Texters who use Crisis Text Line (CTL) describe being in a variety of states, from feeling down to having thoughts of suicide. They are racially diverse and CTL is often the sole source of crisis help for many.
We analyzed the 1.4 million conversations that took place in 2020 to see how mental health issues like anxiety, depression and grief shifted in conversation trends. We also looked at how texters perceived the CCs as helpful and genuine.
What is the Crisis Text Line?
Crisis text lines allow individuals to reach out through text messaging when they are in a mental health crisis. Trained counselors respond to the individual’s messages, providing support and connecting them with additional resources.
Volunteer Crisis Counselors undergo extensive training before they are matched with a texter in need of assistance. This allows the volunteers to offer empathetic support and guidance through a text-based conversation. The volunteer CCs also assess their conversations with texters to gauge their effectiveness.
The research team’s study focuses on the effectiveness of CTL, the largest provider of free and confidential text-based crisis counseling in the United States. It also aims to determine the extent to which texters report feeling less suicidal, more hopeful, and more supported at the end of their CC’s conversation. It will also examine the relationship between these outcomes and texters’ personal characteristics and perceptions of their CCs’ genuine concern.
What are the Signs of a Mental Health Crisis?
It’s important to recognize warning signs and be able to respond quickly to someone experiencing a mental health crisis. These signs can vary from person to person and may present themselves in a variety of ways.
During a mental health crisis, an individual may exhibit uncharacteristic behaviors, extreme emotions, or unpredictable actions that could put them at risk of harming themselves or others. These heightened states of distress are called a mental health emergency, and they can occur in anyone, regardless of whether they have a diagnosed mental illness.
If a loved one is in crisis, the first step should be to remove them from any triggering environment, provide safe space to talk through their feelings, and encourage them to call or save a suicide hotline in their phone. It’s also helpful to stay calm, avoid overstimulating the person, and give them time to talk through their emotions without being interrupted or judged. It’s also important to help them find professional help, like a therapist or mental health crisis team, as soon as possible.
How Can I Get Help?
There are many ways to get help with a mental health crisis. You can call 911 for life-threatening situations or walk-in crisis services (sometimes called walk-in clinics) that specialize in immediate psychiatric care and may be able to help manage a situation without the need for hospitalization.
You can also contact a crisis hotline or 211 for free, confidential emergency counseling by phone or text, or live online chat. These resources can also help you locate longer-term mental health treatment options.
In the US, Crisis Text Line is the largest free text-based crisis intervention service, and has had over 8 million conversations with people in need—all de-identified and anonymized to preserve confidentiality. The organization is a tech-forward, not-for-profit that was founded with the belief that everyone deserves access to support that centers on empathy.
What if I Can’t Get Help?
Busy schedules, work, family and responsibilities can often cause people to feel overwhelmed. It’s important to remember that help is available for anyone in crisis. A new text line provides free support for people who may not be able to reach out to loved ones or other crisis lines.
Text REACH to 741 741 from anywhere in the United States to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor. It’s available 24/7 for people struggling with any type of crisis.
For young people of color, The Steve Fund has created a special keyword “STEVE” to connect them with a counselor.
You can also contact 911 and ask for emergency responders with Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training. They will be less likely to arrest or restrain someone in a mental health crisis and will know how to handle the situation better. Make sure your loved one has a list of community resources and their doctor’s contact information so they can access help when needed.