Get help now
If you are struggling right now, you do not have to wait or handle it alone. The services below are free, confidential, and staffed by trained people — many around the clock. Reaching out is a sign of strength.
Conversation Matcher is a place for everyday connection, but it is not a crisis service. In an urgent moment, please use one of these lines.
In immediate danger?
If your life or someone else’s is at immediate risk, call your local emergency number now — 112 (Europe), 911 (US & Canada), or 999 (UK).
United States & Canada
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, 24/7.
United Kingdom & Ireland
Samaritans — call 116 123, free, 24/7. In the UK you can also text SHOUT to 85258.
Netherlands
113 Zelfmoordpreventie — call 0800-0113 (free) or 113, 24/7.
Prefer to text?
Crisis Text Line offers free, confidential text support — see the number for your country.
Anywhere else
Find a free helpline in your country at findahelpline.com.
Where Conversation Matcher fits
When you are not in crisis but simply need someone to talk to, peer conversation can help you feel less alone. Conversation Matcher connects you one-to-one with a real person who chose the same topic you did — for company and being heard, not clinical support. You can read how we keep those conversations safe on our safety page.
Think of it this way: a crisis line is for the hard, urgent moments; peer conversation is for the everyday loneliness in between. They are not the same thing, and it is okay to use both.
If someone you are talking to is struggling
If a conversation turns to thoughts of self-harm or crisis, you do not have to carry it alone either. Gently encourage them to contact a crisis line, and feel free to share this page. Being a kind, steady presence and pointing someone toward trained help is exactly the right thing to do — you are not expected to be their counsellor.
Frequently asked questions
Is Conversation Matcher a crisis or emergency service?
No. Conversation Matcher is peer conversation — a way to be heard by another person. It is not a crisis line, not therapy, and not an emergency service. If you need urgent help, please use one of the crisis lines on this page or your local emergency number.
What if someone I am talking to says they are in crisis?
Gently encourage them to contact a crisis line and share this page with them. You are there as a caring person, not as their counsellor — pointing them to trained support is the kindest and safest thing you can do.
Are these helplines free?
The lines listed here are free and confidential, and most are available 24/7. Availability and languages vary by country — findahelpline.com can point you to a service near you.
Conversation Matcher does not provide medical or mental-health treatment and is not a substitute for professional care or emergency services. If you are in crisis, please contact one of the lines above or your local emergency number.