Get Help
If you or someone else is in IMMEDIATE DANGER or HARM, call 911 now or go to the nearest emergency department or hospital if possible.
If the danger is urgent, but not immediately life-threatening, call or text 988 right away.
If you can do so safely, move away from items that could be used for self-harm and use the crisis contacts in the information below.
A Note From The Creative Director:
"When life has you down, there can be thoughts that you didn't know you'd have that might be more tempting now than they have ever been. If you need help or assistance with these thoughts, even if you don't know quite what they mean yet, there are folks willing to help you understand these thoughts at any moment's notice. It's NEVER too late to talk about what you're feeling or thinking. EVER.
Please take a moment to review the information below. Whatever you're feeling inside, we urge you to talk it out with someone who can help you understand what these feelings can mean, and how we all can help you get the help you need to get back to smiling again.
Please note; the information provided is for quick reference.
Click the following link: SAMHSA Treatment locator to find 24/7 psychiatric, behavioral, and mental health facilities near your location.
Call 911 for any immediate life threatening events.
Call 988 for urgent mental health or suicide related crisis support."
Not every service below is a crisis line. Directories and mutual-support fellowships are important, but they do not replace 911, an emergency department, or 988 when someone’s immediate safety is uncertain. SAMHSA’s National Helpline explicitly provides referral and information rather than counseling; NAMI states its HelpLine is not a crisis line; and the National Problem Gambling Helpline states that emergencies should be directed to 911 or 988.
Note: Where an official page did not clearly state a field such as hours, region, or confidentiality, this report labels that field “unspecified.”
MOST COMMON DIRECTORY
| Hotline or helpline | Number | Hours | Details & Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | 988 (call or text) | 24/7/365 | U.S. crisis support for suicidal thoughts, mental-health crises, emotional distress, and alcohol or drug use concerns |
| Veterans Crisis Line | Dial 988, then Press 1; text 838255 | 24/7/365 | Veterans, service members, National Guard/Reserve, and loved ones |
| Crisis Text Line | Text HOME to 741741 | 24/7 | U.S. text-based crisis support for mental-health distress, suicidal thoughts, substance use, and related crises |
| The Trevor Project | 1-866-488-7386; text START to 678678 | 24/7/365 | U.S. crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people |
| Trans Lifeline | U.S. 877-565-8860; Canada 877-330-6366 | Monday–Friday, 1 p.m.–9 p.m. ET | Peer support for trans and gender questioning peoples |
| SAMHSA National Helpline | 1-800-662-4357; TTY 1-800-487-4889 | 24/7/365 | U.S. treatment referral and information for mental and/or substance use disorders |
| National Problem Gambling Helpline | 1-800-MY-RESET | 24/7/365 | U.S. gambling-help hub connecting people to state and local resources |
| Disaster Distress Helpline | 1-800-985-5990 (call or text) | 24/7 | U.S. and territories; emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters |
| NAMI HelpLine | 1-800-950-6264; text NAMI to 62640 | Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET | Mental-health information, emotional support, and resources; not a crisis line |
SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND ACUTE EMOTIONAL CRISIS
| Resource | Ph/Txt/chat | Website | Hours | Free / Private | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline |
Call or text 988; chat available online |
988lifeline.org | 24/7/365 | Yes / Yes | Region: United States and territories. National crisis support for suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, mental-health crises, and alcohol/drug use concerns. The service is free and confidential, and the site explains what callers, texters, and chat users can expect. |
| Veterans Crisis Line |
Dial 988, then Press 1; text 838255; chat online |
24/7/365 | Yes / Yes | Region: United States, with overseas calling options also listed. Serves Veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and loved ones. The VA states you do not need to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to use it. | |
| Crisis Text Line |
Text HOME to 741741; web chat and WhatsApp options also listed |
24/7 | Yes / Yes | Region: United States for 741741. Text-based crisis support with trained volunteer Crisis Counselors for issues including suicidal thoughts, self-harm, anxiety, loneliness, bullying, and substance use. Crisis Text Line notes some carrier billing details may vary outside major carriers. | |
| The Trevor Project |
Call 1-866-488-7386; text START to 678678; chat online |
24/7/365 | Yes / Yes | Region: United States. Crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people by phone, text, or chat. Trevor states its services are nationwide, free, confidential, and available 24/7/365. | |
| Trans Lifeline |
U.S. 877-565- 8860; Canada 877-330- 6366; Spanish via menu option |
Monday–Friday, 1 p.m.–9 p.m. ET | Yes / Yes | Region: United States and Canada. Peer support run by trans people for trans and questioning people. The service states that it offers full anonymity and confidentiality and does not use nonconsensual active rescue; it is best framed as specialized peer support rather than emergency dispatch. |
SUBSTANCE USE AND ALCOHOL OR DRUG ADDICTION
For alcohol or drug addiction, the most authoritative national starting point is SAMHSA’s National Helpline and FindTreatment.gov, because both are federal services built for treatment referral and navigation. Recovery fellowships such as AA, NA, and SMART Recovery are useful for peer support and ongoing recovery, while Al-Anon and Nar-Anon support loved ones and family members.
