Someone To Talk To Online About Depression Free

Suicide And Crisis Intervention Hotlines To Call Or Text When You Need Help

If you or anyone you know is experiencing abuse, domestic violence, suicidal thoughts or sexual assault, these are the numbers to call.

Sarah Mitroff

Senior Editor

Sarah Mitroff is a senior editor for CNET, managing our health, fitness and wellness content. She’s written for Wired, MacWorld, PCWorld, and VentureBeat.

If you feel like you or someone you know is in immediate danger, you should call 911 or go to an emergency room to get immediate help. Explain that it is a psychiatric emergency and ask for someone who is trained for these kinds of situations.

Getting help for any kind of mental health or domestic issue can feel hard. Calling a hotline can be intimidating, and often it can feel tough to justify that what you’re going through is “serious enough” to reach out.

The process has gotten easier though — now there are many hotlines that let you text or chat with someone, without ever placing a call. Not only does that remove some of the intimidation of talking on the phone, it also means you can have a discrete conversation if you want or need to.

No matter what issue you’re facing, there is a free, confidential service that can help. Most are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Online Forums For Depression

You can visit online forums where you can read about other people’s experiences or write about your own and respond to other postings. Visit the Sane website.

Togetherall is an online service for people who have common, distressing mental health problems.

Through social networking, a community of people are supported by trained “wall guides” so they can manage their own mental health.

Online forums aren’t for everyone. Depression UK has a penfriend scheme for members.

This is especially useful for people who don’t have internet access or prefer letters and postcards to email.

Supports For Young People

Foundry virtual

Access province-wide virtual serviceswith counselling, peer support, family support, groups and workshops for young people 12 to 24 and their caregivers. All services are free and confidential, and may be accessed through the Foundry BC app, chat, phone or video calls.

Kids Help Phone

Get 24/7, immediate counselling, support, information and referrals. Youth can call or text TALK to 686868. Texting support for adults available by texting TALK to 741741.

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre

Free mental health and substance use information, resources, and peer support for BC parents, caregivers, and families of children and youth. Call

Y Mind: YMCA mental wellness programs

Free online programs for young people aged 13 to 30. The YMCA of British Columbias Y Mind program helps young people cope with stress, worry and anxiety.

Child and Youth Mental Health Community Based Teams

Intake services and mental health counselling for children and youth and their families across B.C. from the Ministry of Children and Family Development. Virtual care is available by phone and online. Call your closest Child and Youth Mental Health clinic.

FamilySmart: parent peer support and mental health navigation

Programs to help B.C. families and caregivers who are parenting children and youth facing mental health challenges. FamilySmart provides peer support, information and navigation of mental health services.

Learning Through Loss: short-term grief support for youth in need

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What Can Free Online Therapy Help With

Free online therapy can help with certain conditions and feelings, such as:

• stress
• relationship issues
• minor depression

However, its important to keep in mind that these types of services are not ideal for emergency situations or more serious situations, like addiction or eating disorders. Additionally, some conditions may warrant medication, in-person discussions, or group therapy.

We selected each free or low cost online therapy service based on key features to ensure the mental health support offered is:

• secure
• reliable
• appropriately credentialed

We also considered how long you need to wait for an appointment, whether the service offers 24/7 support, and if the service offers video and phone chat, live chat, and text messaging.

Mental Health And Suicide Hotlines

These two services specialize in helping individuals who are having suicidal thoughts. That said, both services can provide support for other mental health issues.

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline fields calls 24/7 for anyone with suicidal thoughts or who are in crisis. It offers help for Spanish-speakers and anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing.

Its website also offers many resources to get help for yourself or someone you know.

Crisis Text Line: Text Hello to 741741

Crisis Text Line fields messages about suicidal thoughts, abuse, sexual assault, depression, anxiety, bullying and more. What makes it unique is that it’s entirely text-based, which makes it easy for anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable or safe talking on the phone to use it.

You can text 741741 in the US or UK , reach out via WhatsApp or for help. You’ll be matched with a volunteer counselor, who is supervised by a licensed, trained mental health professional.

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Get Free Online Counselling For Women In India

Get free online counselling on the AskSHEROES free online counselling chat helpline for women. When you need online counseling free for depression or relationship counselling, you can talk to a counsellor online free in India.

The SHEROES app for women is one of the best online counseling apps for women in India because it hosts the women-only SHEROES community where trust and empathy come first.

You can get free online counselling for depression, free relationship counselling, free marriage counselling, career counselling, health guidance and counselling, and more on the free online counselling chat 24/7* AskSHEROES helpline for women.

