For people in crisis, a text line is an accessible resource. To connect with a counselor, text BRAVE to 741741.
Then, you’ll be connected with a trained crisis volunteer who will help de-escalate your situation and offer resources. They can even help you create a safety plan. They’ll be there to listen and support you, 24/7.
Getting Help
If you need help right away, text STEVE to 741741 and a trained Crisis Counselor will respond. This service is especially for young people of color, and is designed to fill a critical gap in existing mental health services.
The goal of the conversation is to get you to a calm, safe place. Sometimes that means providing you with resources to seek further help, and other times it just means being there and listening. The conversation can last as long as you need it to.
The research team analyzed anonymized and de-identified CC reports and voluntary texter surveys from crisis chats that had more than 10 messages initiated by the texter. The researchers found that texters perceived their CCs to be genuinely concerned about them and that the conversations were effective in helping them to feel less suicidal at the end of the talk. These findings are important in light of the launch of a nationwide three-digit number (988) for suicide prevention and mental health crisis support that will include texting.
Texting for Support
Helplines, also known as hotlines or crisis lines, provide immediate support and emotional assistance – free of charge. These services are often accessible 24/7 through phone, text or online chat and offer a safe, nonjudgmental place to talk through difficult emotions or experiences.
Crisis Text Line is a free, 24-hour service that connects individuals in crisis to trained volunteers through text message. It was founded in 2013 and is the largest provider of crisis text-based interventions in the United States.
A recent study examined the effectiveness of CTL’s service and found that it reduced suicidal thoughts in nearly half of its suicide-related conversation partners at the time of the intervention, a clinically meaningful reduction in risk. It also found that texters who perceived their CCs as caring were more likely to find the conversations helpful and hopeful, even after controlling for other factors. This is the first study of its kind to examine this aspect of the service’s effectiveness and provides valuable insight into the importance of person-centered care.
Texting a Friend
Whether someone you know is feeling down or has a mental health crisis, you can help them get support by encouraging them to text HOME to 741741. This free service connects people in the United States with a trained Crisis Counselor. It takes less than five minutes to be connected. You can also try the Jason Foundation’s A Friend Asks app (Android, iOS).
Our research shows that for many suicidal texters, Crisis Text Line reduces suicidal thoughts and behaviors—a clinically meaningful accomplishment. But it’s not a replacement for professional medical care.
If you know a young person who is struggling, share that they can text STEVE to 741741 for support from a trained Crisis Counselor. Or tell them about the Steve Fund’s other resources: https://www.thestevefund.org/get-support/. You can also use these posters to help spread the word in schools, hospitals and clinics, or on bulletin boards. They’re available in English and Spanish. They’re easy to print and hang up in a school, a college dorm or any other place.
Texting a Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists can evaluate depression symptoms and help you develop a treatment plan. They can also refer you to other mental health professionals for additional evaluation and treatment. You can find a psychiatrist near you by visiting the American Psychiatric Association website.
Depression can be triggered by a number of factors, including grief and loss, relationship problems, unemployment, financial stress and natural disasters. In addition to treating the symptoms of depression, a psychiatrist can recommend lifestyle changes and medication to improve your mood.
Texters’ perception of CCs’ genuine concern had significant associations with all five effectiveness outcomes, and had the largest effect on the suicidal outcome (Table 3). For example, texters who perceived their CCs as caring were significantly more likely to report that their conversations were helpful, and less likely to report feeling depressed, overwhelmed, or suicidal at the end of their conversation than those who did not perceive their CCs as caring. The impact of these findings was comparable to that seen in Lifeline crisis chat interventions.