STARThe World We Render

Crisis and trauma support

Find the right kind of help.

Official resources for immediate danger, emotional crisis, trauma, abuse, and ongoing mental-health support.

Immediate dangerCall emergency help nowOverwhelmed, but safeConnect with a crisis counsellorSpecialized helpFind the right kind of support

Immediate danger · United States

If you may act on thoughts of suicide or harm, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department now.

If you can, tell another person plainly: “I am not safe alone right now.” Ask them to stay with you and help make the space safer.

Not in the U.S.? In Canada, call or text 988. Elsewhere, find a verified local helpline.

Do not use a reflection tool when

The process itself is no longer helping you slow down.

These signs do not diagnose anything. They mean another person and professional judgment should enter the room.

  • You are thinking about suicide, self-harm, or harming someone else.
  • You have slept very little but do not feel tired, your thoughts are racing, or you feel driven toward unusually large, risky, or irreversible actions.
  • You feel watched, commanded, unusually powerful, or certain of things that people you trust cannot verify.
  • You are hearing or seeing things others do not, are suddenly confused, or cannot make sense when you speak.
  • A flashback, panic, dissociation, or traumatic memory is making it hard to tell what is happening now.

Keep the next steps small

  1. 01
    Stop the analysis.

    Close the tool or book. You do not need to finish the thought.

  2. 02
    Bring in a person.

    Call someone you trust, your care team, a crisis line, or emergency services. Ask them to stay with you.

  3. 03
    Delay irreversible action.

    Do not make major decisions, confront someone, drive, spend heavily, or publish while the world is moving this quickly.

  4. 04
    Return only when steadier.

    STAR is optional. Sleep, safety, food, medication as prescribed, and human support come first.

Verified resources

United States

Start with the kind of help you need. A crisis line is for this moment; a referral line helps you find ongoing care.

988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988, or chat online · free and confidential · 24/7SAMHSA National HelplineCall 1-800-662-4357 for mental-health and substance-use treatment referrals · English and Spanish · 24/7Veterans Crisis LineDial 988 then press 1, or text 838255 · for veterans, service members, and those who support them · 24/7Disaster Distress HelplineCall or text 1-800-985-5990 for distress related to natural or human-caused disasters · 24/7RAINN National Sexual Assault HotlineCall 800-656-HOPE (4673), text HOPE to 64673, or chat online · confidential · 24/7National Domestic Violence HotlineCall 800-799-SAFE (7233), text START to 88788, or chat online · 24/7

If someone may monitor your device, use a safer phone or computer when possible. The National Domestic Violence Hotline explains safer browsing on its website.

NAMI HelpLineInformation, resource referral, and peer support—not a crisis line · 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) · Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET

Verified resources

Canada

9-8-8 Suicide Crisis HelplineCall or text 988 · 24/7 · English and French211 CanadaFree, confidential local mental-health and social-service navigation in most of CanadaKids Help PhoneCall 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 · 24/7Hope for Wellness HelplineFor Indigenous people across Canada · 1-855-242-3310 · 24/7Family violence and trauma servicesOfficial Canada-wide directories and specialized support

Outside the U.S. and Canada

Find the right service where you are.

Find A HelplineVerified crisis and emotional-support services in 175+ countries

Resource details verified August 6, 2026. STAR does not provide crisis counselling, diagnosis, treatment, or emergency response.