Hey, friend. Your mental health matters. Even if you feel like you’re doing fine—and definitely if you feel like you’re not—there are tools and tune-ups that everyone can benefit from. If you're not about sitting in a therapist's office or can't realistically get there on your lunch break, it’s allll good. You have virtual options if you wanna work with a mental health pro without leaving your bed or texting options if you just need someone to listen for a bit.
It might not feel like it sometimes, but there are so many people who care about what’s happening in that pretty little head of yours, and organizations dedicated to making your mental health their priority. It can be daunting to reach out, we know, but we promise help is out there in a variety of forms—and things can get better.
Don’t know where to start? Try any of our favorite resources, here.
To get help for yourself...
- Find a licensed therapist near you in the American Psychological Association’s extensive database (Locator.APA.org) or via Psychology Today’s therapist finder (PsychologyToday.com/us/therapists). For providers that focus on marginalized and intersectional communities, visit Ayana Therapy.com or InclusiveTherapists.com.
- Try virtual therapy on a platform like BetterHelp, Teladoc, Amwell, or Talkspace. Online therapy can often be more affordable than traditional therapy, whether or not you have insurance.
- Join a peer-based support site like Support.TherapyTribe.com or HeyPeers.com to find communities of people dealing with similar mental health struggles.
- Message with a volunteer listener at 7Cups.com for free, 24-hour emotional support.
- Call the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386 or the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 for free LGBTQ+-specific crisis counseling.
- If you’re not in crisis but you want to talk or get more help finding resources, call 800-950-NAMI or text “HelpLine” to 62640 to speak with a trained staffer or volunteer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
- If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to be connected to a Suicide & Crisis Lifeline counselor at no cost to you.
To give help to others...
- Volunteer your time with Crisis Text Line, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
- Donate to nonprofits like:
- The Loveland Foundation, which helps provide therapy to Black women and girls.
- The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, which awards grants to scientists doing mental health research.
- The Trevor Project, which focuses on suicide-prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth.
- Enroll in a Mental Health First Aid course—either online or in your community—at MentalHealthFirstAid.org to learn how to recognize signs of mental illness and help accordingly.
Hannah Chubb is the lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.