*Our free live chat counselling is available from 11 am till 4 pm IST on weekdays, but you can leave a message for our counsellors 24/7 and get a response during our working hours.

Many women who need free online therapy dont have access to it because they are worried about counselling fees, or because they dont how counselling works, or dont know where to get counselling.

So, if youre thinking, I need counselling free, or wondering Where can I get counselling? and which free helpline for depression or Indian helpline numbers to call, just and chat with a professional counsellor.

Here are some of the real testimonials that users of our free online therapy services have left on the SHEROES App Store Page:

To get free online therapy, just connect with a professional counsellor on the Ask SHEROES online chat counselling helpline.

Where Can I Turn For Depression Support

Although you cannot control the fact that you may have clinical depression, you can seek a depression support system for yourself. Getting family help with depression is a great place to start. Talk openly with people close to you — family members, friends, and co-workers — to help them understand your treatment and that you’re doing all you can to follow your doctor’s recommendations.

Also, you can find support for depression through religious organizations in your community, whether from the pastor, rabbi, or other religious leader, small groups, or caring individuals within the organizations.

Read Also: What Do Doctors Do For Depression

Tips For Finding Free Online Therapists

Finding free online therapists is typically not very easy. If you have insurance, a good place to start is to give your benefits center a call. Or, you can do a quick search online.

Here are a few places that might help you find free or affordable online therapy:

• Your health insurance provider. With the ongoing pandemic, most health insurances have started to cover the cost of some online therapy platforms. If you have insurance, check with them before settling with a pricey program.
• EAPs. Most employers offer free counseling sessions with the platform of their choice. If you have one, dont be afraid to send your benefits center or human resource official an email to ask if they offer any services.
• Your local college or university. If youre a student or professor, your campus most likely has a counseling center or social worker who can assist you in identifying resources for support. If the university has a psychology department, they may host free clinics where students can put their skills to the test and help the public.
• Mental health organizations. Several national organizations, like Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and National Alliance on Mental Illness , can help you find free or low cost online therapists or resources. These are usually trustworthy resources that theyve worked with before and that they know can help you with your situation.

Pros Of Online Therapy

Some people may prefer online therapy due to:

• Cost: Online therapy is typically less expensive for both the client and the therapist. Free online therapy is best for people who do not have health insurance or have difficulty covering out-of-pocket costs.
• Suitability: The American Psychiatric Association states that telemedicine for mental health is suitable for people of all ages, including children, adolescents, and adults. Also, some people may feel safer talking online to in-person, including people with autism.
• Accessibility: Online therapy is more accessible for people living in rural and geographically isolated areas and those unable to travel. Choosing online support can also reduce the need to take time off from work or school.
• Confidentiality: Some individuals find that online therapy offers greater confidentiality than in-person treatment. For example, there is no risk of a person encountering someone they know at a therapists office.

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How To Choose Free Online Therapy

Sometimes, companies that appear to offer free services may actually impose hidden fees or fail to provide the quality of care they advertise.

For this reason, a person should thoroughly research potential providers to ensure that they are a reliable organizations connecting people with quality mental health support.

It is also important to ask if the therapy will be HIPAA compliant and if the organization will protect the persons sensitive medical information. In addition, there are inherent digital security risks in any online interaction. A person should learn what a teletherapy company or organization is doing to protect peoples data before proceeding.

Why Do People Get Depressed

There are several reasons behind why someone may experience depression and need to participate in a depression chat room. Mostly, depression develops due to trauma. A new research which has been published in the Neuropsychopharmacology journal shows that people who experience adversity early in their lives are more likely to have major depressive disorder in the future. People of all age groups can fall prey to depression.

Teens can participate in teenage chat rooms for depression for free online anonymous therapy. As per stats revealed by the World Health Organization, 300 million people around the globe have depression. If you are among these numbers and wondering how to find someone to talk to for fighting depression and keeping it from elevating, know that you can try free therapy chat room. Moreover, physical ailment can also be a cause of depression.

People who have been through heart attack, stroke, arthritis, lupus, etc. are likely to develop depression as well. They may need to need someone to talk to for free or participate in chat rooms for adults with depression along with taking medication for overcoming the anxious and depressed thoughts concerning their medical condition. Keeping in view that it is estimated that 15% of adults will experience depression at least once in their lifetime, free therapy chat room is an option that must be availed as soon as a person notices that they is going in that direction.

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Best For Finding A Therapist: Good Therapy

• Price:Free

Good Therapy is a comprehensive directory of therapists, many of whom have expertise in treating depression.

