National Hotlines:
Police: 911
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Chat service available at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Para recibir ayuda en español, empuja aquí
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
National Runaway Safeline
1-800-786-2929
Chat service available at www.1800runaway.org
Trevor Helpline – Crisis Prevention for Gay Youth
1-866-488-7386
See website (www.thetrevorproject.org) for text and chat options
Chicagoland Hotlines:
Emergency Medical Care, North Suburban Chicago
NorthShore University HealthSystem, Department of Psychiatry and Crisis Intervention: 847-570-2500 and Press “0” for crisis worker
Family Crisis and Substance Abuse, North Suburban Chicago
OMNI Youth Services: available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 847-353-1500 and inform answering service there is a crisis
Sexual Abuse, North Suburban Chicago
Zacharias 24-Hour Support Line: 847-872-7799
UIC, “In Touch Crisis Hotline.”
Crisis Intervention, counseling and referral services for UIC students and members of the greater Chicagoland area
312-996-5535 — open 6:00pm to 10:30pm, Sunday-Friday
Northwestern Memorial’s Stone Institute of Psychiatry
312-926-8100 (Available 24 hours, 7 days a week)
Community Crisis Center of Elgin
Help for Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Homelessness and Suicide
847-697-2380, 24 hours, 7 days a week
En Espanol: 847-697-9740
DuPage County Crisis Intervention Unit
24-hour psychiatric emergency services. (630) 627-1700
The Crisis Residential (Respite) program has up to ten beds available for short-term crisis stabilization (will accept calls from all over but must reside in DuPage county for Respite services).
What do I say to the people on hot-lines?
If you’re not sure what to say to one of these lines, here are some reasonable opening lines that can get the ball rolling:
Hello — I am really worried and anxious and I need to talk to someone about my future.
Hi — I am feeling very anxious right now and don’t seem to know how to help myself very well. I have felt like this for many days. Can I talk to somebody about this?
Hi — I don’t really know how to start talking about this. I just feel really bad right now and I am very afraid about my future and about my life in general. Is there somebody I can talk to about this?
Hello — I am very discouraged about my life overall right now and I feel like I need some help in seeing my situation more realistically. From where I am sitting, my plight looks hopeless. I don’t know what to do and I feel like somehow time is running out on me.
Hi — I feel like things are going to turn on me and I need some help in figuring out what I can do to feel better and to feel more prepared for what life is likely to bring along to me.
Hello. I want to try to sum up how I am feeling. I feel painted into a corner. I feel like I have no choices and that I am in danger of things getting worse for me.