Get help now: crisis lines and emergency numbers

By the Awaken Library Editorial TeamEditorial Team · Updated October 20, 2026Oct 20, 2026 · How we write

If you or someone near you is in danger right now, call your emergency number: 911 in the US and Canada, 999 in the UK, 112 across the EU and in India, 000 in Australia. If you are thinking about suicide or are in crisis, a crisis line will listen any time; in the US and Canada call or text 988.

Call now if any of this is true

Call your emergency number or a crisis line today, without waiting for it to pass, if:

• You have thoughts of dying, of not waking up, or of harming yourself, or you have started looking for a way to do it. Talking about wanting to die and looking for a way are the first warning signs the 988 Lifeline lists.
• You hear voices other people do not hear, or feel watched or controlled. The NHS advises seeing a doctor immediately for signs of psychosis.
• You have barely slept for three nights or more, or have stopped eating or looking after yourself. Sleeping too little is on the 988 list of warning signs; three nights is our plain rule of thumb, not a medical cut-off.
• Panic does not settle, or comes with tight chest pain, pain spreading to the arm, neck or jaw, or fainting. The NHS says a panic attack itself is not dangerous, but the same symptoms can come from the heart; for tight chest pain or someone passing out it says to call the emergency number.
• You do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe. The NHS puts it plainly: a mental health emergency is as serious as a physical one, and you are not wasting anyone’s time.

What to do in the next hour

1. Tell one person. A friend, a relative, a neighbor, or the person on a crisis line. You do not have to explain everything; “I am not safe right now” is enough.
2. Make the place safer. Put away or hand over anything you could hurt yourself with, such as pills or a weapon. Removing the means is one of the steps NIMH lists.
3. Stay near people or keep someone on the phone until the worst passes.
4. Use a safety plan if you have one. If not, the NHS points to a free template on stayingsafe.net: warning signs, things that help, people to call.

If you came here from a page about meditation or breathing: tonight a person on the phone will help more than a practice. The practices will still be here later.

If you are worried about someone else

NIMH and the 988 Lifeline use five steps:

1. Ask directly: “Are you thinking about suicide?” It is a hard question, but asking does not put the idea in someone’s head: NIMH notes that studies show asking does not increase suicidal thoughts or behavior, and Samaritans write that it gives the person permission to say how they feel.
2. Be there. Listen without judging and without arguing about whether their feelings are right.
3. Help keep them safe. Ask if they have a plan, and help put lethal means out of reach.
4. Help them connect with a crisis line, a doctor, or someone they trust. You can call the line together. For a young person in the UK under 19 there is also Childline, 0800 1111.
5. Follow up. NIMH notes that supportive contact after a crisis can play an important role; a message or a call the next day counts.

If you think they are in immediate danger, call the emergency number, even if they asked you to keep it secret. And look after yourself too: crisis lines also talk to people who are supporting someone else.

Crisis lines by country

Every number below was read on the official site of the line, its operator or a government body on October 20, 2026. The link under each line goes to the page where we found it. Numbers can change, so if one does not work, try the emergency number or the directory below.

Other countries

Find A Helpline is a free directory of crisis lines and chats in many countries; you can filter by topic and by phone, text or chat. If your country is not on this page, start there.