Get Help Now

If you are struggling right now, you do not have to work it out alone. Here is who to contact, depending on how urgent things feel.

If someone is in immediate danger

• Call 112 for police or an ambulance.
• Go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital. Most district and medical college hospitals have a 24-hour emergency department.
• If it is safe, stay with the person and remove anything they could use to harm themselves.

If you need to talk to someone now

Call Tele-MANAS on 14416. It is the Government of India’s free mental health helpline. You can call at any time, day or night, and talk to a trained counsellor in your language. Calls are confidential.

If you want to see a professional

• Psychiatrist: a medical doctor who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medicine. You can see one at the psychiatry department of a government or medical college hospital, or at a private clinic.
• Clinical psychologist: trained in assessment and talking therapies. In India, clinical psychologists must be registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI).
• Counsellor: can help with stress, relationships and life problems through talking. Ask about their training and experience before you start.
• Your family doctor: often a good first step, and can refer you to a specialist.

If you are worried about someone else

• Ask them directly how they are feeling. Asking about suicide does not put the idea into someone’s head.
• Listen without judging or rushing to fix things.
• Encourage them to call 14416 or see a doctor, and offer to help them do it.
• If they are in immediate danger, call 112 and stay with them.

More helplines

See the full list of mental health helplines in India, with hours and languages.

IMPS is an information website. We cannot respond to emergencies or offer counselling.