Mental health resources

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Being ‘healthy’ and being ‘sick’ always seems to be associated with your physical state - never your mental wellbeing. 

WHY?!

I feel like that’s one of the reasons it’s so taboo to talk about mental health; we literally don’t know how to have those conversations. We’re brought up thinking that the only type of health is physical health, that the only time you’re sick is when you’re physically ill. It’s never, “oh they’re having a bad mental health day.” It’s, “they must be crazy.” 

Knowing what I know now, it seems so obvious that your mental health can exist on a spectrum - sometimes you’re good, and sometimes you’re not. 

Say you have a cold, it doesn’t mean you’re permanently sick or damaged. We don’t beat ourselves up because we got the flu, we don’t hide it from other people and feel ashamed like, “HOW DARE our body take time to recover from a virus! The audacity! I should just drink green tea and meditate. Maybe journal. And while I’m at it, how weak am I for taking medications!? I should be able to recover from this nasty flu by sheer will! F*ck Advil!” 

So here’s the deal. World Mental Health Day was earlier this month. and even though there’s a day for every single niche thing now; it’s important to say this message louder for the people in the back.

Mental health and physical health are equally important. 

But the solution for mental health issues is to just tough it out. 

No one wants to identify as having a mental illness because think of the words we use to describe it; they’re crazy. Weird. Mental. Psycho. Unhinged. A freak. 

For physical illness it’s just this - you’re sick. 

It’s the exact same thing for both though - you’re sick. And you need help. 

The only difference between getting help when you’re physically ill and mentally ill is the stigma surrounding mental health. And how sad is that? That so many people are struggling just because they’re scared of being seen as crazy. That people don’t get the education they need to learn what to do if someone approaches them with mental health. If something is unknown to us it’s easier to label it as evil or weird and ignore it.

I don’t think it’s enough to just say, you’re so strong and you can do it - you wouldn’t say that to someone who just broke their leg and walk away without giving them a cast.

Here are some resources you can use to reach out to for help. 

Accepting help is brave - Hotlines/crisis lines

Source: Mental Illness Mouse // via The healing nest

Depression:

  • Suicide Hotline: 1-800-SUICIDE (2433) – Can use in US, U.K., Canada and Singapore

  • Suicide Crisis Line: 1-800-999-9999

  • National Suicide Prevention Helpline: 1-800-273-TALK (8245)

  • National Adolescent Suicide Helpline: 1-800-621-4000

  • Postpartum Depression: 1-800-PPD-MOMS

  • NDMDA Depression Hotline – Support Group: 1-800-826-3632

  • Veterans: 1-877-VET2VET

  • Crisis Help Line – For Any Kind of Crisis: 1-800-233-4357

  • Suicide & Depression Crisis Line – Covenant House: 1-800-999-9999

  • Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide: (UK only) 0844-561-6855

  • Beyondblue info line: (Australia only) 1300-22-4636

  • 24/7 Crisis Line:(Canada only) 905-522-1477

  • Lifeline Australia: 13-11-14

  • Teléfono de la Esperanza (Spain only) 902 500 002 / 91 459 00 50

Domestic Abuse:

  • National Child Abuse Helpline: 1-800-422-4453

  • National Domestic Violence Crisis Line: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline (TDD): 1-800-787-32324

  • Center for the Prevention of School Violence: 1-800-299-6504

  • Child Abuse Helpline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

  • Domestic Violence Helpline: 1-800-548-2722

  • Healing Woman Foundation (Abuse): 1-800-477-4111

  • Child Abuse Hotline Support & Information: 1-800-792-5200

  • Women’s Aid National Domestic Violence Helpline: (UK Only) 0345 023 468

  • Sexual Abuse Centre: (UK Only) 0117 935 1707

  • Sexual Assault Support (24/7, English & Spanish): 1-800-223-5001

  • Domestic & Teen Dating Violence (English & Spanish: 1-800-992-2600

  • Relationships Australia: 1300-364-277

Alcohol & Drug Abuse:

  • National Association for Children of Alcoholics: 1-888-55-4COAS (1-888-554-2627)

  • National Drug Abuse: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

  • Al-Anon/Alateen Hope & Help for young people who are the relatives & friends of a problem drinker): 1-800-344-2666

  • Alcohol/Drug Abuse Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

  • Be Sober Hotline: 1-800-BE-SOBER (1-800-237-6237)

  • Cocaine Help Line: 1-800-COCAINE (1-800-262-2463)

  • 24 Hour Cocaine Support Line: 1-800-992-9239

  • Ecstasy Addiction: 1-800-468-6933

  • Marijuana Anonymous: 1-800-766-6779

  • Teen Drug Use facts and resources from Southern California Sunrise

Youth & Teen Hotlines:

  • National Youth Crisis Support: 1-800-448-4663

  • Youth America Hotline: 1-877-YOUTHLINE (1-877-968-8454)

  • Covenant House Nine-Line (Teens): 1-800-999-9999

  • Boys Town National: 1-800-448-3000

  • Teen Helpline: 1-800-400-0900

  • TeenLine: 1-800-522-8336

  • Youth Crisis Support: 1-800-448-4663 or 1-800-422-0009

  • Runaway Support (All Calls are Confidential): 800-231-694

  • National Runaway Hotline: (US only) 1800-231-6946

  • Child Helpline: (UK Only) 0800-111

  • Kids Helpline: (Australia) 1800-55-1800

  • Youth to Youth: (UK only) 020-8896-3675

  • Kids Help Phone Canada: 1800-688-6868

  • National Youth Crisis Hotline:(US only) 800-442-442-4673 

Pregnancy Hotlines:

  • Pregnancy Support: 1-800-4-OPTIONS (1-800-467-8466)

  • Pregnancy National Helpline: 1-800-356-5761

  • Young Pregnant Support: 1-800 550-4900

Gay and Lesbian Hotlines:

  • The Trevor Helpline (For homosexuality questions or problems): 1-800-850-8078

  • Gay & Lesbian National Support: 1-888-THE-GLNH (1-888-843-4564)

  • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Youth Support Line: 1-800-850-8078

  • Lesbian & Gay Switchboard: (UK Only) 0121 622 6589

  • Lothian Gay & Lesbian Switchboard – Scotland: (Scotland Only) 0131 556 4049

Other Hotlines:

  • Self-Injury Support: 1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288) (www.selfinjury.com)

  • Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention: 1-800-931-2237 (Hours: 8am-noon daily, PST)

  • Eating Disorders Center: 1-888-236-1188

  • Help Finding a Therapist: 1-800-THERAPIST (1-800-843-7274)

  • Panic Disorder Information and Support: 1-800-64-PANIC (1-800-647-2642)

  • TalkZone (Peer Counselors): 1-800-475-TALK (1-800-475-2855)

  • Parental Stress Hotline: 1-800-632-8188

  • Parent Help Line (Australia only): 1300-364-100

  • National AIDS Helpline: (UK Only) 0800 567 123

  • Mensline Australia: 1300-789-978

  • Beat - ED hotline: Helpline 0345 634 1414 Youthline 0345 634 7650 (UK only)

Want a country by country list? Here are some more resources: helplines

The following sites also provides a country by country list of helplines available: 


Accepting help is BRAVE. Mental illness is real.

Kate Farrell