Mental Health: Supporting Someone
Author: Dr. Vrolijk | Updated: August 23, 2025 | Disclaimer | Review Process | References
Supporting someone through mental health challenges can be challenging. It’s not always clear what to say or do.
The resources below helps you know when someone is in crisis and what to do, day-to-day ways to help that actually make a difference, and tips for bringing up your concerns without pushing them away.
On This Page:
Get Help Right Now
Call 988 • Text 988 • Chat 988 • Call 911 • Go to Emergency Room
More Free, Confidential Hotlines
Trevor Project (Ages 13 – 24)
- Call 866-488-7386
- Text “start” to 678678
- Chat online at TrevorProject.org
Trans Lifeline
- Call 877-565-8860 in the US
- Call 877-330-6366 in Canada
- Website: Trans Lifeline
LGBT National Lifeline
- Call 888-843-4564
- Coming out support line 888-688-5428
- Youth talkline 800-246-7743
- Senior hotline 888-234-7243
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 2pm-11pm ET
- Sat 12-5pm ET
National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Call 800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Text “start” to 88788
- Chat online at theHotline.org
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
- Call 800-656-HOPE
- Text “hope” to 64673
- Chat online at rainn.org
- Message on WhatsApp
Veterans Crisis Line
- Call 988 then press 1
- Text 838255
- Chat online VeteransCrisisLine.net
During a Mental Health Crisis
A mental health crisis is when someone’s actions or what they’re about to do might:
- Might hurt themselves
- Someone else
- Can’t take care of basic needs like eating or drinking water
Is It an Emergency?
If they are a danger to themselves or others right now – Call 911
If you need help but it’s not an emergency – Reach out for help at a hotline like 988. You can call for support in helping the person in crisis.
Ways to Support
Everyone is different, so some of these tools might be more helpful than others. Some things you can try include:
- Offer to sit with them
- Ask if there are immediate tasks that you can help coordinate (like childcare, walking the dog, etc.)
- Help them call a hotline if they want
Day to Day Support
Often the biggest help you can provide is listening without judgement. You can also ask what would best help them. Some other things you can do include:
- Help with practical tasks when needed
- Learn about their condition or experience
- Support their treatment plan (if they have one)
- Celebrate wins, even small achievements
Help Talking about Hard Topics
You might need to have a hard conversation. For example, you might want to tell them you’re worried or have a concern. Some helpful ways to approach this include:
- Use “I” statements: “I’m concerned about you” instead of “You need help”
- Be specific: “I noticed you haven’t been sleeping” rather than general worries
- Ask what would help: “What kind of support would you find helpful?”
- Focus on behaviors: Describe what you’ve observed rather than making diagnoses
What to Read Next
All of Our Pages on Mental Health
Resources We Used
Clinical experience from multiple clinicians
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