988 Lifeline Chat and Text connects you with caring crisis counselors for emotional support.
To chat with a crisis counselor online 24/7/365, please fill out the form below.
To text with a crisis counselor, send a text to 988 on your phone.
For Veterans and Service Members: Chat with the Veterans Crisis Line
Haga clic aquípara acceder al chat en español.
For Deaf/Hard of hearing: ASL now
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Ready to Chat?
To start a text conversation instead, send a text to 988. Your conversations are free andconfidential.
After you answer a few questions on the survey below, we will connect you with a crisis counselor. There may be a wait time to connect. To speak with a crisis counselor on the phone, please call 988.
ⓘ Please note if you are using an iPhone browser to chat with us you must remain on the browser chat screen to stay connected. If you navigate away from the chat or access a different iPhone application your connection may be lost. Thank you.
What Happens When I Chat or Text with the 988 Lifeline?
1. First, you’ll see a wait-time message while we connect you to a crisis counselor.
2.If demand is high, you can always look at our “Helpful Resources” below, or call the 988 Lifeline at 988.
3. A crisis counselor will answer your chat or text.
4.This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and share resources that may be helpful.
Your conversations are free and confidential.
If you’re having trouble accessing 988 Chat and the troubleshooting tips below don’t resolve the issue, crisis counselors are available to support you by phone at 988. You can also Contact Us to share the technical trouble you’re experiencing so we can get things fixed.
Specialized Services
988 Lifeline voice, text, and chat options are offered in Spanish. To call a Spanish-speaking crisis counselor, dial 988 and then press 2. To text with a Spanish-speaking crisis counselor, text AYUDA to 988. To chat with a Spanish-speaking crisis counselor, please click here.
Los servicios de llamada, texto, y chat de 988 Lifeline se ofrecen en español. Para comunicarse con un consejero de crisis que habla español, marque 988 y luego presione 2. Para enviar un mensaje de texto a un consejero de crisis que habla español, envié la palabra AYUDA al 988. Para chatear con un consejero de crisis que habla español, haga clic aquí.
LGBTQI+ people under 25 can access 24/7 LGBTQI+ support on 988. To call an LGBTQI-trained crisis counselor, dial 988 and then press 3. To text, send the word PRIDE to 988. To chat, you can opt-in on the Pre-Chat Survey above by checking off the box for LGBTQI+ support.
Veterans and active service members can reach the Veterans Crisis Line 24/7 by texting 838255, chatting here, or calling 988 and pressing 1. Learn more about the VCL here.
Deaf and hard of hearing people can access 24/7 988 Videophone here.
Helpful Resources
Explore these resources while you wait.
Chat and Text FAQ
Who should use the 988 Lifeline Chat and Text Service?
When is 988 Lifeline Chat and Text available?
How do I start a text with 988?
Are all 988 Lifeline Chat and Text communications secure and confidential?
Can I text with the 988 Lifeline in my preferred language?
What do I do if nobody answers?
What are the American Association of Suicidology and the International Council for Helplines?
What is the purpose of the pre-conversation survey?
Troubleshooting Tips
The chat window isn't working for me and the other troubleshooting tips didn't fix the problem.
I submitted my survey, but nothing happened.
I've been waiting a long time.
Get in touch
Call the Lifeline
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