People National Suicide Prevention Hotline Lifeline Phone Call

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national "hotline" (a phone number that people can call at any time to get immediate help in an emergency situation) for people who are experiencing emotional "distress" (feelings of panic and intense worry) and having suicidal thoughts. The hotline is actually a "network" (a group of people or organizations that are connected to each other in some way) of "crisis centers" (organizations designed to help people in emergency situations) across the country.

When someone calls the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, that "caller" (the person who made the phone call) is "transferred" (given a phone connection to another person) to speak with a "counselor" (a person whose job is to help people understand their feelings and provide guidance for healthy choices) at the nearest crisis center. Anyone can call the hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), whether they are experiencing suicidal thoughts or worried about someone who has "expressed" (shared feelings about) "suicidal intent" (a plan to kill oneself). The counselor listens to what the caller has to say and then provides information about local "resources" (things that can be used) for "mental" (relating to the mind) health.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline also has a website with "outreach" (efforts to contact) to specific populations that are "vulnerable" (likely to be hurt by) to suicide, such as the "victims" (people who are hurt by others) of "cyber bullying" (mistreatment by others online, especially among teenagers) and "veterans" (people who have returned home after completing military service in a war). The website also has stories of people who have been helped by calling the hotline and who "credit it" (say that the calling the hotline is the reason why something happened) with "saving their life" (preventing their suicide and death).