Please do, and please do it today rather than when you have finished what you were doing. If something in your situation is frightening you, or you are thinking about hurting yourself, contact one of the services below now. They exist for exactly this, they are free, and you will not be wasting anybody's time.
Call your local emergency number.
United States and Canada 911 · United Kingdom 999 or 112 · European Union 112 · Australia 000 · New Zealand 111 · Japan 119 for an ambulance, 110 for the police · India 112 · Brazil 190 · Mexico 911 · South Africa 10111 for police, 10177 for an ambulance.
Free, and answered by people who do this all day.
United States call or text 988, day or night. Chat at
988lifeline.org.
Canada call or text 988, day or night.
United Kingdom and Ireland call 116 123, day or night
(Samaritans). In Welsh, 0808 164 0123.
Germany call 116 123 or 0800 111 0 111,
day or night (TelefonSeelsorge).
Australia call 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14,
day or night (Lifeline).
New Zealand call or text 1737, day or night.
Japan call 0800 300 8355 for support in English (TELL). Toll
free, but not around the clock; hours are at
telljp.com.
India call 14416 (Tele MANAS), day or night.
South Africa call 0800 567 567, day or night. Mental health
0800 456 789 or SMS 31393. WhatsApp 076 882 2775,
8am to 5pm. Substance use 0800 12 13 14 or SMS 32312.
These South African numbers and hours are as published by SADAG at
sadag.org. They are SADAG's
services, not ours, and what happens after you send an SMS is theirs to describe rather than
ours to promise. If a number does not answer, call 0800 567 567, which SADAG
lists as staffed around the clock.
116 123 is the harmonised European number for emotional support and works in a number of countries beyond those listed here.
No page can carry a number for every country, and this one does not try. If you are somewhere not listed above, or you want a service that fits your situation more closely, there is a searchable list covering most of the world at findahelpline.com. Choose your country, then the kind of support you are looking for.
The International Association for Suicide Prevention also keeps a directory of crisis centres at iasp.info.
A qualified mental health professional. Start with a doctor, who can refer you. Every country keeps a register of who is licensed to practise. In the United Kingdom the NHS lists talking-therapy services; in the United States your insurer or a state licensing board can confirm a therapist is licensed; in South Africa the register is kept by the Health Professions Council at hpcsa.co.za.
A problem at work. Most countries have a body that handles disputes between employees and employers, and many are free. In the United Kingdom it is Acas, acas.org.uk, which runs a free helpline listed on that page. In the United States, the EEOC at eeoc.gov handles discrimination complaints. In Australia, the Fair Work Ombudsman at fairwork.gov.au. In South Africa, the CCMA at ccma.org.za or 0861 16 16 16. A trade union, if you belong to one, is often the fastest route of all.
A lawyer. Most countries have a bar association or law society that lists admitted lawyers, and many run a free first consultation scheme. In South Africa the Legal Practice Council lists attorneys at lpc.org.za.
Financial advice. Check that an adviser is registered with your national financial regulator before you take advice from them. The FCA in the United Kingdom, the SEC or FINRA in the United States, ASIC in Australia, the FSCA in South Africa.
Novellum publishes books. It is not a medical, legal, financial or psychological service, nobody at Novellum has assessed you, and reading one of our books does not make anyone here your adviser. Laws and services differ from country to country, and nothing we publish is written for any particular jurisdiction. If your situation involves your health, your safety, your legal rights or your money, please speak to someone qualified to help with it where you live.
If you would like to reach us about an order, support@novellumbooks.com. Please do not use that address if you need help urgently. It is read during South African office hours, and the services above are answered now.
Every number on this page was checked against the operating organisation's own website on 8 September 2026, and is checked again every six months. If you find one that is wrong, telling us at support@novellumbooks.com is a real kindness to the next person.