Information on this page has been sourced from the Vandrevala Foundation Helplines website.
The Vandrevala Foundation, a prominent name in mental health support, is known to have been aiding individuals in need of counseling for over 14 years. The foundation is reportedly expanding its efforts by developing a counseling platform designed to help people resolve issues more efficiently. According to the foundation, not all issues can be addressed through crisis intervention alone, especially those with a long history. They suggest that long-term therapy can uncover underlying issues affecting mental health and provide strategies for coping and building resilience.
The Vandrevala Foundation is known to provide quality mental health services by carefully vetting and selecting a team of experts. They assert that they treat every individual with respect and dignity, empowering them to have their own voice and encouraging active participation in their mental health care. The foundation also emphasizes its commitment to continual learning, research, and the creation of more efficient methods to serve the community.
With over 1 million conversations reportedly conducted, the foundation focuses on prioritizing mental health. They believe that when individuals show the courage to heal and grow, it benefits everyone around them. The helpline operates 24/7, 365 days a year, offering free mental health support and psychological counseling to anyone in need. Individuals can reportedly call or WhatsApp from anywhere in India at any time.
In addition to free support, the foundation offers paid consultations, allowing individuals to opt for video or telephonic consultations with expert counselors for more extensive support. The foundation also runs a Skill Academy, where employees and volunteers, many with a background in psychology, are trained by experienced mental health professionals. This training is known to equip them to manage crisis conversations effectively.
The foundation is also involved in raising awareness and building advocacy against the stigma surrounding mental health issues. They claim to work with governments, educational institutions, civil society, and media to combat bias and build support for mental health counseling and interventions.
Information on this page has been sourced from the Vandrevala Foundation website.
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.
If these helplines are not able to help you and you’re still in intense distress, please reach out to a trusted nearby hospital or call trusted emergency services.
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.”
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Create a safety plan with your loved one. Check pages 7 and 9 of this PDF (External Link) 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.
This page exists to provide access to crisis helplines, for those who are in distress. TheMindClan.com does not own or operate the crisis helplines listed, and make no claims to the accuracy of the information provided. It cannot be held liable for any issues arising from usage of these independent third party service providers. If you are in a crisis and the helplines are not able to help you, please reach out to a trusted nearby hospital or call trusted emergency services. While the helplines listed are free, local charges may apply when you call them up.
This page is not maintained by the helplines listed. If you are looking for more information, please visit the helpline's website. Please verify all details on this page yourself as well, as we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided. You may report any inaccuracies to us.
If you are looking for more helplines, you can find them below.
We imagine that it is really tough right now, but we urge you to hold on. Things will not always stay this way. Hang in there. TheMindClan.com wants you to remember that you are going to get through this. You matter. Stay with us. Reach out.
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