Self-Help Resources

(This page was last updated 01/10/2025)

Crisis Lines

Crisis Emergency 911
Crisis Text Line Text “HOME” to 741-741
Infoline (ask for crisis counselor) 211 or https://www.211ct.org/
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline    1-800-273-TALK (8255)
National Hopeline Network, Suicide & Crisis Hotline  1-800-442-HOPE(4673)
CT Sexual Assault Hotline

1-888-999-5545 (English)

or 1-888-568-8332 (Spanish).

Eating Disorders Hotline

1‐888‐236‐1188
National Domestic Violence Hotline

1‐800‐799‐SAFE (7233)

Text “START” to 88788

Chat forum
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline

1‐800‐422‐4453

Text “HELP” to                         1-800-422-4453
National Runaway Switchboard

1‐800‐621‐4000

Text: 1-800-786-2929

Chat Online 
National Youth Crisis Hotline 1‐800‐448‐4663

Covenant House Crisis Hotline  (Teens in Crisis)

  • Covenant House offers a general hotline for teens facing any kind of problem, with a particular expertise in supporting homeless and runaway youth. The staff members who answer calls are trained in crisis intervention and can help direct callers to the appropriate organizations or programs for additional assistance. Crisis centers can provide emergency shelter for homeless youth under the age of 21. Immediate needs including shelter, food, and clothing are provided at intake. 
 1‐800‐999‐9999

Disaster Distress Helpline

  • This is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster, including infectious disease outbreaks. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories. Stress, anxiety, and other depression-like symptoms are common reactions after a disaster.

Call or Text: 1-800-985-5990

L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.P.+
The Trevor Project for LGBTQ Youth 

1-866-488-7386

Chat online

Text “START” to 678-678
Trans Lifeline

1-877-565-8860

Substance-Related
Substance Abuse and Mental Health helpline

1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Al‐Anon/Al‐A‐Teen

  • Al‑Anon and Al-A-Teen are mutual support programs for people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking.
 1‐888‐425‐2666
Remote AA Meetings Link
Remote NA Chat Link
NA by phone Link
Cocaine Anonymous

Email
SMART Recovery

Meetings Finder (virtual and in-person) 

Non-crisis “Warm” Lines

  • Warm lines are telephone support services staffed by individuals with experience and expertise in mental health challenges who can provide understanding and connect callers to appropriate resources. These lines are not crisis lines, and their days and hours of operation vary.

Safe Harbor Warm Line

5pm-10pm Every Day (including holidays) 

 1-800-258-1528

Reach Out Greater New Haven Warmline

8:30am - 7pm Monday-Thursday

8:30am - 6pm Friday

 (203) 287-2460
For other CT Warm Lines: Visit this link

NYC Well

  • NYC 988 focuses on helping New Yorkers with area codes 212, 718, 646, 917, 347, and 929. However, regardless of your location, anyone can get access to local mental health support if thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support by calling 988.
  • Interpreters are available for 200+ languages.

1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355)

Text “WELL” to 65173

Chat online

NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) 

            11:00am - 9:00pm ET Monday-Thursday

            11:00am - 5:00pm ET Friday

Call or Text (800) 931-2237

ANAD (National Association of  Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)

            9:00am - 9:00pm CST Monday-Friday

 1 (888)-375-7767

Alternatives to calling 911

Here is a link of alternatives to calling 911 in New Haven, CT. 

Websites and books

Mind over mood

Worry Less, Live More: The Mindful Way through Anxiety Workbook

CBT Information Leaflets & Self Help Guides

Creative Ways to Support Mental Health

SMART Recovery (Addiction) Online Toolbox (including interactive tools and worksheets)

7+ Tips on How to Find a Job After Rehab

Guide for Students with Substance Abuse Issues (includes interactive map to locate collegiate recovery programs near you)

Relationship Enhancement

Useful takeaways from different clinical approaches

  • CBT Skills

    • Behavioral activation. Maintaining a daily routine can help. Try to integrate regular daily activities, such as work, exercise or learning.

      • ​2-hour rule: do not have nothing to do for more than 2 hours & do not do one activity for more than 2 hours (within reason)
      • Balance
        • Self-Care: showering, brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating, sleeping.
        • Mastery: Activities that give you a sense of completion and accomplishment.
        • Pleasure: Activities that you find rewarding.
        • Social: Face-to-face interactions, phone calls, text messages, and video chat can be helpful tools for accessing social support networks. Make a plan to connect with people, even if virtually!
        • Flexibility: Be willing to change things up or reorganize
        • Accountability: Make a schedule, to-do list, check things off!
        • Practice/Repetition: Make a schedule every day for the next day, review in the morning
        • Know your sensitive periods (times when your mood might be the lowest). Plan activity to target these periods.

