If you need help right now
You don't have to be sure it's serious enough. If you're thinking about suicide, or things just feel too heavy to carry, you can talk to someone right now.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call your local emergency number: 911 in the US and Canada, 999 in the UK, 112 or 999 in Ireland, 000 in Australia.
- United States
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Free and confidential, 24 hours a day. Chat is also available online. For Spanish, call and press 2, text AYUDA to 988, or start a chat in Spanish. Veterans can call and press 1.
988lifeline.org (opens in a new tab) - Canada
9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline
Available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
988.ca (opens in a new tab) - United Kingdom and Ireland
Samaritans
Free from any phone, day or night, every day of the year.
samaritans.org (opens in a new tab) - Australia
Lifeline
Available 24 hours a day. You can also text 0477 13 11 14 or chat online.
lifeline.org.au (opens in a new tab) - Anywhere else
Find A Helpline
Search by country
A directory of verified helplines in more than 175 countries, by phone, text or chat.
findahelpline.com (opens in a new tab)
If you're worried about someone else
- Ask them directly whether they're thinking about suicide. Asking won't put the idea in their head. Listen without trying to fix it, and don't promise to keep it a secret.
- Stay with them if you can, and help them contact one of the services above.
- If they have a plan, or something nearby they could use to hurt themselves, like guns or pills, help put distance between them and it.
- Check in again over the next few days, even if they seem better.
- These lines also take calls from people who are worried about someone else, so you can call for advice.
If you're afraid of someone you live with or date
In the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day. Call 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. It also helps people who are worried about someone else. Outside the US, Find A Helpline (opens in a new tab) can help you look for a service in your country.
About this page
Little Softer Days is a gift and writing site. We aren't a crisis service or a medical provider, and we can't respond to emergencies. These numbers were last checked in November 2026.