Reaching Out for Emotional Support

By Heidy

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If you have read our other articles on Teenagers with Experience, you may have noticed that a majority of our articles will include additional resources to reach out to if any of our readers need someone to talk to. These resources will commonly be helplines.

We may already have someone in our lives to talk to, such as a trusted friend, romantic partner, or relative. Even when we have someone to reach out to, expressing our emotional pain to anyone can feel uncomfortable, scary, or we might believe that we can handle our pain independently. Speaking up about our issues takes an enormous amount of courage. And when we do speak up, connections amongst those who care about us will strengthen and relationships will grow closer.

Talking about what we're going through with someone else feels comforting because when someone else knows about our challenges, we no longer feel as though we have to face our battles alone.

Alternatively, talking to our close loved ones may also present a few drawbacks. With good intentions, our loved ones can offer us biased suggestions that aren't always useful or try ways to make us feel better but end up making us feel worse. When my boyfriend, Dan, died in 2018, I was miserable. I remember one person, as a way to comfort me, told me, "I know how you feel. I lost my baby due to a miscarriage." Although they may have wanted to make me feel understood and connected, that was one of the last things that I wanted to hear: more tragic deaths. While I was feeling bitter and bereaved, I wanted to believe that they didn't know how I felt, even if they did experience an awful, heartbreaking loss as well. All I wanted was to be listened to.

Aside from conversations that try to be helpful but can end up minimizing how we feel, we also tend to hold back from becoming vulnerable for several reasons. I sometimes hate myself but I don't like telling my mom that because she gets angry that I use a strong word like "hate." So, I play it down and say, "I don't feel good about myself." When we're under distress and in crisis or we're simply not feeling emotionally well, this is where experienced mental health professionals can step in.

The other day, I reached out to the Crisis Text Line when I was experiencing thoughts of suicidal ideation. I didn't want anyone to worry but I knew I needed support right away. Just the act of opening up and having to no longer keep these thoughts to myself made the emotional pain manageable. The trained crisis counselor listened and empathized. That was really all I needed to feel at ease and ready to take on the world again. By the end of our text-based conversation, I had a plan for what I would do to cope and distract myself to keep myself safe for that night.

Looking for mental health hotlines is a Google search away. I have also included several numbers down below for those who live in the U.S. and the U.K. Whatever mental health issue you are experiencing (LGBTQ+A, domestic violence, sexual assault, bullying, depression, anxiety, self-injury, etc.), there is a chance that there is a crisis hotline for it. I used to think that hotlines were exclusively for those who were under an urgent mental health emergency. On the contrary! Anyone can reach out. A lot of people contact hotlines like Crisis Text Line after a romantic break-up, a family argument, an anxiety-inducing exam, or friendship troubles. If you're experiencing emotional pain and need someone to talk to, that is reason enough to call or text for support.

Several hotlines are available 24/7. Sometimes late night hours are when people can feel at most vulnerable to their emotional and mental issues due to rumination, inability to sleep, or other potential causes. Do not worry about proper etiquette - reach out at 3AM, if you need to speak to a mental health professional at that moment!

Above all, these confidential mental health services are 100% free. Reaching out for help isn’t easy so be proud of yourself when you take that big step to open up about your struggles. 

Hotline Contact Information for U.S. and U.K. residents
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United States
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN): 1-800-656-4673
National Eating Disorders Association: 1-800-931-2237 (Monday - Thursday 11AM-9PM ET, Friday 11AM-5PM ET)
National Runaway Safeline: 1-800-786-2929
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 1-800-662-4357
Warmlines: https://screening.mhanational.org/content/need-talk-someone-warmlines/

United Kingdom:
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 85258
Anxiety UK: Call 03444 775 774 | Text 07537 416 905
Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre: 0808 802 9999 (12:00 - 14:30, 19:00 - 21:30 everyday)
Survivors UK: Male Rape and Sexual Abuse: chat online at https://www.survivorsuk.org/ or chat via SMS at 020 3322 1860
Childline: 0800 1111
Samaritans: 116 123
Shout: Text SHOUT to 85258
Switchboard LGBT: 0300 330 0630 (10:00-22:00 every day)

You matter. You're important. You're loved. And your presence on this earth makes a difference, whether you see it or not!