If you are in crisis right now
If you or someone near you is in immediate danger, please contact your local emergency services straight away, or reach out to a crisis helpline right now. You do not have to face this moment alone, and help is available.
In India, you can call the government's free Tele-MANAS mental health helpline, any time, day or night: 14416 or 1-800-891-4416 (24×7, available in many languages). More information is on the official portal: telemanas.mohfw.gov.in.
Reaching out is not a weakness. It is the bravest and most important thing you can do right now.
If you have reached this page because the weight you are carrying feels unbearable, please know this first: you matter, your pain is real, and you deserve support. What you are feeling right now is something many people have survived and come through — even when it felt impossible in the moment. This page is here to help you, gently, through the next little while, and to point you toward people who can help.
What to do right now
When everything feels overwhelming, you don't need to solve it all at once. You only need to get through the next hour, and the next, with support. Here are some things that can help.
Tell someone
Reach out to a person you trust — a family member, a friend, a neighbour, a doctor, or a helpline. You don't have to explain it perfectly or find the right words; simply saying "I'm not okay, and I need help right now" is enough. Letting another person in, even a little, can begin to lift some of the weight.
Try not to be alone
If you can, stay with someone, or ask someone to come and be with you — in person or on the phone. The presence of another person, even quietly, can help you get through the hardest moments. If you can't reach anyone close, a crisis helpline means there is always someone to be with you, even at 3 a.m.
Get through the next moment, not the whole future
Right now, you don't have to figure out the rest of your life. Your only task is to get safely through this moment, and then the next. Take it in small pieces — the next hour, a glass of water, one slow breath at a time. Intense crisis feelings, however powerful, do tend to ease, and giving yourself time changes things.
The crisis is telling you something that isn't true. When pain becomes this intense, it can convince you that it will never end, that you are a burden, or that there is no way through. Please hear this gently: that hopeless feeling is a symptom of how much you are suffering right now — it is not the truth about your life or your future. Pain this heavy distorts what we can see. Crises pass, feelings shift, and the situations that feel unbearable can change, often in ways we cannot imagine from inside the darkness. What you are going through is real, and it is also treatable. Holding on, and reaching for help, gives the truth a chance to come back into view.
How to support someone in crisis
If you are worried that someone you care about may be in a suicidal crisis, your steady, caring presence can make a real difference. You don't need to be an expert.
Take it seriously, and stay calm
If someone tells you they are struggling, or you notice the signs, take it seriously — it is always better to reach out than to stay silent for fear of "saying the wrong thing." Approach them with warmth and without panic. Letting them know you've noticed, and that you care, can itself be a lifeline.
Listen without judgement
Let them talk, and listen more than you speak. You don't need to fix it, argue them out of it, or offer solutions — just hear them, take their feelings seriously, and let them feel less alone. Avoid minimising what they feel or rushing to reassure; presence and acceptance help more than advice.
Help them connect to support, and stay with them
Gently encourage them to reach out for professional help, and offer to help them do it — sitting with them as they call a helpline, or helping them get to a doctor or emergency service. If they are in immediate danger, don't leave them alone, and contact emergency services. Don't promise to keep their safety a secret; their life matters more than that promise.
Key takeaways
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services or a crisis helpline right now — you are not alone.
- In India, the free Tele-MANAS helpline (14416 / 1-800-891-4416) is available 24×7.
- You only have to get through the next moment, not the whole future; reach out and tell someone, and try not to be alone.
- The hopeless feeling is a symptom of intense pain, not the truth — crises pass, and what you're going through is treatable.
- To support someone else: take it seriously, listen without judgement, help them connect to support, and don't leave them alone if they're in danger.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if I'm having suicidal thoughts right now?
Please reach out for support immediately — you don't have to carry this alone. If you're in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services or a crisis helpline right now; in India, Tele-MANAS (14416 or 1-800-891-4416) is free and available 24×7. Tell someone you trust how you're feeling, try to stay with another person, and focus only on getting safely through the next moment. The intense feelings you have right now can and do ease, and help is available.
How do I help someone who is suicidal?
Take any sign or disclosure seriously, and approach them with calm and warmth. Listen without judgement — you don't have to fix anything, just let them feel heard and less alone. Gently encourage professional help and offer to help them reach it, such as sitting with them while they call a helpline. If they are in immediate danger, do not leave them alone and contact emergency services. It's always better to reach out than to stay silent for fear of saying the wrong thing.
Will these feelings ever go away?
Yes. However permanent the pain feels right now, intense crisis states do pass — feelings shift, and situations that seem unbearable can change, often in ways that are impossible to see from inside the crisis. The hopelessness itself is a symptom of how much you're suffering, not an accurate picture of your future. What you're experiencing is real, and it is also treatable. Reaching for help, and giving yourself time, gives things a real chance to improve.
Can therapy help after a crisis?
Very much so. Once you are safe, ongoing support makes a real difference — therapy can help you understand what brought you to this point, build ways of coping, and address underlying difficulties such as depression. A crisis is not a life sentence; with the right support, people move through it and go on to feel hope and stability again. Reaching out for that support, when you're ready, is an act of strength.
Once you are safe, you don't have to face what comes next alone. Dr. Prerna Kohli offers warm, professional support to help you understand and move through this, in person in Gurugram and online across India and for NRIs worldwide.
Book a Session WhatsApp UsThis page is for support and information, and is not a substitute for emergency care. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please contact your local emergency services or a crisis helpline right now. Dr. Prerna Kohli is a clinical psychologist and does not provide emergency crisis services.
About the author
Dr. Prerna Kohli
Dr. Prerna Kohli is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years of practice, based in Gurugram. She holds a PhD from Aligarh Muslim University, where she was a four-time gold medallist, and received the "100 Women Achievers of India" award from the President of India in 2016. A TEDx speaker and published author, she works with individuals, couples, and families through her private practice — in clinic in Gurugram and online worldwide — with a particular speciality in NRI mental health.