You don't need a diagnosis, a crisis, or the "right" words to reach out. These are free, confidential, and staffed by real people, for you or for a friend you're worried about.
Call or text 988: available 24/7, free and confidential.
Covers a lot more than active suicide risk: relationship problems, anxiety, loneliness, family conflict, or just feeling like too much is happening at once all count.1 A counselor will ask if you're safe, listen without judgment, and help you figure out next steps, including how to support a friend, if that's why you're calling.1
Online chat and more info: 988lifeline.org
A parent, school counselor, coach, or doctor can all be a first step. It doesn't have to be a formal "therapy" conversation to count. NIMH's own guidance is straightforward: if a behavior or emotion lasts for weeks, causes real distress, or is getting in the way of school, home, or friendships, that's worth bringing to an adult you trust, even if you're not sure it's "bad enough."2
If someone's safety is at immediate risk, including talk of hurting themselves or someone else, treat it as an emergency: call 988, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. Don't wait to see if it passes.2