Crisis lines: free help right now

If you are in danger right now, call your local emergency number. If you want to talk to someone, or text if talking is too hard, the lines below are free and confidential. The people who answer are trained to listen. You don’t need to be sure it is “bad enough” to contact them.

All numbers were checked on each service’s official website on 9 November 2026.

If your life is in danger now

• US: call 911
• Canada: call 9-1-1
• UK: call 999, or go to A&E
• Australia: call 000
• New Zealand: call 111
• Anywhere else: call your local emergency number

If you want to talk or text

United States

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat online. 24 hours a day. Text and chat are also available in Spanish.

Canada

• 9-8-8: call or text 9-8-8. 24 hours a day.
• Kids Help Phone, for young people: call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868. 24 hours a day.

United Kingdom

• Samaritans: call 116 123. Free, 24 hours a day. The number doesn’t show on your phone bill. Welsh language line: 0808 164 0123.
• Shout: text 85258. Free, 24 hours a day. Good if you can’t face speaking.
• NHS 111 (England): call 111 and choose the mental health option.
• Childline, for under-19s: call 0800 1111.

Ireland

• Samaritans Ireland: call 116 123. Free, day or night.

Australia

• Lifeline: call 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14, or chat online. 24 hours a day.
• Kids Helpline, for young people: call 1800 55 1800, or use webchat. 24 hours a day.

New Zealand

• 1737: call or text 1737. Free, 24 hours a day.

Other countries

• Find A Helpline lists free helplines in more than 175 countries. You can search by country and filter by what you need.

If calling feels impossible

Social anxiety can make even a crisis call feel too hard. That is OK.

• Text or chat first. Many of the lines above let you text or chat online. You can type as slowly as you need.
• You can start with one line. For example: “I’m not OK and I find it hard to talk.” The person will guide you from there.
• Ask someone to call with you, or to sit with you while you text.

If you are worried about someone else

You can contact these lines for advice about someone else, too. Ask them gently how they are, and listen. Stay with them if you can, and help them contact a crisis line or emergency services.

After the crisis

When you feel safer, it is worth talking to a doctor about what led to this point. Social anxiety, low mood and drinking to cope often go together, and all of them can be treated. See talking to your doctor, depression and social anxiety and alcohol and social anxiety.