The Big List of Free Help Hotlines for Depression in 50 Countries (2023 UPDATE)

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Depression is a common mental health problem that affects people at different stages of their lives. It can affect anyone, regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. Depression can also occur during pregnancy, after childbirth, and even in children. There are several ways to treat depression. Some treatments are used alone while others are combined with other treatments. The goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. If you think you might be suffering from depression, there are several resources available to help you. These resources include online chat rooms, phone hotlines, and local support groups. We’ve compiled a list of depression and crisis hotlines for 50 countries around the world.  Save these free help hotlines for depression to your phone so that you have them available when you’re facing emotional distress. Do you have more to add? Please tell us about more depression hotlines by sending us a quick message here on our contact page.

Emergency depression resources in the US

  • Crisis text line: Text HOME to 741741
  • Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696 
  • Postpartum Depression: 1-800-PPD-MOMS  
  • Lifeline: 13-11-14 or 1-800-273-8255 
  • Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433 
  • Suicide Hotline in Spanish: 1-800-273-TALK (Press 2)
  • For veterans: 1-877-VET2VET      
  • Adolescent Suicide Helpline: 1-800-621-4000   
  • Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 
  • Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743 
  • Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438 
  • Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673 
  • Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272 
  • Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000 
  • Exhale: After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-4394253
  • Self Harm: 1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288)
  • Pregnancy Hotline 1-800-4-OPTIONS (1-800-467-8466)
  • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Youth Support Line 800-850-8078
  • National Association for Children of Alcoholics 1-888-55-4COAS (1-888-554-2627)
  • National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-422-4453
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233)
  • National Drug Abuse Hotline 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357)
  • National Youth Crisis Hotline 1-800-448-4663
  • Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention 1-800-931-2237 (Hours:8am-noon daily, PT)    

Emergency depression resources in the UK

  • The NHS 24 on 111 (UK-only)
  • emergency ambulance phone 999 (UK-only)
  • Childline: 0800 1111
  • Samaritans: 08457 909090
  • Abuse Not: 0808 8005015
  • Brook Young People’s Information Service: 0800 0185023
  • Eating Disorder Support: 01494 793223
  • Anxiety UK: 0844 477 5774
  • Depression Alliance: 0845 123 23 20
  • Rape Crisis Centre: 01708 765200
  • Rape/sexual assault: 0808 8000 123 (female) or 0808 8000122 (male)
  • Miscarriage Association: 01924 200799
  • LLGS Helpline (LGBT): 0300 330 0630
  • Sexuality support: 01708 765200
  • Bereavement: 0800 9177 416
  • Runaway/homeless: 0808 800 70 70
  • CareConfidential Pregnancy/post abortion: 0800 028 2228
  • Women’s Aid National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0345 023 468 
  • National AIDS Helpline: 0800 567 123

Emergency depression resources in ARGENTINA:

Emergency depression resources in AUSTRALIA:

Emergency depression resources in BARBADOS:

  • Crisis helpline: (246) 429-9999
  • Email helpline: SAMARITANSBDOS@YAHOO.COM

Emergency depression resources in BELGIUM:

Emergency depression resources in BOTSWANA:

Emergency depression resources in BRAZIL:

  • Crisis helpline: +55 51 211 2888

Emergency depression resources in CANADA:

  • Crisis helpline 1: 1-604-872-3311 (Greater Vancouver)
  • Crisis helpline 2: 1-866-661-3311 (Toll free-Howe Sound/Sunshine Coast)              
  • Crisis helpline 3: 1-866-872-0113 (TTY)             
  • Crisis helpline 4: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) (BC-wide)
  • Crisis website: WWW.CRISISCENTRE.BC.CA

Emergency depression resources in CHINA:

  • Crisis helpline 1: Free: 0800-810-1117                   
  • Crisis helpline 2: Mobile/IP/extension users: 010-8295-1332

Emergency depression resources in CROATIA:

Emergency depression resources in CYPRUS:

  • Crisis helpline 1: +357-77-77-72-67                      
  • Crisis helpline 2: 0809-1122      
  • Military helpline: 2345
  • Crisis website: WWW.CYPRUSSAMARITANS.ORG

Emergency depression resources in DENMARK:

Emergency depression resources in ESTONIA:

  • Crisis helpline 1: 126              
  • Crisis helpline 2: 127               
  • Crisis helpline 3: 646 6666
  • Crisis website: WWW.USALDUS.EE

Emergency depression resources in FIJI:

  • Crisis helpline 1: 679 670565        
  • Crisis helpline 2: 679 674364

Emergency depression resources in FINLAND:

Emergency depression resources in FRANCE:

  • Crisis helpline 1:       (+33) (0)9 51 11 61 30      
  • Crisis website: WWW.SOS-AMITIE.ORG

Emergency depression resources in GERMANY:

  • Crisis helpline 1: 0800 1110 111                          
  • Crisis helpline 2: 0800 1110 222      
  • Crisis hotline 3: 0800 181 0771 (to Samaritans.org)
  • Crisis hotline 4: 0800 181 0772 (to Samaritans.org)
  • International Helpline Berlin:
  • Telefonseelsorge Deutschland 

Emergency depression resources in GHANA:

Emergency depression resources in GREECE:

Emergency depression resources in HUNGARY:

