The Crisis Text Line is a free, confidential mental health texting service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Available across the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the UK, the Crisis Text Line provides mental health support by text message. It is a nonprofit organization that helps people in pain, promotes mental well-being, and reaches underserved demographics.
Helps people in pain
A crisis text line is just what the name implies. They’re run by mental health centers and usually operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It’s a convenient way to get support, especially if your feelings are more than your usual stress levels. You can ask for advice on how to best help yourself or others.
The best part about the experience is that it’s free. The most notable drawback is that there are times when the counselors aren’t available, but it’s rare. One of the best parts of this service is that the counselors are trained to deal with these situations. During one particularly bad breakup, a counselor actually dispatched emergency services to the scene to make sure a victim was safe and sound.
Reached underserved demographics
The Crisis Text Line (CTL) is a national organization that provides rapid-response counseling via texting for people experiencing a mental health crisis. Their mission is to reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts in the United States. This is done by recruiting volunteer Crisis Counselors (CCs) and providing close clinical supervision.
CTL’s research shows that people with a higher level of depression or anxiety texted with the line more often. In addition, people who text with CTL are more likely to have thoughts of suicide. They are also more likely to text multiple times in a single crisis.
The CTL’s data reveals that most texters who contact them are young and women. They are predominantly ethnic minorities, including Hispanic, Black, Asian, and other non-White individuals.
Four times more likely to be read than e-mails
The Crisis Text Line is the largest crisis texting service in the United States. To date, the line has logged a whopping 56 million text messages from folks in need of help. And the organization boasts a whopping 3,700 active counselors on hand to help. Aside from its texting services, the organization has a wealth of other services to help those in need. Whether you are in a crisis or just looking for a change of pace, the organization has got you covered. From free resources like their online chat line to a wide selection of books and DVDs, the organization offers an array of options to help you on your road to recovery. Hopefully, the organization can continue to expand its offerings as time goes on.
Free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention in English and Spanish
If you are looking for free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention in English and Spanish, you should consider Crisis Text Line. Crisis Text Line connects people in need to volunteer Crisis Counselors. It has helped over six million people in crisis.
Whether you’re dealing with an anxiety disorder, a suicidal episode, or a serious relationship issue, the counselors on Crisis Text Line are here to help. They’ll listen with compassion and respect. Their goal is to help you move from the hot moment to the cool calm.
Crisis Text Line recently launched a new service for Spanish speakers. The program offers free, 24-hour crisis support and intervention to anyone in the United States.
For veterans, the Red Nacional de Prevencion del Suicidio and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as Veterans Crisis Line) provides free, confidential services 24 hours a day. Press two for immediate connection to a trained counselor.
Promotes mental well-being
One of the newer and better ways to promote mental health is through a text-based support service. The Crisis Text Line is a free, 24-hour, multilingual service that offers help and information to people in crisis.
Founded in August 2013, the service is a national nonprofit with more than 1,800 trained volunteer crisis counselors. They use active listening, collaborative problem solving, and safety planning to provide support. Using the Crisis Text Line is a great way to get help and advice if you are dealing with a mental health issue or suicidal thoughts.
In addition to the text line, the state of New York has also stepped up its game in the mental health department. It announced the launch of a training initiative designed to reduce stress and identify individuals at risk for suicide.