| Resource | Phone / text / chat | Website | Hours | Free/Private | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
SAMHSA National Helpline |
1-800-662-4357; TTY 1-800-487-4889; text ZIP code to 435748 for HELP4U | 24/7/365 | Yes / Yes | Region: United States. Federal treatment referral and information service for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders; available in English and Spanish. SAMHSA states it provides referrals, not counseling. | |
|
Find Treatment .gov |
Phone: unspecified |
Website; hours unspecified | Yes / Yes | Region: United States and territories. SAMHSA describes this as a confidential and anonymous online resource for finding treatment for mental and substance use disorders. Use it when someone needs local treatment options rather than immediate crisis counseling. | |
| Alcoholics Anonymous |
Phone: unspecified nationally; local contacts vary by area |
Hours unspecified; meetings vary by location |
No dues confiden- tiality unspec- ified |
Region: U.S. and international local contacts available. AA states that it is a fellowship for people trying to solve a drinking problem and that it does not cost anything to attend meetings. Its official meeting page routes users to local contacts and online meeting resources. | |
| Narcotics Anonymous USA |
Phone: unspecified nationally; local area and regional phone lines vary |
Hours unspecified; meetings vary by location |
No dues / confiden- tiality unspec- ified |
Region: United States. NA describes itself as a nonprofit fellowship of recovering addicts, with no initiation fees or dues, and provides a meeting finder for local NA meetings and services. | |
| SMART Recovery |
Phone: unspecified |
Meeting times vary; hours unspecified |
Yes / confiden -tiality unspec- ified |
Region: U.S. and international meeting options are available online. SMART Recovery states that its meetings are free, led by trained facilitators, and support addictive and problem behaviors including drugs, alcohol, and gambling. | |
| Al-Anon Family Groups | Meeting line 1-888-425-2666; WSO 757-563-1600 | al-anon.org | Meeting-information line Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET |
Toll-free meeting line / confiden- tiality unspec- ified |
Region: United States and Canada. Support for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Al-Anon offers meeting information and in-person, phone, online, and worldwide contact options. |
| Nar-Anon Family Groups | 800-477-6291 | Hours unspecified |
Free / confiden- tiality unspec- ified |
Region: United States; international groups also listed on the official site. Nar-Anon is a 12-step support fellowship for family and friends affected by another person’s addiction; official materials note no charges or obligations for attending meetings. |
GAMBLING RELATED HARM
For gambling-related harm, the most important distinction is between helpline services and peer-support fellowships. The official national helpline for the U.S. is currently 1-800-MY-RESET, operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling. NCPG explicitly says that this line is not an emergency crisis hotline and directs people in crisis to 911 or 988. Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon then provide ongoing peer-support communities for gamblers and for affected loved ones.
| Resource | Phone / text / chat | Website | Hours | Free / Private | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Problem Gambling Helpline |
Call or text 1-800-MY -RESET; chat online |
and |
24/7/ 365 |
Yes / Yes | Region: All 50 states and U.S. territories. NCPG says the helpline is a one-stop hub connecting people with gambling problems and their loved ones to local resources, trained professionals, treatment, self-exclusion information, and other support. It is confidential and does not require payment or insurance information to connect. |
| Gamblers Anonymous |
National Hotline 855-222- 5542; International Service Office 909-931- 9056 |
Hours unspe- cified; mtngs vary |
No dues / confiden- tiality unspeci- fied |
Region: United States, with international meetings also listed. GA states that people can come to a meeting if they think they have a gambling problem; official materials say there are no dues or fees. The official site offers in-person, virtual, and telephone meeting searches. | |
| Gam-Anon |
National Hotline 844-475- 4213; office 718-352- 1671 |
gam-anon.org |
Hours unspe -cified |
Free / confident- iality unspec- ified |
Region: U.S., Canada, virtual, and international meetings. Gam-Anon’s official site says it supports family members and loved ones affected by someone else’s compulsive gambling and provides meeting directories and literature. |
| SMART Recovery |
Phone: unspecified |
Meeting times vary; hours unspe- cified |
Yes / confident- iality unspec- ified |
Region: U.S. and international meeting options. SMART states that its free meetings support addictive and problem behaviors, including gambling, and are led by trained facilitators. |
GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND FINDING CARE
Non-suicide-specific mental-health support because people can feel overwhelmed, depressed, anxious, isolated, or unsure where to begin, but may not identify as “in crisis.” NAMI, 211, Disaster Distress Helpline, and FindSupport.gov are strong complements. Provider directories should be presented as next-step tools, not substitutes for emergency support.
