Where to Get Help – Mental Health
Your calm starting point for reaching out
Reaching out for help can feel scary, confusing, or exhausting—especially if you’ve had mixed experiences with services before. This page gathers a small, carefully chosen mix of options so you can explore at your own pace: crisis lines, global directories, text and chat support, and spaces for ongoing care.
It isn’t a full world directory (those live in the Support & Directories Hub), but it is a gentle place to start, bookmark, and come back to when you’re ready.
If you’re in immediate danger or feeling unsafe
Crisis & emergency supportIf you or someone else is in immediate danger
If there is a risk of serious harm, please contact your local emergency number right away (for example 111, 999, or 911 depending on where you live).
- Give as much information as you can about what’s happening and where you are.
- If speaking is hard, ask someone you trust to call on your behalf if possible.
- Stay on the line until the operator says you can hang up.
Find a crisis line in your country
If you’re not sure which number to use, you can search by country to find helplines, text support, and online chat options.
- Use a trusted global directory (for example: Find a Helpline).
- Most countries have at least one free, confidential crisis line.
- You usually don’t need a diagnosis to reach out—feeling unsafe is enough.
Helplines, text & chat support
When you need someone to listenGeneral mental health helplines
Many regions offer phone lines where you can talk with a trained listener about stress, anxiety, low mood, or feeling overwhelmed.
- Call when you’re struggling and want to hear a human voice.
- You don’t have to be “in crisis enough” to reach out.
- Most lines are confidential and can be used more than once.
Text-based crisis & support services
If speaking out loud is hard, text or online chat can feel safer or less intense—especially for autistic or anxious brains.
- Look for SMS, WhatsApp, or webchat options in your country.
- Great if you’re masking in public, at work, or at school.
- Helpful for people who find phone calls overwhelming.
Peer-led lines & warm lines
Some services are run by people with lived experience, offering “warm line” support for when you’re struggling but not in immediate crisis.
- Often focused on listening, validation, and lived-experience support.
- Can be a good bridge between coping alone and formal services.
- Check local mental health organisations for options near you.
Global directories & world-wide hubs
Finding support beyond one pageGlobal Mental Health Directory – Main Hub
A growing collection of mental health supports, services, helplines, and ND-affirming organisations worldwide.
- Open the Global Mental Health Directory →
- Browse by country or region.
- Look for supports that match your needs (youth, adults, families, etc.).
Worldwide Support & Directories Hub
Your central home for autism, ADHD, mental health, and ND-friendly supports around the world.
- Go to Worldwide Support & Directories Hub →
- Jump between autism, ADHD, and mental health directories.
- Great bookmark for families, professionals, and self-advocates.
Autism & ADHD Global Directories
For people whose mental health is closely tied to autism, ADHD, and other forms of neurodivergence, these directories highlight ND-aware supports.
- Autism Worldwide Directory – Main Hub
- ADHD Global Directory – Worldwide Support
- Browse by region to find ND-affirming options near you.
Ongoing care, therapy & support teams
Beyond the crisis momentGPs, psychiatrists & mental health teams
A trusted GP or mental health professional can help you explore options like therapy, medication, and local supports.
- Book a longer appointment if you can, so you don’t feel rushed.
- Bring notes, symptom trackers, or a support person if that helps.
- It’s okay to ask questions and to seek a second opinion.
Therapists, counsellors & support groups
Different approaches work for different brains—CBT, ACT, trauma-informed therapy, ND-affirming counselling, and more.
- Look for ND-friendly or trauma-informed in their bio if that matters to you.
- Ask about costs, funding, online vs in-person, and wait times.
- Support groups (online or local) can complement 1:1 therapy.
Community, peer & lived-experience spaces
Sometimes what we need most is not a diagnosis, but connection with people who “get it” through lived experience.
- Peer groups, ND communities, and lived-experience networks.
- Online forums, Discord spaces, or moderated social media groups.
- Always check safety rules and moderation before sharing personal details.
Support for specific groups
Because one size doesn’t fit allChildren, teens & young adults
Youth-specific services can feel more approachable and better matched to school, family, and identity challenges.
- Visit the Youth & Teens Mental Health Hub →
- Youth helplines, text lines, and youth-focused clinics.
- School counsellors, guidance staff, or youth workers.
Parents, carers & supportive adults
It’s okay for parents and carers to seek support for themselves too—burnout and worry are heavy to carry alone.
- Go to Parents & Carers Mental Health Hub →
- Parent helplines and caregiver support services.
- Workshops, guides, and ND-friendly parenting tools.
LGBTQIA+, disabled & other marginalised communities
Being part of a marginalised community can affect mental health and how safe support feels. Identity-safe services matter.
- LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Hub
- Hidden Disabilities & Invisible Challenges Hub
- Look for services that clearly name your community and values.
Gentle next steps & self-support
For when you’re not ready to reach out yetIf all you can do today is read this page
That already counts as a step. Exploring information, saving links, or planning to reach out later is still progress.
- Bookmark one or two services that felt “okay-ish” or possible.
- Write down questions or worries you’d like to ask a support person.
- Share this page with someone you trust if you’d like them to help.
Mental health tools, apps & worksheets
Sometimes we need something practical to hold onto while we wait for services or recover from a hard day.
- Visit Mental Health Tools & Apps →
- Open the Worksheets & Tools Hub →
- Use these alongside, not instead of, crisis or medical support.
A quick reminder before you leave
Needing help does not make you weak, broken, or “too much”. It makes you human. You are allowed to take up space, ask questions, and try more than one doorway until you find support that feels right for you.
- Save this page somewhere easy to find again.
- Reach out to one person or service from this list when you’re ready.
- Come back and update your plan as your needs change.