When it hurts too much

Some days grief is heavy. Some days it is dangerous. If you are thinking about ending your life, or you're scared of what you might do, this page is for you, and I want you to talk to a human today, not a website.

These lines are free, confidential, and answered by people trained for exactly this moment. You will not be judged. You do not need the right words.

If you are in the US

• Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), any hour, any day
• Or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line) if talking feels like too much

If you are in the UK or Ireland

• Call the Samaritans free on 116 123, any hour, any day
• For bereavement support in the UK, Cruse Bereavement Support: 0808 808 1677

If you are in Hong Kong

• The Samaritans (multilingual): 2896 0000, 24 hours
• Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong: 2389 2222

Anywhere else in the world

• findahelpline.com lists free crisis lines for almost every country
• If you are in immediate danger, call your local emergency number

If you're not in danger, but today is crushing

That counts too. You don't have to earn support by being at the edge.

Tell one person the truth about today. Send the text you keep deleting. If there is no one, the lines above are also for people who just cannot carry the afternoon alone, and the library is full of words from people who have sat exactly where you're sitting.

Grief this heavy is not a malfunction. It is a lot of love with nowhere to go. Please let someone help you hold it today.