Hotlines to Call When You’re in Distress

If you or someone you know needs help, trained and caring people are ready to support you. Read on for a list of resources to call, text, or chat, and what to expect when you do.

Contacting a support line can feel daunting. You might wonder things like:

• Are my problems serious enough?
• Will they turn me away?
• Is it confidential?
• Will I get a person or a recording?
• Will they understand my specific issues?

The bottom line is that your feelings aren’t trivial, and no one will ever make you feel bad for seeking help. If the person you reach can’t help with your specific needs, they’ll point you to other resources that can.

Read on for more information about who to contact and what to expect.

If you or someone you know is in crisis right now, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If someone’s life is in immediate danger, call 911.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call or Text 988
Chat 988lifeline.org/chat

Formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Hours: 24/7

Who 988 is for:

• Anyone experiencing any kind of emotional distress. This includes suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, mental health crisis, depression, loneliness, anxiety—basically, anything related to mental health.
• Anyone concerned about a person they know who might need crisis support.

What it’s like to call 988:

• You’ll first hear a greeting message while your call is routed to the Lifeline network crisis center within your area code.
• A trained counselor answers the call, listens to you, provides support, and shares resources if needed.
• If the local crisis center can’t take your call, you’re automatically routed to a national backup crisis center.
• The Lifeline provides live phone services in English and Spanish and uses Language Line Solutions to provide translation services in over 250 additional languages.

What it’s like to text 988:

• A trained counselor will answer your text,
• They may or may not be local.
• Currently, texting is available in English only.

What it’s like to web chat 988:

• You’ll be asked to fill out a short survey to identify your main area of concern and tell your counselor a little about you and how you’re feeling. The information you share is confidential and encrypted. In fact, your 988 chats are secured with the same data protection standards that banks use.
• A counselor will answer your chat as soon as one is available. If there’s a long wait, you’ll get a message letting you know. You may call 988 to speak to someone right away.
• The busiest times for chat are between 10 PM and 2 AM EST.

Hotlines specifically for kids and teens

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Hotlines for the LGBTQIA+ community

There are several options for people in this community.

Crisis Care and/or Supportive Conversation

If you need support during a crisis or just a safe space to talk about whatever is bothering you, The Trevor Project and the Trans Lifeline can help.

Peer Support Lines

If you’re not in crisis and need supportive conversation, the LGBT National Help Center lines can help.

Warmlines

Whatever your specific needs are, if you feel distressed and want to have a conversation with a trained peer, contact a warmline. Warmlines are staffed by people who’ve been through their own mental health struggles and know what it’s like to need help.

What to expect from a warmline

When you call, text or chat on a warmline, a trained peer will listen to you and provide emotional support. They may also help you identify skills and strategies to cope with your current situation. If you need crisis services or more formal treatment, they can direct you to resources and help you mentally prepare for the next steps.

List of warmlines

Mental Health America keeps an up-to-date list of warmlines by state. Some warmlines provide national support, while others service people in a specific state or county.

Examples of warmline contact

Mental Health America of Virginia provides these examples of people who’ve called their warmlines and the kind of support they’ve received:

• A person texts and calls the warmline regularly to get support when she experiences hallucinations and voices that disturb her. She shares her experiences and uses her time to identify coping skills that help her when these experiences arise. She frequently expresses gratitude for the support she receives.

• A new caller reported having difficulty feeling motivated to complete daily activities, including going to work. She began using the line to “check in” and receive ongoing support, set goals, identify self-care tools, and learn about resources available to her. The caller was reluctant to use the local treatment system due to her professional role in the community.

• A regular adult caller who lives with his guardian parents calls when he gets angry with his mom when she tells him to do something that he doesn’t want to do. After connecting with a peer recovery specialist, he can identify healthy strategies to release anger, like going for a walk and expressing how he feels to his mom. Feeling empowered to make his own decisions about how to respond improves his mood. 

Next Steps

If you or a loved one needs mental health support, it’s important to reach out and get help. Don’t wait until things get worse. Contact one of the support lines listed above, call your doctor, or contact Athena Care for mental health services in Tennessee.

Rachel Swan, MS

Editor
Rachel has a Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology from Vanderbilt University, where she spent 16 years as a Research Analyst in the Psychology and Human Development Department.