What Happens When You Call or Text 988? A Guide to Getting Support

If you’re struggling emotionally, experiencing a mental health crisis, or simply don’t know where to turn, reaching out for help can feel overwhelming. You might wonder: Who will answer? What will they ask me? Will someone send the police? What happens if I don’t know what to say?

That’s where the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline comes in. 988 is available by call, text, and online chat across the United States and its territories. Trained crisis counselors can listen, provide support, and help you figure out what to do next. You don’t have to be experiencing suicidal thoughts to use it.

What Is 988?

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential, 24/7 support. It is available to people experiencing emotional distress, mental health concerns, or a substance use crisis.

You can contact 988 if you’re:

• Feeling overwhelmed, hopeless or emotionally distressed
• Experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm
• Dealing with anxiety, depression or another mental health concern
• Experiencing a substance use crisis
• Worried about a friend or family member
• Grieving, feeling lonely, or going through a difficult situation
• Simply needing someone to talk to

You don’t need to wait until things reach a breaking point before reaching out.

Also read: Understanding Seasonal Depression (SAD): Causes, Symptoms, and Coping Strategies

What Happens When You Call 988?

When you call 988, you’ll first hear a brief greeting with options for certain services, including the Veterans Crisis Line and Spanish-language support. You’ll then be connected with a trained crisis counselor.

The counselor will introduce themselves and ask about your immediate safety. From there, they’ll listen to what you’re experiencing, talk through how it is affecting you, provide support, and share resources that may be helpful.

You don’t need to have the right words prepared. You can start with something as simple as:

“I’m having a really hard time and I don’t know what to do.”

From there, the counselor can help you talk through what you’re experiencing and identify possible next steps.

Also read: How Stress Affects Women Differently (And What You Can Do About It)

What Happens When You Text 988?

If talking on the phone feels intimidating, texting may feel easier. When you text 988, you’ll first receive a brief pre-text survey and information about the service before being connected with a trained crisis counselor. The counselor will ask about what’s happening, listen to how the situation is affecting you, provide support, and share resources that may be helpful. You can respond in your own words and at your own pace.

Texting can be particularly helpful if you’re uncomfortable speaking out loud, need support while you’re somewhere you can’t make a phone call, or simply feel more comfortable communicating through messages.

988 also offers Spanish-language support and options for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. Spanish-speaking texters can text AYUDA to 988. ASL videophone and relay options are also available.

Will 988 Send the Police?

One of the biggest concerns people have about what happens when you call 988 is whether reaching out will automatically result in police or emergency services being sent to their location.

No. Contacting 988 does not automatically mean police or other first responders will be sent to you.

Most crises are handled by counselors working with the person to provide support and help de-escalate the situation without involving law enforcement. The goal is to provide care in the least restrictive way possible.

In rare situations involving an immediate risk to someone’s life that cannot be reduced during the 988 conversation, the counselor may contact 911 or other emergency services. If emergency intervention is needed, the information necessary to help protect the person’s safety may be shared with emergency responders.

However, the goal of 988 is to provide support and help people stay safe; not to punish or frighten them for asking for help.

Also read: PTSD in Women: Symptoms, Health Impacts, and How to Heal

Is 988 Confidential?

Conversations with 988 are confidential, and you are not required to provide personal information about who you are or where you are in order to receive support.

However, confidential does not mean anonymous. The Lifeline typically receives the phone number you call or text from or the IP address used for online chat, and information you voluntarily share may be documented by the counselor. Calls may also be monitored or recorded for quality assurance, evaluation, or training purposes.

Identifying information generally is not shared outside of the 988 Lifeline without consent, except in rare circumstances involving an imminent risk of harm, when required by law, or in certain situations involving coordination of care.

If you have questions or concerns about privacy, you can ask the counselor what information is collected and how it may be used.

Do You Have to Be Suicidal to Contact 988?

No. This is one of the most important things to know about what happens when you call 988. You don’t have to be suicidal or in immediate danger to reach out. The service is available for people experiencing mental health concerns, substance use problems, emotional distress, or other situations where they need support.

Maybe you’re grieving, experiencing intense anxiety, or maybe you’re struggling with a relationship, work, parenting or a major life change. You can reach out simply because you need someone to talk to.

Also read: Why Emotional Self-Checks Matter

What If You’re Calling 988 for Someone Else?

You can also contact 988 because you’re worried about someone you love. For example, you might be concerned about a friend who has stopped responding to messages, a family member who has expressed hopelessness, or someone who has talked about suicide.

A crisis counselor can listen to your concerns, help you think through the situation, discuss warning signs, and help you consider how to support the person you’re worried about.

You don’t have to know exactly what to do before you call.

Also read: What to Say to a Friend Who May Be Suicidal: A Compassionate Guide for Women

What Happens After You Call 988?

There’s no single outcome for every 988 conversation. Depending on your situation and what you need, a counselor might help you identify people you can lean on, develop a plan for staying safe, connect you with local or ongoing mental health resources, or simply help you get through a difficult moment.

The goal isn’t necessarily to solve everything in one conversation. Sometimes the most helpful first step is simply getting support for what is happening right now.

You Don’t Have to Know What to Say

When you’re struggling, it can be easy to convince yourself that you should handle everything on your own. You don’t have to. Asking for support doesn’t mean you’re weak, dramatic or a burden. It means you’re recognizing that you deserve help — especially when things feel overwhelming.

Whether you call, text or chat with 988, you don’t need to have everything figured out before you reach out. You can simply start by telling the counselor what is happening and how you’re feeling. You just need to take the next step.

If you or someone you know needs mental health, emotional, suicide, or substance use crisis support, call or text 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

If you or someone else is in immediate physical danger or needs emergency medical assistance, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

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This article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health or medical care. If you or someone you know needs mental health, emotional, suicide, or substance use crisis support in the United States or its territories, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If there is an immediate physical danger or medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.