How does 988 work?

It can feel incredibly vulnerable to share the deepest and darkest thoughts going on in your head. The Lifeline is a safe space to share without any cost to you. Every call is confidential, and you can remain anonymous if you would like. You can share as much, or as little, as you are comfortable with about your experience.

Language can be a barrier for a lot of people looking for crisis resources. With Lifeline, you can connect with a service that can translate calls in more than 150 languages.

We are here 24/7 to talk via telephone, chat, or text.

You do not have to be contemplating suicide to call the number. We all need emotional support and there are times that life seems unmanageable on our own. Sometimes we just need someone to talk with and help us sort things out.

So, you have decided it is time to contact the line. First off, good for you! It is incredibly hard to take that first step, but you deserve the help. Once you call, you get an automatic message that gives you the option to switch to Spanish or to be transferred to the Veterans Crisis Line, if needed.

Your call will be directed to a local crisis center, usually within 30 seconds. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a network of crisis centers across the country. That way, your counselor can have a better understanding of the resources available in your community.

You will be connected with a trained staff member, professional, or volunteer. These crisis workers are usually not licensed mental health professionals; however, they have received extensive training in how to help people who reach the Lifeline and have clinical staff support available to them.

Your crisis counselor is there to listen to your story and support you. This conversation is for you to talk through everything that you are feeling. Yes, the person on the other side of the line may ask a few questions to get things started, but you get to decide what you feel comfortable sharing. There is no time limit on how long you can talk. There is no script that your counselor follows, and they genuinely want to work with you to help you feel better.

There may be a situation where thoughts about suicide just will not leave your head — no matter how helpful a crisis counselor is. If you are still concerned about hurting yourself, you and your crisis worker will develop a plan that feels right to you. In some cases, that means having someone come to your house to check on you, brainstorming family or friends that can help you, scheduling a call back from your counselor to check-in with you later, etc. In a situation that can feel overwhelming and stressful, they help put the control back into your hands to keep you safe and alive.

We know that a lot of people may be scared to call Lifeline because they are concerned about emergency services coming to their house. We absolutely understand that fear! We have found that 97% of calls/chats/texts to the Lifeline conclude without any emergency service contact. Normally, the crisis worker does everything they can to de-escalate your suicidal thoughts and help you develop a safety plan before considering alternatives.