If you or someone you know is considering suicide or self-harm, you’re not alone.

Support and guidance are available from all suicide hotlines and resources listed on this page.

No matter your age, gender, background, or ethnicity, help is available right now.

Website

  • English: 800-273-8255 or 800-TALK or 988
  • Spanish: 888-628-9454
  • Disaster-based help: 800-985-5990
  • Text: 838255
  • Online chat
  • TTY Users: Use preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number became ‘988’ on July 16, 2022.

Was this helpful?

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has more than 180 local- and state-funded crisis centers throughout the United States.

Their trained counselors will respect your confidentiality and listen and support you in a variety of situations, including:

  • substance use
  • economic concerns
  • relationship conflict
  • sexual identity
  • abuse
  • depression
  • mental and physical illness
  • loneliness

When you call, you’ll be asked questions about your safety, feelings, social situation, and if you have any thoughts of suicide. Their goal is to reduce your stress so that you can make decisions for yourself and your future.

Additional resources

Website

Was this helpful?

Whether or not you’re registered with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or enrolled in VA healthcare, this helpline is available for you.

They serve all veterans, active service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and family and friends.

You’ll speak with someone trained and experienced in handling the unique experiences that can affect your life. They can also refer you to a local group to help you find the counseling services you may need.

Website

  • US and Canada: Text TALK to 741-741
  • UK: Text TALK to 85258
  • Ireland: Text TALK to 50808

Was this helpful?


For any emotional crisis, the Crisis Text Line allows you to contact a trained crisis counselor.

Although the first two responses are automated, asking you to share your situation, you’ll usually connect with a counselor in less than 5 minutes.

Your conversation may last from 15 to 45 minutes. They’ll help you sort through your feelings, help you create a safety plan, or refer you to more help if you need it.

You can also message them through Facebook Messenger.

Confidential measures

Nothing will appear on your bill if your cellphone plan is with AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, or Verizon. For other carriers, 741741 will appear on your billing statement. If you’re messaging through an app, you can have your data deleted by messaging them the word LOOFAH.

Website

Was this helpful?

Teen Line works with professional counselors and teen volunteers, and it’s for teen callers only. When you text or call them, you’ll connect with someone who’s around your age.

The first thing they’ll ask is your name and age, and then what you’d like to talk about.

The trained teen volunteers will listen to your concerns and support you, and they won’t judge you. They’ve helped other teens with a variety of concerns and challenges, including:

  • abuse
  • depression
  • parents divorce
  • bullying
  • anxiety
  • gangs
  • gender identity
  • homelessness
  • pregnancy
  • relationships
  • sexuality
  • violence
  • substance abuse
  • self-harm
  • suicide

Website

  • U.S.: 877-565-8860
  • Canada: 877-330-6366
  • Español: Oprima el 2

Was this helpful?

Trans Lifeline is lead by trans people for trans and questioning peers who need support or a safe space to discuss their concerns. All volunteers are trans or nonbinary.

The calls are fully confidential and, although recorded, only your operator will have access to the information provided. There’s no need to provide your name and other personal information, and they don’t use caller identification.

Additional resources and services

Website

Was this helpful?

The Trevor Project is a national organization that offers support and guidance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth between ages 13 and 24.

They offer a toll-free line and secure instant messaging where trained counselors can connect with you and guide you to the resources you may need. All resources are fully confidential and free.

Website

  • Crisis line: 321-800-3323
  • Suicide prevention TTY: 800-799-4889
  • Disaster and distress TTY: 800-846-8517
  • Videophone: (573) 303-5604
  • Text: HAND to 839863

Was this helpful?

DeafLEAD provides a full range of services for the deaf community, and they also offer a few lines and contact methods for those in need.

They offer crisis support as well as advocacy and mental health services for deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened and DeafBlind victims of crimes and their families.

These are some of the concerns and problems they are ready to address and offer support for:

  • domestic violence and or family violence
  • sexual assault
  • bullying (verbal, cyber, or physical)
  • child abuse or neglect
  • elder abuse or neglect
  • hate crime: racial/religious/sexual orientation/other
  • teen dating victimization
  • violation of a court (protective) order
  • kidnapping (includes parental/custodial)
  • human trafficking: labor or sex
  • robbery
  • DUI/DWI incidents
  • identity theft/Fraud/Financial Crime

Website

  • Samaritans of Boston: 877-870-4673
  • Samaritans South Coast, Massachusetts: 866-508-4357
  • Samaritans of Cape Cod and the Islands: 800-893-9900
  • Samaritans of New Hampshire: 603 357 5505 or 866-457-2910
  • Samaritans of New York City: 212-673-3000
  • Outside the United States
Was this helpful?

Befrienders Worldwide is a global organization designed to improve access to information and support for suicide prevention.

All volunteers have been trained to listen and provide support for people who feel they have nowhere else to turn.

Befrienders operates 349 emotional support centers in 32 countries in 5 continents.

When you call a support line, you’ll be able to talk about your concerns in a safe space with someone who’s been trained to support you.

They’ll start by asking you some questions about why you are calling. These questions will help them determine your level of safety. You’ll never be forced to share any information you want to keep private. But the more you share, the better they can help you.

If they are concerned about your safety, they will encourage you to seek help or guide you to other resources. They might provide you with numbers to call or places to go. You can ask lifeline volunteers to stay on the phone or chat until you feel better.

When you’re ready, they may provide you with some local resources that you can access to get further support.

Many hotlines can also help you create a safety plan if you need to exit a situation where you don’t feel safe or have suicidal thoughts.

You can call these support lines as many times as you need, although you might connect with different volunteers every time.