Helplines (for the most part) should offer a safe space for any experience you're going through. It's okay to feel awkward to not know how to bring the conversation up, the helpline volunteers are trained to help you! Do ensure you are only sharing information that you feel comfortable to share. A rule of thumb is to never share your full name, bank details, personal address, or other identifiable information with a helpline.

We try and only list those helplines which have come recommended by the community to us. While most helplines have supporting press releases and brochures to support their claim of being "queer friendly", as we don't have access to their volunteer training resources, we can never be too sure. Please do not feel forced to open up about your experience of queerness or marginalization with the helplines you call. Let them earn your trust. We do call every helpline we list, to ensure their details are correct. If our community reports a helpline as harmful, unresponsive, or otherwise, we update this page accordingly.

No. TheMindClan.com does not operate or own any of the helplines listed on this page. TheMindClan.com is not designed to offer support in crisis situations, which is why we've made a list of organizations in this space who do claim to offer this support. These services operate independently and TheMindClan.com does not own, operate, or take any part in their day to day activities. We do, however, believe that several people have had positive experiences with the helplines mentioned on this page and we hope to only feature those services that are trustworthy and effective.

1. Call back, and let the responder know what happened. Crisis intervention, especially if suicidality is a factor, is not easy, and not even the experts get it perfect every time. A mental health professional who is also a helpline operator had once shared, “Personally, if I have a call go “south” on me, nothing makes me happier than to know that the person called back and had a better conversation with one of my colleagues.” 2. If you have a complaint about a helpline experience, please try to report it to the helpline administration by emailing them. Each helpline’s email address or website has been provided on this page. 3. If calling them back does not work out, reach out to another helpline listed here. The professionals on the other side do want to help you in any way they can. 4. If the helplines don’t work out in general and if you are in crisis, another thing you could consider is visiting the nearest trusted hospital or emergency room where they may connect with a psychiatrist, social worker, counsellor or therapist in person.

If you care for someone who has attempted suicide in the past or is at risk for a suicide attempts, you don’t have to feel alone in this. You may not be able to completely fix their problems or take away their pain. But what you can do is access appropriate supportive services for your loved one and for yourself. Here are some steps you could take to help a loved one who is showing suicidal behaviour: 1. If you feel ready and comfortable to, have an open conversation with your loved one about their experience. Ask your loved one directly: “Are you thinking about suicide?” “Are you planning to harm yourself?” Being direct is said to not cause a person who is not suicidal to become suicidal. Talking about it may help to reduce your loved one’s suicidal distress by creating a climate of openness and caring. 2. Listen to them without judgment or interruptions. You can help your loved one feel calmer and less alone simply by being willing to listen attentively and without bias. 3. Tell them directly that they are loved and that they are not a burden. Though it may seem obvious to us, sometimes the depression or hopelessness or helplessness may push our loved one towards believing otherwise. It always helps to remind them that they matter. 4. Reach out to a therapist, support group or a helpline service yourself to seek guidance on what you can do next. It is important to connect your loved one to any or all of these services that they may find most helpful. 5. Create a safety plan with your loved one. Check pages 7 and 9 of this [PDF (External Link)](https://edmonton.cmha.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/CMHAER_SCSS_8pt5x11_PRESS.pdf) for details on how you can go about doing this. As a caregiver/ally, you become a part of a supportive team – that includes family members, friends, mental health professionals and other service providers – working together to help your loved one stay safe.

No matter what problems you are dealing with, whether or not you’re thinking about suicide, if you need someone to lean on for emotional support, call any of the listed helpline. People call them to talk about lots of things: substance abuse, financial worries, relationships, sexual identity, gender identity, abuse, depression, anxiety, mental and physical illness, loneliness, to name a few.