911
Call 911If you or someone with you is in immediate danger, call 911 now. Tell the operator it is a mental health emergency so the right help is sent.
Crisis support
If you need help right now
I am not available for crisis calls. The people on this page are.
Every line below reaches someone whose whole role is to answer calls like this one. Start at the top and work your way down until you reach a person. Calling is the right move, not a lesser one.
If you need to talk to someone now
You do not need a referral or a clear reason to use these lines. Feeling overwhelmed is reason enough.
The Distress Line, Edmonton
Call 780-482-4357This is the number I share on every page of my site. Call when the weight of the moment is more than you can carry alone and you need a human voice on the other end.
Mental Health Help Line, Alberta Health Services
Call 1-877-303-2642Confidential support, information, and referrals for any mental health concern, anywhere in Alberta.
More lines that can help
Health Link, 811
Call 811Alberta's health advice line. A registered nurse can help you think through symptoms, medication questions, and where to go next.
211 Alberta
Call 211One number for community supports across the province, including food, housing, financial help, and counselling programs near you.
Kids Help Phone
Call 1-800-668-6868For children, teens, and young adults anywhere in Canada. If you are young and things are heavy, this line was built for you.
Hope for Wellness Helpline
Call 1-855-242-3310Support for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people across Canada.
If you are worried about someone else
You do not have to fix it, and you do not have to know what to say. Stay with them. Listen more than you talk. Take any mention of suicide seriously.
Then call together. 911 if there is immediate danger. 988 if suicide is part of the picture. The Distress Line if the night needs a steadier voice in it.
What I want you to know at 2 a.m.
You do not need the right words. A trained responder answers, asks what is happening, and listens. You choose how much to share. If you want next steps, they can point you toward supports near you. If you want someone to sit with you in it for a few minutes, that is enough too.
You do not need to be certain this counts as a crisis. If things feel heavy enough that you found this page, it counts.
Asking for help is not giving up on yourself. Of all the behaviours I talk about in this practice, it is the one I hope you use first.
Reaching out is not a failure. It's the skill.