Act on immediate safety
An overdose, severe withdrawal, serious physical symptoms, immediate risk of violence, or an inability to stay safe requires urgent local assessment. A retreat booking or a routine admissions call is not an emergency response. If it is safe to do so, stay with a trusted person while arranging help.
United States
Call or text 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or use the official website’s chat service. For immediate danger or a medical emergency, call 911. 988 official website. [1]
United Kingdom and Ireland
Samaritans offers listening support on 116 123. For immediate danger, use 999 or 112. In England, NHS 111 offers an urgent mental health option; service arrangements elsewhere in the UK differ. Contact Samaritans. [2] [3]
Spain
Call 024 for the national suicide-support line, including support for relatives and loved ones. For an emergency, call 112. Spanish Ministry of Health: 024. [4]
Other locations
Use the local emergency number for immediate danger. For non-emergency crisis support, the international directory Find A Helpline can help identify services by country. Availability and language support vary; confirm details directly. [5]
For someone supporting another person
You do not need to solve a diagnosis before seeking urgent help. Describe what you have observed and what makes the situation unsafe. Protect your own safety. If someone is in immediate danger, do not rely on a promise to cope alone or wait for a future private appointment.
Sources and further reading
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- Samaritans: Contact a Samaritan
- NHS: Where to get urgent help for mental health
- Spanish Ministry of Health: Line 024
- Find A Helpline: International support directory
Sources consulted for this draft on 21 September 2026. Source publication dates vary. Reflection prompts are editorial suggestions, not validated diagnostic tools. Source organisations do not endorse this website or the programmes described here.