Patient & Family Education Materials

Start over with a New Search

How Can I Get Help in a Crisis?

Article Translations: (Spanish)

If you are having thoughts of suicide, feel very hopeless or depressed, or feel like you might harm yourself or others, call a suicide or crisis hotline. They offer free help right away.

You can also turn to a crisis hotline if you have been through trauma, violence, abuse, sexual assault, or rape.

You can reach out to these resources for 24/7 help:

  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or text CONNECT to 741741. You also can contact them through their website.
  • Trevor Lifeline for the LGBTQ community: 1-866-488-7386, text START to 678678, or contact them through their website.
  • Crisis hotlines: These help survivors of rape, abuse, violence, and other traumas. Some may also provide short-term counseling. To find one, do an online search for your state and "crisis hotline."

Other places you can go to get help:

  • Emergency rooms. Local hospital emergency rooms or an urgent care center can evaluate and care for people in emotional emergencies as well as physical ones. If you think you might hurt yourself or someone else, you can also call 911.
  • Local crisis centers. To see if there's a walk-in crisis center near you, search online. Enter the name of your city, county, or state and terms like "crisis center," "crisis counseling center," "psychiatric emergency services," or "crisis intervention."

If you’re dealing with a crisis, get help right away. There are people who will listen, talk with you, and help.

Back To Top

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

© 1995-2024 KidsHealth ® All rights reserved. Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com