You Reached Out — That Matters. Help Is Here Right Now.

How do I reach someone right now?

Call or text 988 — the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 1Ref 1Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2022).988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.988 as the primary crisis resource for self-harm urges — free, confidential, 24/7, serving callers in emotional distress as well as acute suicidal crisis; SAMHSA helpline (1-800-662-4357) for connecting to local treatment. Free. Confidential. 24/7. Available in English and Spanish; interpreter services available for more than 240 other languages. If you cannot speak aloud, you can chat at 988lifeline.org. Since its 2022 launch, 988 has answered over 13 million calls, texts, and chats from people in emotional distress.

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741. Free, confidential, around the clock.

If you have hurt yourself and need medical attention: Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

You searched for help. That is a meaningful step. Please take the next one.

What you are feeling is real — and it can get better

The urge to hurt yourself often comes from pain that has built up without a place to go — from emotions that feel too large to hold and too difficult to express. It is not a character flaw. It is not a sign that something is permanently broken about you. It is a signal that something inside needs care and attention — the same way physical pain signals the body.

These feelings are connected to real mental health challenges: depression, anxiety, trauma, overwhelming stress, or grief that hasn't had space to move 2Ref 2National Institute of Mental Health (2025).Suicide Prevention.Warning signs, risk factors, and evidence-based context for self-harm and suicidal ideation; NIMH research supporting the safety of directly asking about suicide; 988 as recommended crisis resource. They are common, they are recognized, and they are treatable with the right support.

Counselors at 988 are trained specifically to sit with people in exactly this kind of pain 1Ref 1Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2022).988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.988 as the primary crisis resource for self-harm urges — free, confidential, 24/7, serving callers in emotional distress as well as acute suicidal crisis; SAMHSA helpline (1-800-662-4357) for connecting to local treatment. They will not judge you. They will not automatically send police to your door. Their goal is to listen and to help you find a path through the next hour, and then the next.

What if you have already hurt yourself?

If you have already harmed yourself, please assess whether you need immediate medical attention right now.

Signs that you need emergency care: - The wound is deep or bleeding significantly and will not stop - You feel faint, lightheaded, or short of breath - You took something — pills or other substances — that may harm you

If any of these apply: call 911 or have someone take you to the nearest emergency room. Your physical safety comes first. Emotional support can follow once you are safe. Emergency department visits for self-harm are taken seriously and can open doors to mental health care — including follow-up with a counselor or therapist who specializes in this 3Ref 3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024).Facts About Suicide.Self-harm and suicidal ideation as significant public health concerns; ED visit data for self-harm injury; supports the importance of professional evaluation and follow-up care after self-harm events.

How can I create some space right now?

If you can, put some distance between yourself and whatever you were thinking of using to hurt yourself. Go to a different room. Go outside. Call someone to be with you, even if you don't tell them everything that's happening. Being physically near another person can help interrupt the intensity of the moment.

Research supports that reducing access to means — even temporarily creating distance from what you might use — can be enough to interrupt an acute urge 2Ref 2National Institute of Mental Health (2025).Suicide Prevention.Warning signs, risk factors, and evidence-based context for self-harm and suicidal ideation; NIMH research supporting the safety of directly asking about suicide; 988 as recommended crisis resource. These steps are not cures — they are space. And space is often enough to let a call to 988 happen first. One call can change what the next hour looks like.

After the crisis: getting ongoing support

A mental health clinician — a therapist, counselor, or your primary care doctor — can help you build longer-term ways to manage this kind of pain. Evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) have strong evidence for helping people who experience urges to self-harm 2Ref 2National Institute of Mental Health (2025).Suicide Prevention.Warning signs, risk factors, and evidence-based context for self-harm and suicidal ideation; NIMH research supporting the safety of directly asking about suicide; 988 as recommended crisis resource. You deserve that support, not just in moments of crisis but as ongoing care.

If you are not sure where to start, a 988 counselor can help you identify local mental health resources 1Ref 1Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2022).988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.988 as the primary crisis resource for self-harm urges — free, confidential, 24/7, serving callers in emotional distress as well as acute suicidal crisis; SAMHSA helpline (1-800-662-4357) for connecting to local treatment. SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) can also connect you with local treatment options, free and confidential. You don't have to know what kind of help you need — the people at these lines will help you figure that out.