If You Need It

Some of the stories advertised on this site deal with PTSD, combat trauma, violence against women, and harassment, and with the long road toward healing that follows. If that hits close to home, please know you are not alone, and you don’t have to carry it by yourself.

These services are free and confidential.

IF YOU’RE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER, call your local emergency number (911 in the US and Canada, 999 or 112 in Ireland and the UK, 000 in Australia).

UNITED STATES

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24/7 mentalhealthhotline
• Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988 then press 1, text 838255, or chat online with a VA responder. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. militaryonesourceva
• The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ young people under 25): text ‘START’ to 678-678, or call 1-866-488-7386
  thetrevorproject
• Trans Lifeline: a peer support phone service run by trans people for trans and questioning peers, US (877) 565-8860 translifeline
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: call 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788 thehotline.org
• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: call 800-656-4673, or text HOPE to 64673 rainn.org

IRELAND

• Samaritans: freephone 116 123, available 24 hours a day hse
• Pieta: freephone the 24-hour crisis helpline at 1800-247-247 or text ‘HELP’ to 51444 pieta
• ONE (Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel): support for Defence Forces veterans. It offers professional counselling for mental health support resulting from service, and a 24/7 mental health helpline delivered in partnership with Laya Spectrum. one-veterans.org
• LGBT Ireland Helpline: freephone 1800-929-539 lgbt.ie
• Women’s Aid: 24-hour freephone helpline 1800-656-4673 womensaid.ie
• Rape Crisis Helpline: freephone 1800-77-8888, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year drcc.ie

UNITED KINGDOM

• Samaritans: 116 123, 24/7
• Combat Stress: free helpline 0800 138 1619, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; text 07537 173683 combatstress
• Op COURAGE (England): a free NHS mental health service for serving personnel due to leave the military, reservists, Armed Forces veterans and their families. VCHA
• Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline: 0800 0119 100, open 10am to 10pm every day switchboard
• National Domestic Abuse Helpline: freephone 0808 2000 247, 24/7 refuge
• Rape Crisis England & Wales: free on 0808 500 2222, 24 hours a day crisis

CANADA

• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8, 24/7 988
• VAC Assistance Service: free and confidential psychological support, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for all Veterans, former RCMP members, their families, and caregivers. Toll-free: 1-800-268-7708 VAC
• Trans Lifeline: Canada (877) 330-6366 translifeline
• ShelterSafe

AUSTRALIA

• Lifeline: call 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14, or chat online healthdirect
• Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: call 24/7 on 1800 011 046 OpenArms
• QLife (LGBTIQ+ peer support): call 1800 184 527 or chat online, 7 days a week, 3pm to 9pm QLife
• 1800RESPECT: call 1800 737 732, or text 0458 737 732, 24/7 1800Respect