Mental Health Crisis Resources

Mental health crisis resources are free services, such as phone, text and chat helplines, mobile crisis teams and emergency departments, that help people who are in acute emotional distress or thinking about suicide. In the US the main number is 988. This page lists trusted national services, explains what to expect when you reach out, and describes how to help someone else. Information here is educational and does not replace emergency care.

National Crisis Helplines (US)

988 launched nationally in July 2022, replacing the older ten-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number with a short, easy-to-remember code. Calls are routed to a network of local and regional crisis centers. Anyone can contact it, including people worried about a friend or family member.

Recognizing a Mental Health Crisis

A mental health crisis is any situation in which a person's emotions, thoughts or behavior put them at risk of harm or leave them unable to cope or function. It can build slowly or arrive suddenly.

Signs that call for immediate help

• Talking about wanting to die or to hurt oneself or others, or making plans to do so
• Talking or writing about death or suicide in a way that is new or unusual for the person
• Expressing extreme hopelessness, feeling trapped, or feeling like a burden
• Saying goodbye to people, or giving away important possessions
• Seeing or hearing things others don't, or severe confusion or paranoia
• Being unable to care for basic needs such as eating or staying safe
• Uncontrollable rage or behaving in ways that put life at risk

Other signs that someone is struggling

• Withdrawing from friends, family and usual activities
• Severe anxiety, agitation, or being unable to sleep
• Rapid or dramatic mood changes
• Increased alcohol or drug use

These signs describe situations where reaching out is wise; they are not a diagnostic checklist. If you are unsure, contacting a crisis line to talk it through is always appropriate. See how to support someone with mental health issues for less urgent situations.

What to Expect When You Reach Out

Many people hesitate because they don't know what will happen. When you call, text or chat with a crisis line, a trained counselor will:

1. Listen to what is going on, without judgment and at your pace.
2. Ask about safety, including whether you are thinking about suicide. These are routine questions, not accusations.
3. Help you feel calmer and work out what might help right now.
4. Connect you to further support, such as local services, a mobile crisis team, or a follow-up call, if you want that.

The large majority of contacts are resolved through conversation. Emergency services are contacted only rarely, generally when there is an immediate risk to life that can't be reduced together. US crisis care guidelines from SAMHSA describe the ideal system as "someone to talk to, someone to respond, and a safe place to go": a crisis line, mobile crisis teams who can come to you, and crisis stabilization services as an alternative to the emergency room. Availability of the second and third parts still varies by area.

Specialized Crisis Resources (US)

Note: the US eating disorder helpline formerly run by the National Eating Disorders Association closed in 2023. In a crisis related to eating, call or text 988 or text 741741; for information and referrals, national eating disorder charities list current support lines on their websites.

Online and Text Crisis Support

If speaking on the phone feels too hard, text and chat options can be easier to start with:

• 988 Lifeline chat: 988lifeline.org/chat
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
• Veterans Crisis Line chat: VeteransCrisisLine.net
• The Trevor Project chat: TheTrevorProject.org

Some health systems and crisis services also offer apps that store a personal safety plan and trusted contacts. If you are working with a clinician, ask whether they recommend one.

How to Help Someone in Crisis

If you are worried about someone, you do not need training to make a difference. The US National Institute of Mental Health summarizes five action steps:

1. Ask. Ask directly, "Are you thinking about suicide?" Research reviews have found that asking does not increase suicidal thoughts.
2. Keep them safe. If they are at risk, stay with them or make sure someone else is there, and reduce access to anything that could be used to cause harm, such as weapons or stockpiled medicines.
3. Be there. Listen calmly, without judgment, and take what they say seriously.
4. Help them connect. Call or text 988 together, or call 911 if danger is immediate.
5. Follow up. Check in over the following days. Continued contact after a crisis matters.

Never promise to keep thoughts of suicide a secret; safety comes first. Our pages on psychological first aid and crisis support go into more depth.

Creating a Safety Plan

A safety plan is a short, personalized, written list of steps and supports to use when a crisis begins to build. The best-known version, the Safety Planning Intervention developed by psychologists Barbara Stanley and Gregory Brown, is widely used in emergency departments and therapy settings, and research suggests it is associated with fewer suicidal behaviors after discharge. A plan is usually made with a clinician or trusted person and includes:

Keep the plan somewhere easy to find, such as your phone, and review it with a professional over time.

After a Crisis: Recovery and Support

The days and weeks after a crisis are an important time to put support in place. Helpful steps include:

• Follow-up care: arranging an appointment with a mental health professional soon after the crisis, ideally within a week. If you were seen in an emergency department, ask about follow-up before leaving.
• Following the treatment plan agreed with your clinicians, and raising any concerns with them.
• Updating your safety plan with what you have learned.
• Staying connected with trusted friends and family.
• Basic care: sleep, food, and routine help the body and mind recover.

Ongoing options range from individual or group therapy to peer support groups, intensive outpatient programs and day treatment. If cost is a concern, see free mental health resources, community mental health centers, and our guide to finding a therapist.

International Crisis Resources

• Canada: call or text 988 (Suicide Crisis Helpline)
• UK and Republic of Ireland: Samaritans, 116 123 (free, 24/7)
• Australia: Lifeline, 13 11 14
• New Zealand: call or text 1737
• India: Tele-MANAS, 14416
• France: 3114 (national suicide prevention line)
• Germany: TelefonSeelsorge, 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222
• Brazil: CVV, 188

For other countries, use findahelpline.com, Befrienders Worldwide, or the International Association for Suicide Prevention directory. Numbers can change, so check a directory if a number does not connect.

Training and Further Information

Anyone can learn skills to help others in a crisis. Widely used training programs include Mental Health First Aid, QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) gatekeeper training, ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) and safeTALK. Reliable sources of further information include the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America.