| Resource | Phone / text / chat | Website | Hours |
Free / Private |
What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
NAMI HelpLine |
1-800-950- 6264; text NAMI to 62640; available |
Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET |
Yes / Yes |
Region: United States. NAMI describes this as a free, confidential nationwide service offering one-on-one emotional support, mental-health information, and resource guidance. NAMI also clearly states that it is not a hotline or suicide-prevention line; for crisis, use 988. | |
|
Disaster Distress Helpline |
1-800-985-5990 (call or text) | 24/7 |
Toll-free / confident- iality unspec- ified |
Region: United States and territories. SAMHSA says this line is the first national hotline dedicated to year-round disaster crisis counseling for people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters; over 100 languages are available through interpretation. | |
| 211 | Dial 211 | 211.org |
24/7 (national network); local modalities vary |
Yes / Yes | Region: United States; United Way also notes broad coverage across Canada. 211 connects people to local resources including mental health, substance use, housing, food, caregiver support, and disaster-related help. It is a resource-and-referral line, not a suicide hotline. |
|
Find Support .gov |
Phone: unspecified |
Website; hours unspec- ified |
Free / confident- iality unspec- ified |
Region: United States. HHS/SAMHSA’s Find Support portal helps people understand treatment options, ways to cope, how to ask for help, how to pay for care, and how to help someone else. It is especially useful for people who are unsure what kind of care or program to look for. | |
|
APA Psych ologist Locator |
Phone: unspecified for matching; APA general contact numbers listed on-site |
Website; hours unspec- ified |
Free to search / confident- iality unspec- ified |
Region: U.S. and Canada. Official directory from the American Psychological Association for finding psychologists by ZIP code or city and state. Use as a provider-finding tool, not a crisis line. | |
|
Psych ology Today Find a Thera pist |
Phone: unspecified |
Website; hours unspec- ified |
Search access free / confident- iality unspec- ified |
Region: United States. A widely used supplementary directory for therapists, psychiatrists, treatment centers, and support groups. It is helpful for filtering by location, specialty, and insurance, but should sit below official crisis and government resources on the page hierarchy. | |
| NAMI Warmline Directory |
Phone: unspecified; varies by warmline |
Varies by warm line |
Varies / varies |
Region: United States. NAMI’s official warmline directory lists peer-run listening and emotional-support lines by state, with numbers, hours, and whether they accept out-of-state calls. This is useful for people who want supportive conversation before a situation escalates to crisis. |
SOME ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES
Local emergency numbers vary by country. Below is a list of a few Canadian Resource links as well as Australian and The most defensible global directory link is the IASP crisis centres and helplines page, which points people to FindaHelpline for verified support in 150+ countries.
| Resource | PH/Txt/chat | Website | Hours | Free / Private | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Canada 9-8-8 |
Call or text 9-8-8 |
988.ca | 24/7/365 | Yes / Yes | Region: Canada. The CRTC states that 9-8-8 provides bilingual, trauma-informed, and culturally appropriate mental-health and suicide-prevention support; calls and texts are confidential. |
|
Hope for Wellness Helpline |
1-855-242- 3310 |
24/7 |
Yes / unspecified |
Region: Canada. Listed by the CRTC as immediate emotional support, crisis intervention, and referrals for Indigenous Peoples across Canada. | |
|
Kids Help Phone |
1-800-668- 6868; Text CONNECT to 686868 |
24/7 |
Yes / unspecified |
Region: Canada. Listed by the CRTC as mental-health support and crisis services for children and young adults across Canada. | |
|
Quebec Suicide resource |
Call 1-866-277- 3553; text 1-855-957- 5353 |
Website: unspecified on cited source |
Hours unspecified on cited source |
Free/ confidential unspecified on cited source |
Region: Quebec, Canada. The CRTC lists these additional contacts for Quebec residents. |
| Samaritans | 116 123 | Any time, day or night | Yes / Yes | Region: United Kingdom and Ireland. Samaritans states the number is free from any phone, available any time, day or night, and confidential except in limited safeguarding situations. | |
|
Lifeline Australia |
13 11 14; text 0477 13 11 14; chat online |
24/7 | Yes / Yes | Region: Australia. Lifeline says anyone in Australia can speak with a trained crisis supporter 24/7; if life is in danger, call 000. | |
|
1737 Need to Talk |
Call or text 1737 |
24/7 | Yes / Yes | Region: New Zealand. 1737 offers free, confidential support through trained counsellors and peer support workers; if someone is in immediate danger, call 111. | |
|
IASP crisis- centres directory Finda Helpline |
Phone: unspecified; varies by country |
IASP Crisis Centres & Helplines | Hours unspecified; varies by listed service |
Directory points to free/ confidential services; varies by listed service |
Region: Global. IASP’s official crisis-centres page directs people to FindaHelpline for verified helplines in over 150 countries, with phone, text, and chat options where available. Use this as the “all other countries” link on the page. |