  • Crisis helpline 1: (46) 323 888

Emergency depression resources in INDIA:

Emergency depression resources in IRELAND: 

  • Crisis helpline 1:   +44 (0) 8457 90 90 90       (UK – local rate)     
  • Crisis helpline 2:   +44 (0) 8457 90 91 92 (UK minicom)          
  • Crisis helpline 3: 1850 60 90 90 (ROI local rate)                   
  • Crisis helpline 4: 1850 60 90 91 (ROI minicom)
  • Crisis website: WWW.SAMARITANS.ORG

Emergency depression resources in ISRAEL:

  • Crisis helpline 1: 1201              
  • Crisis helpline from abroad: 972-9-8891333

Emergency depression resources in ITALY:

Emergency depression resources in JAPAN:

  • Crisis helpline 1: Counselling: 03 5774 0992              
  • Crisis helpline 2: Face to Face: 03 3498 0231

Emergency depression resources in KENYA:

  • Crisis helpline 1: +254 20 3000378/2051323

Emergency depression resources in LIBERIA:

Emergency depression resources in LITHUANIA:

  • Crisis helpline 1: 8-800 2 8888
  • Crisis website: WWW.JPPC.LT

Emergency depression resources in MALAYSIA:

  • Crisis helpline 1: (063) 92850039                      
  • Crisis helpline 2: (063) 92850279                      
  • Crisis helpline 3: (063) 92850049

Emergency depression resources in MALTA:

Emergency depression resources in MAURITIUS:

  • Crisis helpline:  (230) 800 93 93
  • Email helpline: BEFRIENDERSMAURITIUS@GMAIL.COM

Emergency depression resources in NAMIBIA:

Emergency depression resources in the NETHERLANDS:

  • British Armed Forces Link (Netherlands) 24/7 Hotline: 0602 222 88
  • Netherlands Suicide Hotline Hotline :09000767
  • Netherlands Emergency Number (24/7 Hotline): 112
  • Stichting 113 Online (24/7 Hotline): 0900 0113

Emergency depression resources in New ZEALAND:

  • Crisis helpline 1: (09) 522 2999                             
  • Crisis helpline 2:    0800 111 777      
  • Crisis website: HTTP://WWW.LIFELINE.ORG.NZ/

Emergency depression resources in NORWAY:

Emergency depression resources in NEW GUINEA:

Emergency depression resources in PHILIPPINES:

  • Crisis helpline 1: 02 -896 – 9191      
  • Crisis helpline 2 (for mobile phones):   0917 -854 – 9191      

Emergency depression resources in POLAND:

  • Crisis helpline 1: +48 527 00 00                       
  • Crisis helpline 2: +48 89 92 88      
  • Crisis website: pomoctel.free.ngo.pl

Emergency depression resources in PORTUGAL:

Emergency depression resources in SAMOA:

Emergency depression resources in SCOTLAND:

Emergency depression resources in SERBIA:

Emergency depression resources in SINGAPORE:

Emergency depression resources in SOUTH AFRICA:

Emergency depression resources in SWEDEN:

  • Nagon att tala med Samaritans hotline: (46) 31 711 2400
  • Nationella Hjälplinjen hotline: 020 22 00 60
  • Nationella Hjälplinjen hotline: 020 22 00 60
  • Kyrkans Jourtjänst hotline: 031-800 650
  • Nationella Hjälplinjen hotline: 020-220060
  • HELPLINE1 (24/7): 020 22 00 60
  • HELPLINE2 (texting): 020-22 00 70
  • Crisis website: WWW.NATIONELLAHJALPLINJEN.SE

Emergency depression resources in SWITZERLAND:

  • Crisis helpline 1: 143 (website – WWW.143.CH)
  • Crisis helpline 2: 41 (0) 27 321 21 21

Emergency depression resources in THAILAND:

  • The Samaritans of Thailand
    • Bangkok hotline in Thai: (02) 713 6793 – 12:00 noon to 22:00 hours/day, 7 days a week
    • Bangkok English call back service within 24 hours: (02) 713-6791 – 24 hours/day, 7 days/week
    • Chiang Mai hotline in Thai. (053) 225-977/8 (Thai) 19:00 – 22:00 hrs (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Sat)
  • Department of Mental Health Hotline Tel. 1323 (Thai)

Emergency depression resources in UKRAINE:

  • Crisis helpline 1: 7333
  • Crisis website: https://lifelineukraine.com/en

Emergency depression resources in ZIMBABWE:

  • Crisis helpline 1: (263) 09 65000                           
  • Crisis helpline 2 (Toll Free): 0800 9102
Table of contents

To Sum Up

In short, there are hopefully a few depression resources available around you so that you can get help if you or someone else is depressed.  When facing a mental health illness, it’s important to speak to professionals who are trained to speak to people in distress – that’s why it’s important to use these hotlines. Not all countries have as many quality mental health services as needed for your mental health issues. Nevertheless, the more information you gather on where to go when you need help, the better prepared you’ll feel to deal with whatever comes up. So when a mental health crisis occurs, try to do what’s best for treating your mental illness by using one of the hotlines listed here. A crisis counselor can give you crisis resources that are specific to your mental health conditions. They can also refer you to treatment facilities and a mental health professional. So, save these free help hotlines for depression to your phone so that you have them available when you’re facing emotional distress.    

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