If You're in Crisis, You're Not Alone

If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number now. This page lists crisis lines and substance-specific guidance. It is not medical advice.

Emergency: call 911 (US) or your local emergency services if someone is unconscious, seizing, not breathing, or at risk of harming themselves or others.

Call or text now (US)

  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (US)

    Free, confidential support 24/7. Call or text.

    988

  • SAMHSA National Helpline (US)

    Treatment referrals and information. Confidential. 24/7.

    1-800-662-4357

  • Crisis Text Line (US)

    Text with a trained crisis counselor.

    Text HOME to 741741

Alcohol withdrawal emergency

Heavy alcohol withdrawal can cause seizures, confusion, and delirium tremens. Do not stop heavy drinking alone without medical guidance.

  • Call emergency services for seizures, hallucinations with confusion, high fever, or chest pain.
  • Ask a doctor about medically supervised detox if you drink daily or have had withdrawal before.

Opioid overdose

Opioid overdose slows or stops breathing. Naloxone (Narcan) can reverse effects if given quickly.

  • Call 911 immediately. Say the person is not breathing or is unresponsive.
  • Administer naloxone if available and follow package directions.
  • Stay until help arrives. Fentanyl may require multiple doses.

Suicidal thoughts

If you are thinking about ending your life, you deserve support right now.

  • 988 Lifeline (US): Call or text 988 988
  • Tell one safe person where you are.
  • Remove immediate means if you can do so safely.
  • Go to an emergency room if you cannot stay safe.

Gambling crisis

For gambling support and referrals, call or text the national helpline. For an immediate medical emergency in the US, call 911; for suicide or mental-health crisis support, call or text 988. The gambling helpline is not an emergency service.

  • Self-exclude from apps and casinos where legally available.
  • Hand cards or account access to a trusted person for 24 hours.

Nicotine and vaping distress

Nicotine withdrawal is uncomfortable but rarely life-threatening. Intense anxiety still deserves support.

  • Use quitline support: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) in the US.
  • Contact 988 if you have thoughts of harming yourself.

International resources

If you are outside the US, use local emergency numbers and national crisis lines.

  • UK and Ireland: Samaritans: Call 116 123 (free, 24/7) 116 123
  • Canada: Talk Suicide: Call 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 1-833-456-4566
  • Australia: Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 13 11 14
  • EU: findahelpline.com: Directory of helplines by country Link

Frequently asked questions

What happens when you call or text 988?

A trained crisis counselor answers, asks what is going on, and talks with you for as long as you need, usually working through the immediate moment and what support might help next. Most contacts are resolved on the phone or by text without emergency services being involved. You are not required to give your name, and you can end the conversation at any time.

Do you have to be suicidal to call 988?

No. 988 is for any mental health or substance use crisis, including cravings, relapse, panic, grief, or simply feeling unable to cope, and you do not need to be in danger to be worth talking to. Many people call because they are overwhelmed rather than suicidal. There is no threshold you have to meet first.

Is 988 confidential, and will they send the police?

Calls and texts to 988 are confidential, and the large majority are handled entirely on the phone without dispatching emergency services. Counselors work with you voluntarily and try to resolve the situation together. In the uncommon situation where someone is in immediate, life-threatening danger, emergency services may be involved, which is the honest limit on that confidentiality.

Is 988 free?

Yes. Calling or texting 988 is free in the United States, is available 24 hours a day, every day, and does not require insurance, identification, or immigration status. There is no bill for using it.

What should I do if someone has overdosed?

Call 911 immediately if someone is unconscious, not breathing, seizing, or unresponsive, and stay with them until help arrives. If you have naloxone and suspect opioids, give it, since it is safe to administer even if opioids turn out not to be involved. Put them on their side to prevent choking. Most US states have Good Samaritan laws that offer some legal protection to people who call for help during an overdose.

Can I text instead of calling?

Yes. You can text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and the Crisis Text Line is also available by text, both staffed by trained counselors. Texting is a full alternative rather than a lesser option, and it is often easier if speaking out loud feels impossible or if you are somewhere you cannot be overheard.

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