Mental Health Helplines and Crisis Support banner – Aspie Answers

Mental Health Helplines & Crisis Support

A calm directory to find urgent support options, helplines, chat/text services, and safety resources — for New Zealand and worldwide.

Safety first (if you or someone with you is not safe)

If you’re in immediate danger, or you cannot stay safe, use your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department if you can.

Where you are What to do
New Zealand Call 111 (Police / Ambulance / Fire)
Many countries Call 112 (works in many regions / mobiles)
UK / Ireland Call 999 (or 112)
USA / Canada Call 911
Tip: If your brain is foggy, try searching a single word like “text”, “NZ”, “youth”, or “safety plan”. You can also skim the headings and open only what you need today.

If You Are in Immediate Danger

First steps when you or someone with you is not safe.
Open quick steps

Trust your instincts. If things feel unsafe, it is okay to reach out for urgent help — even if you are not sure whether it “counts” as an emergency.

If you can: move to a safer space, stay with someone you trust, keep your phone nearby, and call emergency services or your local crisis line.

If you’re supporting someone: stay calm, keep language simple, remove immediate risks if safe to do so, and seek urgent help.

Global Crisis Helplines

Worldwide starting points with phone, text or chat support.
Overview
Where to Get Help — Mental Health Support
A gentle overview of crisis options, how to reach out, and what to expect when you contact a helpline.
Worldwide
Global Mental Health & Crisis Directory — Main Hub
Links to international crisis lines, suicide prevention resources, and regional helpline directories.
Suicide prevention
Suicide Prevention Helplines — Worldwide
A-Z style directory of suicide and self-harm crisis numbers and chat services across countries.
Online chat
Global Crisis Chat & Text Support
Online chat, messaging and text services for people who cannot (or do not want to) speak on the phone.
Support groups
Online & Local Support Groups
Peer support options that help with connection and care after the crisis moment has passed.
Glossary
Crisis & Safety — Terms Explained
Plain-language explanations for words you might see on crisis websites (triage, referral, safety plan, etc.).

Online Chat, Text & Apps

For when speaking out loud feels too hard.
Chat & text
Crisis Chat & Text Services — Overview
A directory-style hub for chat, SMS and message-based support options (global + country pages).
Apps
Mental Health Tools, Apps & Where to Get Help
Curated tools that can sit alongside real-life support (grounding, safety planning, coping prompts).
Calm tools
Grounding & Calming — Quick Tools
Short grounding ideas for the next 5 minutes — breathing, senses, naming, muscle release, hydration.

Youth & Students

Support designed for children, teens and young adults.
Youth
Youth & Teen Crisis Support — Global
A hub for youth-friendly crisis supports, including text/chat, school supports, and parent options.
Students
Student & Campus Support Options
Where to get help through schools, universities, student health, counsellors and wellbeing teams.
Safety
What to Do if I Feel Unsafe (Step-by-Step)
A simple plan: who to contact, where to go, what to say, and what to do in the next 10 minutes.

New Zealand — Crisis & Mental Health Support

Local supports for Aotearoa / New Zealand.
NZ directory
New Zealand Crisis & Mental Health Directory (Expanded)
National and regional crisis lines, text services, online chat, and local emergency options in NZ.
Youth & whānau
Youth, Whānau & Family Support — NZ
Support options for rangatahi, parents, carers, whānau-based services, and culturally safe supports.
Community
Community & ND-Friendly Services — NZ
Community services with a focus on neurodivergent and disability-friendly supports.

Safety Plans, Calm Corners & After-Crisis Support

For the hours, days and weeks after the peak of the crisis.
Safety plans
Safety Plan Worksheets & Cue Cards
Printable sheets to list warning signs, safe people, coping tools and next steps.
Calm corner
Grounding & Calming — Toolkit & Colouring
Breathing exercises, grounding prompts and calming colouring pages to help you come back slowly.
After-care
After-Crisis Reflection & Support Ideas
Gentle questions and supports to process what happened and plan extra care for the next days.
Abuse & violence
Violence, Abuse & Safety Support
Urgent safety supports and next steps if you’re experiencing family violence, coercion or sexual harm.