Resources

If you're struggling, start here

Reaching out for help can feel like the hardest part, especially when you're not sure where to look. This page is a starting point — crisis lines for right now, and trusted places to turn when you're ready. You don't have to figure it out alone.

In crisis right now?

If you're thinking about suicide, worried about your safety, or just can't hold it on your own tonight, please reach out now. If you're in immediate danger, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Support by what you're facing

Different struggles have different front doors. These are trusted, mostly free places to start.

General mental health support

  • NAMI HelpLine

    1-800-950-6264, or text "HelpLine" to 62640. Information, support, and referrals — not a crisis line, but a warm place to start.

  • SAMHSA National Helpline

    1-800-662-4357. Free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information for mental health and substance use.

Substance use & recovery

Veterans

  • Veterans Crisis Line

    Dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255. Confidential support for veterans and their families.

LGBTQ+

  • The Trevor Project

    1-866-488-7386, or text START to 678-678. Crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people.

  • Trans Lifeline

    1-877-565-8860. Peer support run by and for trans people.

Eating disorders

  • ANAD Helpline

    1-888-375-7767. Free peer support and referrals for eating disorders.

Sexual assault & abuse

New & expecting parents

Finding ongoing help

Finding a therapist

Psychology Today's directory lets you filter by insurance, location, and specialty. If you have insurance, call the number on your card and ask for an in-network list. Community mental health centers and university training clinics offer sliding-scale fees.

Online therapy

Online therapy can be a good fit if transportation, scheduling, or anxiety makes in-person care harder. Quality varies, so pay attention to the individual therapist's credentials and how you feel after the first session — not just the platform.

Free apps & tools

Insight Timer (free guided meditations), MindShift (free CBT-based anxiety tool from Anxiety Canada), and PTSD Coach (free, from the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs) are evidence-informed and cost nothing. They're a supplement to support, not a replacement for it.

Asking for help isn't a sign that something is wrong with you. It's one of the bravest, most human things a person can do. Whatever you're carrying, you don't have to carry it alone — and you don't have to have it all figured out to take the first step.

This page is for information and support only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Phone numbers and organizations are U.S.-based unless noted; availability can change. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.