Lifeline Chat is a service of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline), connecting individuals with counselors for emotional support and other services via web chat. All chat centers in the Lifeline network are accredited by CONTACT USA. Lifeline Chat is available 24/7 across the U.S. and certain territories.
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Ready to Chat?
After you complete the short survey and agree to the terms of service, we will connect you to a counselor.
There may be a wait time to connect. To speak to a counselor now, please call the Lifeline at 988.
ⓘ Please note if you are using an iPhone browser to chat with us you must remain on the browser chat screen to stay connected. If you navigate away from the chat or access a different iPhone application your connection may be lost. Thank you.
What Happens When I Chat with the Lifeline?
1. First, you’ll see a wait-time message while we connect you to a crisis counselor.
2. If demand is high, you can always look at our “Helpful Resources” below, or call the Lifeline at 988.
3. A counselor will answer your chat.
4. This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and share resources that may be helpful.
Your conversations are free and confidential.
If you’re having trouble accessing Chat and the troubleshooting tips below don’t resolve the issue, Crisis Counselors are available to support you by phone at 988. You can also Contact Us to share the technical trouble you’re experiencing so we can get things fixed.
Helpful Resources
Explore these resources while you wait.
Chat FAQ
Anyone who is depressed, going through a hard time, needs to talk, or is thinking about suicide can use the chat. The chat counselors are here to listen and support you through whatever difficult times you may be facing.
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The Lifeline Chat service is available 24/7. If you have trouble connecting to the chat service we encourage you to call the Lifeline at 988.
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The confidentiality and security of chats are ensured through the Lifeline chat software provider, which uses the same encryption and data protection standards required by major financial institutions to transact business with each other. All of your communications are securely encrypted from your computer to ours.
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If a user is reported to Facebook for posting suicidal content, the content is reviewed by the Facebook Safety Team. If appropriate, Facebook will respond directly to the user via e-mail indicating that someone on Facebook is concerned about their safety and encourage the user to call the Lifeline and/or enter a confidential chat session with a crisis counselor. If the user chooses to enter chat, he or she will be redirected to a site hosted by the Lifeline. Security controls, including encryption and authentication, are in place to ensure the protection of any information submitted via chat. Additionally, the user who is given the opportunity to chat does not have to disclose any identifying information.
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If the service appears ‘offline’ or ‘busy’, please call the Lifeline at 988 – we are available 24/7.
If you or someone you know is in danger or needs immediate medical attention, please call 911.
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CONTACT USA has been offering help to those in need through online chat since 2010. Crisis Chat has been a nationwide project that aims to improve access to mental health care. Crisis Chat has linked existing certified crisis call centers around the United States on one website platform, creating a service that will eventually route website visitors to the crisis center that serves their local area. Crisis Chat has also provided essential emotional support and crisis intervention services to millions of people who are depressed, despairing or thinking about suicide.
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Knowing a bit about you, what you’re going through, and how you’re feeling right now can help your counselor better support you as soon as your conversation starts.
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Troubleshooting Tips
We’re so sorry that the site isn’t working for you. Crisis Counselors are available to support you by phone at 988. You can also Contact Us to share the technical trouble you’re experiencing so we can get things fixed.
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Troubleshooting Steps: Be sure to check the “I’m not a robot” checkbox, complete any challenges, and answer all required questions before submitting the survey. You can also try disabling your ad blocker, enabling JavaScript, and make sure your browser is up-to-date by going to whatismybrowser.com. To speak to a counselor now, you may also call the Lifeline at 988.
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Troubleshooting Steps: To speak to a counselor now, please call the Lifeline at 988. Since about 20,000 people visit our chat page per month, there is a possibility that you will wait in a queue. Our busiest times are between 10:00 pm EST – 2:00 am EST.
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