Depression Hotlines

Many depression hotlines are available for you to call right now. Don't be alone with your thoughts and feelings any longer, there is help for you.

Help is only a phone call away!

Depression hotlines usually have trained counselors ready at a phone center to take your call. You can call any day of the week, at any time during the day or night. These counselors will take as much time as you need to talk about what you are going through. They are skilled at helping you through problems and making you feel better about your situation. Depression is a lonely mental illness, sometimes you feel like no one understands or cares about how you are doing. These people do understand and care about you; they want to help you get through this tough time.

After calling one of these support centers, the counselor may refer you to additional help. Crisis intervention is helpful. but you may have some residual effects from the crisis that require follow up. Since you won't be able to call back the same counselor, it may be a good idea to find one locally so you can start therapy. If you are not comfortable with therapy, you can always call a crisis center again for more support if you need it. Don't ever think you can't call a support center more than once!

If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, there is no question as to whether or not you should call a depression hotline. If you are not having suicidal thoughts, you may wonder if how you feel warrants a crisis call. It doesn't hurt to call, and it doesn't cost anything, so pick up the phone and make the call. No one will judge you, and you won't feel like you are wasting anyone's time with your problems. Many of the counselors are volunteers, so they do this because they enjoy helping others, not because they are being paid to do it.

Some support centers have e-mail available. You can send a message through the website or send an e-mail to the address provided. A trained professional will usually answer your e-mail within the timeframe the website indicates.

E-mail depression hotlines are great for non-urgent situations. If you have an ongoing problem and you don't need immediate assistance, an e-mail may work for you. However, if you are going through a crisis, a phone call can help you right when you need it.

Another precaution with e-mail is that it is not as confidential as using the phone. You never know who may read your e-mail, and that person may not be under the same confidentiality agreement as a counselor. You also have to be cautious of someone you know reading your e-mail and seeing what you wrote to the support center.

Take a minute to look over the following phone numbers for crisis support. All of them are toll free numbers. This means you don't have to pay for the call, and it will not show up on your phone bill.

• Suicide Hotline

1-800-SUICIDE

• National Suicide Prevention Helpline

1-800-273-TALK

• National Adolescent Suicide Hotline

1-800-621-4000

• Postpartum Depression

1-800-PPD-MOMS

• Veterans

1-877-VET2VET

• United Way Helpline

1-800-233-HELP

• Youth America Hotline

1-877-YOUTHLINE (1-877-968-8454)

• Covenant House Nine-Line (Teens)

1-800-999-9999

• The Trevor Helpline (For homosexuality questions or problems)

1-800-850-8078 If you are looking for an e-mail depression hotline or local support numbers to call, go to the Befrienders Worldwide website.

Don't wait to see if you will get over what you are going through right now. You don't have to do this on your own. The first step in feeling better is picking up the phone and calling one of the above numbers. Reach out and accept help from someone that will listen and understand.

• Body Language Signs of Lying
• Compulsive Lying in Children
• Smoking Withdrawal Symptoms
• Depression Quiz
• Am I an Alcoholic

• Causes of Drug Addiction
• Drug Addiction Poems
• Treatment for Compulsive Lying
• Short Term Effects of Smoking Crystal Meth
• Depression: Celexa vs Paxil

• Clinical Signs of Depression in Teenage Girls
• Beck Depression Inventory
• Cornell Depression Scale
• Symptoms of Depression
• Anxiety and Depression