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Are you violent or have you committed assault? What can the mental health service in your municipality offer?

Psykisk helsevern kan hjelpe deg som bruker vold

Have you threatened, are you violent or have you sexually assaulted your partner, children or others close to you? Then you have a violence problem and may require help. All local authorities offer mental health services, and many have their own municipal psychologist.

To receive help with managing your anger or violence, you could benefit from talking to a therapist. Some people also require admission to a psychiatric unit for a while. A GP or psychologist can, in consultation, assess whether you need such help and refer you if they feel this is necessary. Ask whether those referring you understand that you require a therapist with knowledge of anger, violence and assault.

All local authorities offer mental health services, and many have their own municipal psychologist

To receive treatment from a district psychiatric centre (DPS) or from a psychologist or psychiatrist who has an operating subsidy (contract specialists), you will require a referral. There are also a number of private psychologists and psychiatrists who practise without an operating subsidy. In such cases you usually do not require a referral but the service will often be more expensive than treatment at a district psychiatric centre or psychologist/psychiatrist who has an operating subsidy.

The staff have a duty of confidentiality and are therefore not allowed to share any information about you with others without you consenting to this, or if there is a risk to life and health. An interpreter can be offered, when necessary.

The waiting time for treatment at a district psychiatric centre varies depending on where you are in the country. If your local district psychiatric centre cannot offer you a good enough service, there is an option for you to be treated at another district psychiatric centre. You can contact the information service “Select place of treatment” for questions regarding services and waiting times on the following telephone number: 800 43 573 (800 HELSE).

> check the average waiting time at your local centre (Norwegian only)


List of whom you can contact if you need help or someone to talk to on the website of helsenorge.no (in Norwegian only)

List of private contract specialists (psychiatrists and psychologists)
(in Norwegian only)
contract specialists in Helse Sør-øst
contract specialists in Helse Vest
contract specialists in Helse Midt-Norge
contract specialists in Helse Nord

Find a psychologist on website of The Norwegian Psychological Association (in Norwegian only)

SANKS – a service offering mental health advice to the Sami population (in Norwegian only)