In light of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spades’ suicides, both discussion of suicide and calls to suicide hotlines have peaked. I have heard some people share that when they call the National Suicide Hotline (800-273-8255), they are put on hold. If you do not want to wait, there are alternate suicide hotline numbers that are local/state-wide or population-specific that can be more accessible since they are targeted to a smaller population.
For example, for people who are local to Southern California, an alternate suicide hotline number that is more accessible is Didi Hirsch’s Suicide Hotline: (877) 727-4747. It’s specifically to serve Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside and Imperial Counties, which is why it’s less in demand. Their counselors are very well trained and they spend a good amount of time with you. I have received training from Didi Hirsch and am very familiar with this organization so I highly recommend them.
There are also population-specific hotlines, like for Asian Americans, LGBTQ youth, veterans, kids, teens, and families, phone lines in Spanish and other languages, and there are texting hotlines. I’ve pasted a few below.
I’ve listed the most prominent ones below:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
📞 800-273-TALK (8255)
📞 TTY: 800-799-4TTY (4889)
Crisis Text Line
https://www.crisistextline.org/how-it-works
Text 741741
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crisistextline
Lifeline Crisis Chat
http://www.crisischat.org
1:1 Online Chat: http://www.crisischat.org/chat (12:00 pm – 12:00 am EST)
IMAlive Crisis Chat
https://www.imalive.org
Red para la Prevención del Suicidio USA
📞 888-628-9454
Se Habla Español 24/7
Spanish-Speaking Suicide Hotline USA
📞800-SUICIDA (784-2432) Suicida.Hotline
Se Habla Español
Suicide Hotline in Spanish USA
📞800-273-TALK (8255), Press 2
Se Habla Español 24/7
Asian American Suicide Prevention and Education
http://www.aaspe.net
📞 877-990-8585 (Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, and Fujianese)
Boys Town Suicide and Crisis Line (for teens/parents/families)
http://www.boystown.org/national-hotline
📞 800-448-3000
Text, Chat Email: http://www.yourlifeyourvoice.org/Pages/ways-to-get-help.aspx
Vet2Vet Veterans Crisis Hotline
http://www.yourlifecounts.org/crisis-line/vet2vet-veteran%E2%80%99s-crisis-line
📞 1-877-VET-2-VET (838-2838)
Veterans Crisis Line USA
📞800-273-TALK (8255), press 1
New Hope Now USA
📞714-NEW-HOPE (639-4673)
Postpartum Depression Hotline USA
📞800-PPD-MOMS (773-6667)
Kids Helpline USA
📞1-877-KIDS-400
Kids under 18
Teen to Teen Peer Counseling Hotline USA
📞877-YOUTHLINE (968-8454)
The Trevor Project USA: LGBTQ Youth 24/7
📞866-4-U-TREVOR (488-7386)
Your Life Your Voice USA
📞800-448-3000 YLYV Teens/Youth Phone 24/7
Live Chat Mondays – Thursdays 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm CST / Email
More lists are here: http://suicideprevention.wikia.com/wiki/USA
For state/county-specific hotlines and non-U.S. hotlines: http://suicide.org/suicide-hotlines.html
If you are struggling, please reach out! Help is there, even if it doesn’t seem that way.
Please share! You may never know who you will help with this information.
You can also view my TEDx talk which discusses my history of suicide, subsequent recovery, and lessons that we can ALL learn here: https://youtu.be/GVkL3glwL8g