provide more or fewer distractions and activities.

It helps to talk

• Reach out to a trusted friend, classmate, or faculty member to talk about your situation. Sometimes, sharing your feelings or concerns with someone can provide emotional support, understanding or relief. 
• For young people under 25, there's @ease. Here you can chat for free, anonymously and without an appointment.
• Also for young people up to 25 years old is the Alles Oké? Supportline. Here you can chat or call for free every day between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. Anonymously and without an appointment.
• Helplines in other countries (worldwide)
• For a warm conversation or a listening ear, you can also visit the student chaplaincy, or make an appointment with the student chaplain. The chaplaincy is open to all students, regardless of origin or religion.

Leisure and relaxation

• Minimize the use of social media. It is often more relaxing to explore other activities or hobbies.
• Spend time on your former hobbies, be creative. For instance, go painting, making music, listening to music, writing or reading,.
• It can also help to journal your thoughts and feelings.
• Engage in relaxation exercises, mindfulness or meditation.

When you have serious concerns about a student, there are several steps you can take to handle the situation and to generate help.

Emergency Number

Call 112 in life-threatening and other emergency situations.

For example, when someone needs immediate medical attention, in the event of a fire, or when you witness a crime.

• For help on campus, call 013-466 2525 
• Off campus, call 112

In case of suicidal thoughts

If you are worried about someone who may be having suicidal thoughts: contact 113 online.
Call 0800-0113 or chat through 113.co.uk. This service is available 24/7, anonymous and confidential.
Note! In acute situations, always contact 112.

Consult the emergency protocols

Within Tilburg University, several protocols have been developed to help you deal with emergencies. These protocols are known to the education coordinators, campus security, deans of students, student psychologists and their superiors.

Consulting with colleagues

As an education professional, share your concerns confidentially with a colleague or your supervisor. It can be helpful to share experiences and get advice on how to deal with the situation. If needed, you can also contact one of the student psychologists or the deans of students. They can't take your concerns from you, but they can help you cope with the situation. 

Always handle the privacy of the concerned person with utmost care: do not share name or other personal details. Only when the person of concern gives you explicit permission or is an immediate danger to him-/herself or to someone else, it may be a valid reason to share personal data with for example a doctor.

Organizing help can unexpectedly take a lot of your time and attention. Consider and discuss (with your colleagues or supervisor) how you can accommodate this in your schedule. If needed, you may reschedule or pass some scheduled tasks or appointments.

Contacting the student

If you have a good connection with the student, try to have a confidential talk in which you share your concerns. Listen to what the student has to say and offer a listening ear. Sometimes it may be helpful to find out who are important or trusted persons to the student, such as (one of) the student's parents, another family member, friend, neighbor, classmate, or someone else from the university. Encourage the student to share their concerns with significant others and start organizing help. You may want to do this together, or check in with the student afterwards. Stay connected and supportive to the student. Let the student know that you care and that you are willing to help if you can.

If you are concerned about the student's mental health, encourage them to seek professional help. From their own therapist if the student is already in treatment, otherwise via their general practitioner. If needed, you can offer assistance in seeking help.
It might also be good to contact a doctor or therapist back home for (online) therapy or medical treatment. Getting help in the home country can sometimes be more comfortable, better accessible, less expensive or covered by their insurance. It may be worth to try.

General practitioner

Have the person concerned always contact their general practitioner if:

• if medical help (medication) or advice is needed
• specialist help is needed
• in case the problems you are experiencing are so serious that you need help within a (few) days
• if your problems exist for more than a year
• when you need help for a longer period of time (more than 5 sessions)

For general practitioner care outside office hours (after 5 p.m. and on weekends), in case of emergency one can go to the GP post in the region of their own GP. In Tilburg this is Huisartsenpost Tilburg. This can be contacted via telephone number 085 - 53 60 300. More information about the Huisartsenpost in Tilburg.

If you doubt whether the student concerned should see a doctor, go to GPinfo.nl for relevant information.

In case the student doesn't have a GP (in Tilburg), more information about GP practices in Tilburg is found on this TiU webpage.

If it is not possible to find a practice that accepts new patients, then the person in question can visit one of the nearest general practices as a passerby. Please note that this can only be done when non-regular and acute care is needed.In this case, care may not be refused.The general practitioner may charge a passing fee.You often have to pay this bill immediately.

If there is no GP practice around that accepts new patients and the person concerned needs care urgently, it is an option to visit one of the nearest practices as a passerby. Please note that this can only be done when non-regular and acute care is needed. The GP then has to provide care, but the student will not be registered as a patient at this practice. Often a passerby fee will be charged that has to be paid right away. Information on rates can be found on the website of the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa).