  • DBT Skills

    • ​PLEASE Skills (to help regulate emotions)
      • ​Treat Physical Illness: Being sick lowers your resistance to negative emotions. The healthier you can become, the better able you will be to regulate your emotions. If you are dealing with any health issue, it is important that you reach out to a doctor, even virtually.
      • Balance Eating: Try to eat the amounts and kinds of foods that help you feel good—not too much or too little. Both eating too much and excessive dieting can increase your vulnerability to emotion mind (when our behavior is overly influenced by emotion). When and how often you eat and your daily eating routine can be especially important.
      • Avoid Mood-Altering Substances: Alcohol and drugs, like certain foods, can lower resistance to negative emotions. Stay off illicit drugs. Use alcohol in moderation, if at all.
      • Balance Sleep: Try to get the amount of sleep that helps you feel good—not too much or too little, usually between 7 and 9 hours. Keep to a consistent sleep schedule, especially if you are having difficulty sleeping.
      • Get Exercise: Aerobic exercise, done consistently, is an antidepressant. In addition, a regular exercise schedule can build mastery. Do some sort of exercise 5 to 7 days per week. Try to build up to 20 minutes of exercise each time.
    • Wise Mind ACCEPTS (how to make it through a distressing moment - when emotionally overwhelmed (10/10) do not try to solve the problem, buy yourself some time to de-escalate through distraction)
      • ​Activities:
      • With Contributing
        • Find volunteer work to do.
        • Help a friend or family member.
        • Surprise someone with something nice (a card, a favor, a text).
        • Call or send an instant message encouraging someone or just say hi.
        • Make something nice for someone else.
      • With Comparisons
        • ​Compare how you are feeling now to a time when you felt different. (emotions are temporary)
        • Think about people coping the same as you or less well than you.
        • Compare yourself to those less fortunate.
      • With different Emotions
        • ​Read emotional books or stories, old letters. (elicit an emotion different than the one you are feeling now)
        • Watch emotional TV shows; go to emotional movies. (elicit an emotion different than the one you are feeling now)
        • Listen to emotional music. (elicit an emotion different than the one you are feeling now)
        • Ideas: Scary movies, joke books, comedies, funny records, religious music, soothing music or music that fires you up, reading funny greeting cards.
      • With Pushing away
        • Leave the situation mentally.
        • Build an imaginary wall between yourself and the situation.
        • Block thoughts and images from your mind.
        • Notice ruminating: Yell “No!”
        • Put your pain on a shelf. Box it up and put it away for a while.
        • Use your imagination to plan a dream vacation in detail.
      • ​With other Thoughts
        • ​Count to 10; count colors in a painting or poster or out the window; count anything.
        • Repeat words to a song in your mind.
        • Work puzzles.
        • Watch TV or read.
      • With other Sensations
        • ​Squeeze a rubber ball very hard.
        • Listen to very loud music.
        • Hold ice in your hand or mouth.
        • Take a hot or cold shower.
      • Guided video of the above skills

  • ​ACT Skills

    • ​Think about what you value in different domains of your life. Ask if you are acting in a way that you value. If there is room for growth, how can you act more in a way that aligns with your values?
    • We all have different ways of coping. Some of these ways are what we call shovel strategies and some are what we call ladder strategies. Shovel strategies dig us deeper into the hole (maybe temporarily making it feel like we are helping ourselves, but in the long run we are not). Ladder strategies help lift us out of the hole. Try to focus on using ladder strategies.
    • F.A.C.E. C.O.V.I.D.: “A set of practical steps for responding effectively to the Corona crisis, using principles of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)”, from Russ Harris

  • Mindfulness Skills

  • Messages from trauma-focused work

    • ​Things are hard. You likely will experience distress and suffering. It is how you manage these experiences that are important.
      • Victor Frankl “Man’s search for meaning”: Identifying a purpose during suffering 
      • Dr. Edith Eva Eger (interview on AppleTV+ with Oprah): Dr. Eger is a Holocaust survivor and talks about the importance of findings positive in crisis (laughter, gratitude, etc.).

Resources for children and parents

General

Coronavirus/COVID-19 Related

Eating disorders

Addiction/substance abuse disorders

Educational

Apps

Youtube (for videos, exercise classes, religious services)

Calm and Headspace are 2 highly reviewed and utilized mindfulness apps

10% Happier

PTSD Coach

Meditation Apps for Kids

MindShift CBT

Duolingo (learn a new language)

SMART Recovery (addiction)

Information links

Home Internet Access: If you do not have internet access at home, or cannot afford to maintain it, but need internet for work or school, there are several options available through providers:

  1. Comcast/Xfinity
  2. Access from AT&T: A low-cost/free home internet package for qualifying individuals and households through the Affordable Connectivity Program.

Coping with Stress during COVID - 19 - CDC

Advice to the Public - World Health Organization

Pandemics - American Psychological Association

State Action on Coronavirus - National Conference of State Legislatures (check your State for laws)