What they say
Talking about being a burden, being trapped, having no reason to keep going, or saying goodbye in a way that feels final.
Get help
If you're struggling, start here
You don't need a diagnosis, a referral or the right words. Tell us what's happening and a real person will get back to you within 72 hours. This form is not monitored around the clock — if you need someone right now, use the lines below.
Need someone right now?
- 988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 98824/7, free and confidential, anywhere in the US
- Crisis Text LineText HOME to 74174124/7 text support with a trained crisis counselor
- Emergency servicesCall 911If someone is in immediate physical danger
These lines are staffed around the clock by trained counselors. You can call for yourself, or for someone you're worried about.
This form reaches our team, not a crisis line. If you need someone right now, call or text 988 — don’t wait for a reply.
- There's no wrong reason to reach out.
- What you tell us stays with our small team.
- Asking for help is not weakness. It's how this works.
What happens next
You send this form
Only the basics. Skip anything you'd rather say on the phone.
We get back to you
Within 72 hours, a real person from our team — not a machine.
We work out what would help
Together. A counselor, a group, a resource — or just someone to talk it through with.
We stay in touch
For as long as it's useful to you. You set the pace.
Know the signs
If you're worried about someone
Most people who are struggling give some sign of it. You don't have to be a professional to notice, and you don't have to have the answer — you only have to ask, and stay.
What to look for
What they do
Withdrawing from people, giving away things that matter to them, sleeping far more or far less, drinking or using more than usual.
How they seem
A heavy, prolonged low — or a sudden calm after one. Agitation, rage, or a flatness that isn't like them.
What's happened
A loss, a diagnosis, a breakup, a job gone, humiliation. Especially where there's been a previous attempt.
How to ask
Ask directly
“Are you thinking about suicide?” Plainly, in those words. Asking does not plant the idea — research is consistent on this. It gives someone permission to say yes.
Listen without fixing
Don't argue, don't rush to solutions, don't tell them what they have to be grateful for. Being heard without judgment is the thing that helps.
Make it safer
Ask whether they have a plan or a means to hand, and help put distance between them and it. Time and distance save lives.
Connect them
Call or text 988 together. Help them make an appointment. Go with them if you can — a warm handover beats a phone number on a napkin.
Follow up
Check back in a day or two, and again after that. Staying in contact measurably reduces risk. It is the easiest step and the one most often skipped.
The one thing to unlearn
Asking someone directly about suicide does not put the idea in their head. That belief keeps people silent, and silence is what the risk feeds on. Ask the question.
Get trained with usOther help nearby
More help in Springfield
We are not the only people here to help, and mental health is rarely the only thing a household is carrying. These are services we point people to.
Open Pantry Community Services — Emergency Food Pantry
Emergency food for households in Springfield, available up to six times a year. They also help with SNAP applications.
We don't run these services and can't speak for their availability. Call ahead to check current hours and what to bring.