• Not a therapy sign-up tool

• Limited professional guidance

Good Therapy is a free directory service that aims to give you as much background on therapists as possible so you can feel like youre moving forward with the right person the first time around.

All you have to do is type in your zip code and whether youre looking for in-person or telehealth sessions, and Good Therapy will give you a list of therapists with varying areas of expertise. And you dont just get the bullet points each therapist provides a bio detailing how they work and what areas they specialize in. You can can narrow your search by insurance, as well as by gender, type of therapy , age group focus, languages spoken, and accessibility. Essentially, Good Therapy makes it incredibly easy to zero in on a therapist who fits all of your needs with relatively little legwork.

If youre still not sure about how to proceed, Good Therapist has a number of blog posts with questions to ask yourself about what youre looking for and how you feel therapy is progressing once you choose a therapist and get started.

Can People Get Therapy For Free

Some organizations offer free support for individuals with mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety. They provide a supportive community and a space to talk, and they may also host group sessions where people can meet others with the same condition or issue.

That said, these services may not suit those looking for quick advice or people with serious mental health issues, such as severe depression or suicidal thoughts.

Some companies offer free therapy sessions on a limited basis. These short-term options may be enough to help someone determine whether they need further support.

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Ii How We Chose The Best Free Online Therapy Chats

To narrow down the best online therapy chat platforms, we took a look at what each company had to offer. We based our evaluations on reliable services and a handful of key features that most individuals suffering from mental health issues need. Some of those features include accessibility, availability of therapists, methods of communication, reliability, anonymity, and the overall support provided.

Crisis Hotlines For Kids And Teens

These two services are aimed at different audiences. YouthLine is available for kids and young adults who want to talk to someone about what’s happening in their lives, while ChildHelp tackles issues of child abuse.

YouthLine: Text teen2teen to 839863, or call 1-877-968-8491

YouthLine provides a safe space for children and adults ages 11 to 21, to talk through any issues they may be facing, including eating disorders, relationship or family concerns, bullying, sexual identity, depression, self-harm, anxiety and thoughts of suicide.

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline:

For issues related to child abuse, Childhelp connects you with a professional counselors to help in a crisis, and provide information on how to get help. They offer phone support in 170 languages, or you can chat online with a counselor.

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We’re Here For Teens Too

Are you 13-17 years old?

We have listeners available especially for teens, so you can chat confidentially whenever you need to.

You can also join our lively teen community forums and chat rooms to share with peers who understand what you’re going through. Get support and make new friends along the way.

Disadvantages Of Online Counseling

While online therapy can potentially be very helpful for people in certain situations, at this point in time, it does not come without some risks or disadvantages over traditional therapy options.

• Confidentiality, Privacy, and Unreliable Technology: Keeping your personal information private is a major concern in psychotherapy, but online treatment adds a layer of complexity. Confidentiality is just as important in online therapy as it is in more traditional forms of treatment delivery. Since information is being transmitted online, the situation makes privacy leaks and hacks more of a concern. Technology problems can also make it difficult to access treatment when you really need it.

• Lack of Response to Crisis Situations: Since online therapists are distant from the client, it is difficult to respond quickly and effectively when a crisis happens. If a client is experiencing suicidal thoughts or has suffered a personal tragedy, it can be difficult or even impossible for the therapist to provide direct assistance.

• Not Appropriate for Serious Psychiatric Illnesses: E-therapy can be useful for a variety of situations, but not when it comes to people that require close and direct treatment or in-person intervention.

• Overlooks Body Language: In many cases, online therapists cannot see facial expressions, vocal signals, or body language. These signals can often be quite telling and give the therapist a clearer picture of your feelings, thoughts, moods, and behaviors.

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How We Analyzed The Best Online Therapy

To find the best e-therapy options, we compared several key elements, including the following.

• Price, affordability, and plans

• Methods of communication

• Number of therapists available and their specializations

• Accreditations and hiring requirements

• Types of therapy offered

Be sure to read through the online therapy reviews above, and their in-depth counterparts, for the most comprehensive comparison.

How Can Online Help For Depression Benefit Mental Health

As noted, online therapy for depression can benefit peoples overall mental health just as much as in-person therapy. It can give you tools to help you cope better with symptoms to help lessen the impact of depression on your day-to-day life. However, if you have severe depression and feel it isnt being managed well via therapy and/or medication, you may need to try something more comprehensive, like in-patient treatment at a mental health center. Some mental health conditions, such as bipolar depression, respond best with in-person interventions.

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