"Crisisdienst GGZ" 

The emergency service of the Dutch mental health care organization (GGZ), the "crisisdienst" (available 24/7), can be mobilized for crisis situations where acute psychiatric help is needed. This often involves persons with psychoses or severe depression with suicidal intent who are in acute need of intensive help. Immediate intervention is necessary to prevent immediate danger for the person or the environment. The "crisisdienst" offers acute psychiatric assistance within 24 hours. The crisis intervention aims to stabilize a person as quick as possible so that regular treatment can be started. The GP will contact the "crisisdienst" if necessary.

Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)

The crisis intervention team (CIT) is open to all residents and professionals in the Heart of Brabant region (including Tilburg) who are dealing with a crisis situation or a person with alarming behavior (confused). The person concerned may not be able to call on a health care provider. A crisis here means a safety situation that cannot wait until the next day, but is not life-threatening. The crisis intervention team is available 24/7 and can be contacted at: 0800 - 8013. 

• If there is no immediate danger, the CIT advises on appropriate follow-up actions. 
• When the situation is unsafe, a CIT staff member can be sent if necessary. 
• In case of urgent psychiatric care needed, the CIT contacts the GGz Breburg crisis service. 
• If there is an acute life-threatening situation: call 112.

Additional help

Telephone helplines/online help

In case of personal, mental or emotional problems, there is a telephone helpline for Tilburg University students; +31 (0)6 - 2877 1262. The helpline is available from 08:00 to 23:00h.

Help with study-related problems

Sometimes worries about their studies can also cause psychological distress. It may help if they share these concerns with someone within the university, such as the education coordinator, the dean of students or student psychologist. Take a look at the Student Support Roadmap to find out who to contact for information, advice or guidance. 

Help with other problems in daily life

The Social Worker of Tilburg University provides help and support for problems that hinder students in their studies, such as family/relationship issues, domestic violence, substance abuse, unpleasant sexual experiences, an unexpected pregnancy, financial problems, housing, grief. If urgent help is needed, the GP needs to be contacted first.

Others advices

No alcohol or drugs

Alcohol and drugs can cause and exacerbate mental health problems. 
If appropriate, explore together what effect substance use has on the student and what habits, activities or hobbies can provide distraction and relaxation.

Connect with others

Advise the person concerned to stay in touch with others. Explore which people already know about the current problems, which people are close or to be trusted. In addition to talking about the problems, it can also be helpful to just take a walk together, to cook or eat together, or to do something else together (perhaps at a regular time of the week).

• For a warm conversation or a listening ear, one can also visit the student chaplaincy, or make an appointment with the student chaplain. The chaplaincy is open to all students, regardless of origin or religion.
• Vita Tilburg is a community of both Dutch and International students. and young professionals. They meet up with each other, explore their questions about well-being and meaning, organize trainings and coaching.

Daily schedule and self-care

Discuss the importance of regularities in life: trying to find a set time to go to bed, to get up, to have regular habits for self-care such as showering, dressing, cooking, eating.

Exercising & relaxation

• Ask how often the person exercises or goes outside. This can be built up from five minutes a day. They can consider walking, biking, swimming or gardening, for example.
• You can inquire about a persons distractions and activities, if any changes are needed. And explore ways in which the student can limit the use of social media. Try to find out together what activities or hobbies can make student feel a little better.
• Restarting past hobbies, writing, listening to or making music can also be useful. It can help to write down thoughts and feelings in a journal. Look up relaxation exercises or mindfulness/meditation together that might work for the student.

Unable to reach the person you worry about?

1. If the person poses a danger to themselves or or to their surroundings, contact the police.

• In acute, life-threatening situations via 112.
• In all other cases via 0900-8844. 
  This number is available 7 days a week 24 hours a day. Call costs 2 cents/min plus the usual call charges.

2. If there is no immediate danger, try to get in touch by phone, email, through family, friends, neighbors or other acquaintances of the person in question. Optionally, if safe, by going by.

Always consider your own safety. If someone has been acting unpredictably or aggressively in the past, then contact the police.
If you feel safe but find it difficult to speak to the person alone, you may ask someone to join you.

"Bemoeizorg"

"Bemoeizorg" is for people with long-term addiction, physical, psychosocial and/or psychiatric problems who are socially vulnerable and need care, but do not seek help themselves. In Tilburg this is Team Bemoeizorg Tilburg (Dutch website). 
After receiving a report, it is discussed on the following Tuesday. This is followed by telephone contact with the person that reported the situation and Team Bemoeizorg will indicate what help is possible.

"Landelijk Meldpunt Zorgwekkend Gedrag"

If you are concerned about someone who appears to be/is confused, or who is not taking good care of themselves, you can contact the Landelijk Meldpunt Zorgwekkend Gedrag (Dutch website) for advice or to report. Phone number 0800 - 1205.

In an emergency situation, always call 112.