Mental Health Helplines

There can come a time in our lives when we may feel anxious and overwhelmed. We may be going through something tough, or be scared of what’s ahead of us - and sometimes, we don’t even know why we have these terrible feelings. What can we do when we feel helpless and have no one to talk to? Although it might feel like we have no options, there are always things we can do:

Ask for help!

People usually call a doctor when they feel physically sick and they can’t heal themselves; this is a common thing to do! What we need to learn is to ask for help when the problem is with our mental condition. When we’re feeling low, we need to take care of ourselves - just as we would to heal our bodies when we’re ill, or our condition could deteriorate.

It’s important to keep in mind that if you ask for help and need someone to talk to, it doesn’t mean you’re weak, and you have nothing to be ashamed of - if you ask for help, it means you are dealing with your problem and looking for a solution!

Introducing Helplines

If you’re feeling lost and you need someone to talk to right at this moment, you can call a mental health helpline. These helplines are usually free of charge and anonymous; you don’t need to introduce yourself if you don’t want to.

Many people think that you only call a helpline if you’re having suicidal tendencies - that is simply not true. You can call a mental health helpline and talk about anything that is bothering you: you can talk about your relationships, about your health condition, the pandemic, financial crises, about your losses, or about fear of upcoming changes in your life.

There are also some specialized mental health helplines: some exist for children and students; for elderly people; the victims of domestic violence; and helplines for people with suicidal thoughts.

Some helplines work only for a specific duration, be it day or night, but there are also 24/7 helplines that you can call at any time.

Would you rather communicate with someone via text or messenger? Mental health helplines sometimes also offer counseling via chat, SMS or email.

How do they work?

When you call a helpline, you are connected to well-educated and trained professionals and volunteers. These people are understanding, supportive, and won’t judge you for your issues. They really want to be there for you when you need them, and together you will try to find out what could help you bring relief to your current situation. They often have very useful contacts for other services and people that could help you, in addition to lending a consoling ear.

Where can you find them?

We have great news for you! If you ever want to contact a mental health helpline, you can find the phone number in the VOS app. VOS will show you the contact of the nearest working helpline, allowing you to call or text them. If you are looking for a contact for a specific issue, we recommend searching the internet.

I hope you find this information useful, and I hope you will find relief in the difficult times and problems you might be facing. Take care!