Crisis resources

Published by CBT Guide USA · Last updated 2026-11-08

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

If you are thinking about suicide or self-harm, or are in emotional distress, call or text 988, or chat at chat.988lifeline.org. It is free, confidential and available 24/7 in the US.

Online therapy services, including subscription services, are not emergency services. Messages may not be answered right away, and an online therapist may not be able to get emergency help to you quickly. If you need help now, use the options below.

This page has no advertising or affiliate links. We checked each number and text code on the organization's official website in November 2026. Services can change; the official sites linked below are the authority.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call: 988
Text: send any message to 988
Chat: chat.988lifeline.org

For people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, and for people worried about someone else. Text and chat are also available in Spanish.

Deaf, hard of hearing or hearing loss: call 988 from a videophone to reach 988 Videophone in ASL, or for TTY use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.

911 for emergencies

Call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate danger, has taken an overdose or is seriously injured, or if you cannot keep yourself safe. You can also go to the nearest emergency room.

Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the US to reach a trained crisis counselor. Free and confidential, 24/7. More at crisistextline.org.

Veterans Crisis Line

Call: dial 988, then press 1
Text: 838255
Chat: online at veteranscrisisline.net

For veterans, service members and their families and friends. You do not have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect.

LGBTQ+ young people

The Trevor Project offers free, confidential crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people, 24/7:

Call: 1-866-488-7386 (TTY: 1-866-803-3699)
Text: START to 678-678
Chat: thetrevorproject.org/get-help

The 988 Lifeline's specialized service for LGBTQ+ young people (the "Press 3 option") has also been restored, according to 988's website: call 988 and press 3.

Substance use and treatment referrals

SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). A free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service in English and Spanish for people and families facing mental health and substance use disorders. Staff do not provide counseling; they help connect you with local treatment, support groups and community organizations.

Information and peer support (not a crisis line)

NAMI HelpLine: call 1-800-950-6264, text "HELPLINE" to 62640, or chat on nami.org, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time. The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers information, resource referrals and support. It is not a crisis service; in a crisis, contact 988.

Outside the United States

988 and the other numbers above work in the US. If you are in another country, findahelpline.com, a public service by ThroughLine, lists free, confidential helplines in more than 175 countries. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

If you are worried about someone else

If they are in immediate danger, call 911.
You can call or text 988 yourself for advice on how to help.
Stay with them if it is safe to do so, ask them how they are doing and listen without judgment.
Help them contact one of the services on this page.

After a crisis

Once you are safe, ongoing support can help. A primary care provider, a community mental health center or a licensed therapist can talk with you about next steps. Our guide to lower-cost care lists free and low-cost routes.

CBT Guide USA is an information site, not a crisis or healthcare service. We cannot respond to emergencies.